Star Studio Hong Kong December 2015 by Star Studio Hong Kong

CELEBRITY UNIONS

CRISTALLE BELO & JUSTIN PITT

DECEMBER 2015 VOL. 1 NO. 11

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The ‘On the Wings of Love’ superstars soar higher — way beyond anyone’s (and their own) expectations —and they are simply unstoppable

NG O K G N HO Edition

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HONG KONG EDITION

Message from the Managing Director

ian reyno PHILIPPINE edition executive EDITOR

Dear Kapamilya,

Tinna S. Bonifacio PHILIPPINE edition senior ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The Christmas season is by far, one of the, if not the most loved seasons of Filipinos around the world. One does not need any data or field research to support this claim. Even for countries where Christmas is not as big a celebration as ours, Filipinos try to celebrate the occasion as much as they can. We, the TFC team in Hong Kong, like all other overseas Filipinos (OF) outside the homeland, try to celebrate Christmas in our own way. Like you, we too are OFs so we understand how you feel, celebrating away from loved ones, in a foreign land where family and the Pinoy traditions of a Paskong Pinoy are missed. This year, ABS-CBN Corporation launched its Christmas campaign “Thank You For The Love” where the network inspires the Filipinos to express their love to people who matter to them and who make a difference in their lives no matter where they are in the world. These people can be their Kapamilyas, good friends, people at work or even strangers on the street. So we in TFC join our mother network in thanking the people we hold dear. For us, we choose to thank you, our dear Kapamilya readers for the love you have given TFC these past years. We are sending this group message to express our gratitude for your continued patronage of our programs, your following of our TFC Hong Kong Facebook fan page, your visits to our events and the many ways by which you so proudly declare your pride in being a Kapamilya. Like a veritable exchange gift, we also give you the gift of news and entertainment. As our way of giving back, we are constantly on our toes, trying to deliver the best of ABS-CBN programs through platforms that suit you. Recently, we also enabled some of you to experience a touching gettogether with your loved ones with Kapamilya Reunion. Just by sharing us the most memorable Paskong `Pinoy we let some of you experience a virtual reunion and a true exchange gift courtesy of TFC and partners. We, together with Star Cinema, also brought you the “A Second Chance” phenomenon not only by way of the movie screening but also the company of lead actors John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo via the December 13 premiere where lucky kababayans were able to see the iconic loveteam. And while we gave you a free opportunity to enjoy some of our Kapamilya shows via the TFC.tv free app, we now let you experience the whole entertainment package via TFC.tv For all these, we send you our heartfelt thank you for your participation. A lot is still in the offing and with it, our tireless spirit to serve you.

Richard M. Arroyo International edition Art Director Alfred Bonifacio Amado Philippine Edition Art Director grace libero PHILIPPINE edition style editor francis simeon PHILIPPINE edition liaison editor Noella Ann S. Fonbuena international edition Editorial Coordinator

Ernesto L. Lopez HEAD, ABS-CBN PUBLISHING, INC. mark j. yambot MANAGING DIRECTOR christina n. lopez content AND EDITORIAL director Connie Naguiat Publisher

Voice Image Production Publisher

Jonathan Inocencio Representative Michael Manio, MD, MHPeD, PhD Contributing Writer

frederick suarez photographer TETCHIE BEE, BEL BACANI Coordinators

RIC GARCIA Associate For Advertising, pls contact MANILA - Marvin Roy Malvar (+63917) 307 3228 HONG KONG - Mr Jonathan Inocencio +852.6874 5567

Maligayang Pasko mga Kapamilya.

TFC team *Voice Image Production is the official licensee of ABS-CBN Publishing and ABS-CBN Australia for StarStudio Magazine HK Edition StarStudio Magazine Hong Kong Edition is published and distributed by Voice Image Production

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Their Hearts’ Adventure

o Dr. Vicki Belo’s daughter Cristalle, it was a day like any other. She was vacationing in the Maldives with her family and boyfriend, Australian hotelier Justin Pitt. They were there to relax and have fun. So when Justin—who she had been dating for a year—asked her to take part in an Amazing Race adventureinspired treasure hunt, the fun-loving and adventurous Cristalle thought it was a game; she had no clue that it would turn out to be a one-way ticket to marital bliss. Justin, 37, had been secretly planning the moment for three months. It began with inviting Cristalle to go on holiday to the Per Aquum Resort in the Maldives (an island republic located in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives is an international tourist playground famous for its beaches and coral atolls) but before he did, he talked to her parents Atom and Vicki and got their permission for what he was about to do. He did that so when

They overcame distance and other challenges to their relationship to get to a point where love—their greatest adventure yet—could finally begin. Pulling it off was a challenge, but Cristalle Belo and Justin Pitt found that no distance can keep you apart when true love writes your story By Michelle Angela Orosa Carag Photos courtesy of Cristalle Belo

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dventure

she asked them if she could go on a trip to the Maldives, they would be ready for the possibility that her parents would turn it into a family vacation, with everyone tagging along—which is exactly what happened. Wanting everything to be perfect, Justin planned it all down to the last detail. He had metallic scratch clues and jigsaw puzzles custom-made in Australia for the occasion, and made sure that the most important item on the list—the 3.2 carat solitaire diamond engagement ring, encased by a halo of smaller diamonds on a diamond-studded band for which jeweler Stephen Lloyd, who has a shop at the Peninsula Manila, traveled all the way to Israel to source—was ready to slip on her finger.

Pitching in

The elaborate scheme also required the cooperation of both their families. Cristalle’s mom Vicki (of the Belo Medical Group empire) brought a camera crew along to document the proposal, but told her daughter only that they were going to shoot footage to be shown on their Belo Beauty 101 TV program; her brother Quark, a notedfilmmaker, helped by editing and shooting videos. Justin’s family was also present, but stayed on another island so Cristalle wouldn’t have a clue that something was afoot. But before the couple’s big moment could take place, Cristalle, 32—who heads Belo Essentials, a subsidiary of the Belo Medical Group, first had to complete a series of activities with the theme “My Greatest Adventure”. The activities were divided into four categories: “Communication”, “Partnership”, “Commitment” and “Lifelong Love”. Cristalle finished them all in two hours; but the final one, which happened under the light of a full August moon, stands out in her memory because it was the one that sealed their future together. “My instructions were to get on a boat, look my best and meet him on an island,” recalls Cristalle. “That’s when he proposed and asked me to be his wife. He told me that since we enjoy going on adventures together, he was now ready to go on the ‘Greatest Adventure’ of his life with me.” After she said yes, Cristalle and Justin returned to the villa they were staying in to find not just her own family waiting for her, but Justin’s parents as well. The surprise was finally revealed, all in good time. None of their efforts went to waste. Justin was delighted that his surprise worked; Cristalle, even more so. “I appreciated every single detail because that wasn’t easy to execute,” she muses. “It involved scuba divers, puzzles and metallic scratch card clues made in Australia, a cushion-cut diamond from Israel and even a special engagement dinner with our loved ones around. Each dish of the five-course meal represented places where we have shared special moments together: Abu Dhabi, Australia, China, the Philippines and Cambodia.” At the end of the evening, Cristalle’s mom Vicki posted a photo of the couple’s moonlight promise to each other on her Instagram account victoria_belo, with the following caption: “As a mother, I’ve always prayed that my children find the right partner. @cristallebelo is blessed to have found @ justinpitt77 because he honors and cherishes her like I always

wanted for her future husband to. He’s smart, kind, believes in commitment and partnership and forever in marriage. Even God cooperated by giving them the most beautiful moonlight.” To immortalize their big night, the couple wrote a quote on the sand. It is from Christian author C.S. Lewis’s book, The Last Battle, from the Chronicles of Narnia series. It read: ‘Now at last, they were beginning chapter one of the great story no one on earth has ever read, which goes on forever, in which every chapter is better than the one before.’” Asked if there was a moment she suspected that it was no ordinary treasure hunt, Cristalle answers, “The only time I realized that it was an engagement was when I started watching the video messages from our loved ones after every accomplished sub-theme or challenge. Justin worked with my brother Quark [Henares], a film director, to edit and shoot the videos.”

Meeting each other

Cristalle and Justin were introduced to each other by Justin’s best friend, Glen Finlayson. Justin’s job as a hotelier (he was then working as Resident Manager at the Qasr Al Sarab, a five-star resort in Abu Dhabi) took him around the region, although he would occasionally come to Manila for R & R. On one of his many trips here, he met Cristalle’s best friend Frank Briones, who, like Glen, felt Justin and Cristalle—who shared a love of traveling and adventure—would make a good match if they could only find the time and day to meet. But with Cristalle based in Manila, and Justin in Abu Dhabi (and all of the traveling both were doing for business and pleasure), getting them to meet face-to-face was clearly going to be a challenge. In the meantime, they started talking on social media. “One thing led to another, and we realized that we were getting along as we chatted away every single day,” Cristalle recalls. “In Justin’s words, ‘I was flirting, she was not.’ A few days before I left for Paris, he sent me this beautiful Mabolo flower arrangement on my birthday to communicate that his invitation to see me and host me while I was in the Middle East was sincere.” Then one day, an opportunity presented itself. Cristalle was flying from Paris back to Manila, and was due to make a stopover in the Middle East. Frank and Glen saw this as the perfect time to introduce them to each other. Plans were set for them to meet. However, their first meeting—when it finally did happen—turned out to be a little awkward. “Cristalle received advice on how to tackle our first meeting, which was to give me a gift,” Justin reveals. “I did not have anything on hand when we first met, though, so it was a little uncomfortable that she brought small trinkets for me and presented them to me while I had nothing to give in return.” When Cristalle arrived in Abu Dhabi, Justin had everything ready. He swept her off her feet with camel rides and horseback riding sunset excursions ending at a peak where they watched the sunset while sipping on champagne and eating strawberries, dune bashing, falconry and many other activities. StarStudio • HONG KONG VO L 1 N O 11

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“We realized that we both enjoyed going on outdoor adventures,” Cristalle says. “As a hotelier, he really flexed his muscles and rounded up everyone to show me an amazing three-day experience.”

Making a choice

But that was just the start; there was more to come. Another thing Cristalle didn’t know was that at the time they met, Justin was getting ready to play a Stormtrooper in the new Star Wars movie, which was filming in the Middle East. The film crew was billeted at his resort, and as a huge fan of the franchise, this was a chance he couldn’t pass up. Justin was supposed to attend boot camp to prepare for the role. But since Cristalle wanted him to meet her family in Manila, he had to make a choice: go to boot camp and fulfill his dream of being in the movie, or flying to the Philippines to fulfill Cristalle’s request. In the end, he gave up boot camp and instead chose to fly to the Philippines two weeks after their rendezvous in Abu Dhabi. For this, the entire Belo-Henares clan gave him the thumbs up. According to Justin, that visit to Manila helped both him and Cristalle to realize that what they had was really special. From that point on, they became fully invested in their relationship. “The fact she was always on my mind, as well as how I was always taking Cristalle and our relationship into consideration when making plans and thinking of the future let me know that my heart was already sold!” They had to work hard to keep their long-distance relationship going. Technology was a big help and went a long way toward making things between the two of them real and lasting. “I knew it was real when we developed a Skype call routine every evening,” Cristalle says. “If it were a temporary dating relationship, a guy would not invest that time to seek me out and talk to me every night.” Things progressed quickly, and ended in that magical night, under a full moon, in the Maldives. It was a moment neither of them—or their families—would ever forget.

Forward together

When asked what he loves about his bride-to-be the most, Justin states, “She is such a sweet, kind and caring person. I love her positivity and her passion for life.” Cristalle, meanwhile, loves Justin’s go-getter attitude. “Justin knows how to be in charge and he is organized,” she says. “He knows what he wants and gets things done. I admire his professionalism. On the other hand, he has that sweet, soft and silly side, which only comes out when he’s with me. I’m liking that exclusivity!” But what bonds them the most are their shared interests and passions in life. “We love food and we love experiencing new things,” Justin expresses. “Cristalle and I also share a passion for animals—whether it be horseback riding, shark diving, dogs or anything related to the joy of nature. We also have a strong drive to help the less fortunate.” The couple plans to tie the knot in Italy—Justin’s most favorite place in the world—in September 2016. They have started scouting venues and locations and are now in the final stages of confirming all the arrangements. 6

When asked where they plan to settle down, Justin reveals that he is open to moving to the Philippines should the right job come along. “Ideally, the plan is to work in the Philippines eventually—but it all depends if the right opportunity materializes. Meanwhile, somewhere close in Southeast Asia would also be suitable.” On the other hand, Cristalle, has told Justin that she has no problems wherever he chooses to work next, as long as it is relatively close to the Philippines. Indeed, Cristalle and Justin understand that it is important to see marriage as a partnership where all decisions have to be made together, and they are putting that into practice. In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Justin stated, “Cristalle’s the first girl I’ve dated where I’m not settling on anything. I’ve been lucky; I’ve had great girlfriends, but there was always something where maybe they weren’t as career-focused or as ambitious as I was. Cristalle is the first relationship I’ve had where there’s no settling, (and) no compromise. She’s the type of woman I want to make proud. I love her because she makes me happy, and I feed off her energy. It’s the kind of relationship where we kind of add to each other. It’s a partnership—we strive to go forward together and get the best out of life that way.” They have experienced so much together, but for Cristalle and Justin, the best is yet to come—because from this point on, they will be spending all their tomorrows together, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“

He told me that since we enjoy going on adventures together, he was now ready to go on the ‘Greatest Adventure’ of his life with me.” – Cristalle, on what Justin told her when he proposed

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C O V E R

S T O R Y

An experiment and an unlikely team-up is how some people would describe the pairing of Nadine Lustre and James Reid. Add to the fact that they both deny romantic inclinations towards each other and claim to only be good friends and you wonder how these two could possibly be heating up primetime TV with their unique brand of kilig that is leaving a trail of giddy and screaming fans in the Philippines and around the world. Allow StarStudio to kick start your happy holidays by revealing what really makes JaDine extra special

Flying High Photography by DOC MARLON PECJO makeup by jelly eugenio (for nadine) hair by paul nebres (for nadine) STYLED BY JOANNA GARCIA (FOR NADINE) assisted by alby benipayo and gelie manansala hair and makeup by mac igarta (for james) styled by m barretto (for james) SET DESIGN BY JUSTINE ARCEGA-BUMANLAG OF SASO GREENHOUSE DESIGN STUDIO StarStudio • HONG KONG

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Dress used as top from Apartment 8, skort and blazer from Forever 21, and Vivienne Westwood shoes from L’Arte at SM Aura

MISS INDEPENDENT

From her earliest years, Nadine Lustre learned the necessity of being strong and tough and standing on her own. At the same time a protector and nurturer, she likes making sure that people around her are okay and happy—and by soaring on the wings of love, she is making a lot of people feel those good vibes By Ann Manhit

er real name, Nadine Alexis, means ‘hopeful defender’. Indeed, Nadine Lustre’s gentle expression, brown eyes and quiet manner make it seem like she was almost born to play the part. Born October 31 (yes, on Halloween), Nadine is used to playing the role even in her own family. She prides herself on being strong and dependable, often keeping problems to herself. She doesn’t usually open up, even to her own family. She may look vulnerable, but is independent and strong on the inside. This, we correctly guess, is pretty much how the now 22-year-old actress has managed to survive the tough world of show business. An only child for her first six years, it was like life designed Nadine to be this way. “It’s not that I don’t need people to help me or that I’m pushing everyone away. I just want to feel independent,

that I can stand by myself. Hindi mo kasi masasabi eh. What if there’s no one there for you?”

Shifting fortunes

Daughter to Ulysses and Myraquel and now, the eldest of their four children, Nadine is close to her parents, but true to her independent nature, is not the type to tell them everything. “I’m not naman secretive, but I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like sharing problems. It’s not pride or ego,” she muses. “I try to be strong for them. Pakiramdam ko kasi, kung ako mag-break, kung ako bumagsak, pati sila ganoon din. I don’t show my family my vulnerable side. Lagi lang masaya.” Nadine was home-schooled for most of her younger years. Thus, she also grew up not having many friends. She had a few, although no one that she could really tell things to or that she could hang out with regularly.

“My best friend was my computer,” she shares. Her mom—who ran a retail business from home—remembers that her eldest was a typical child, malikot and makulit. “Sobrang likot, sobrang kulit. Matagal siyang baby, kaya medyo Daddy’s girl. Medyo boyish, gusto niya laging naka-pantalon, nakashorts. Gusto niya, mga laro na panlalaki: teks, bike.” Nadine’s father used to have a small trucking business. It was from him that Nadine got her sense of humor and her interest in cars and movies; from her mom, she got her love for organizing things and her nurturing spirit, the part of her that makes sure everyone around her is well-taken care of. “Our lifestyle was different then. I was kind of spoiled,” admits Nadine. “My mom and I would go to the mall daily and she would always buy me toys.” From preschool to Grade Six, Nadine

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studied at the Diliman Preparatory School, a private school near where they lived in Quezon City. “School was okay. I had a lot of friends. I wasn’t an A student, pero hindi naman bagsak. Sakto lang.” Right after her grade-school graduation is when the family’s fortunes began to change. Her father’s business was not doing well, so Nadine had to leave for America with her parents, who decided to take their chances there. Nadine recalls: “Unti-unti, nag-iba ‘yung lifestyle namin. It became different, especially financially.” Although it hurt to be separated from their two youngest children, Nadine’s parents realized that their chances of leaving as a whole family were slim, so they took only her. Nadine’s two brothers were left in the care of her maternal grandmother. For the young Nadine, oblivious to the twists a nd turns of the family fortunes, those times were like one long and very fun road trip. “We went on vacation to Manteca, California where my lolo was,” recalls Nadine. “We would go on five-hour road trips to San Francisco where my lolo would attend prayer meetings. I remember listening to songs on my MP3, the view, the sun streaming into the car.” Before long, she would learn that a new sibling was on the way. Her mother became pregnant again. But this time, the family was forced to return to the Philippines so her mom could get proper medical care. They had difficulty getting it in the US because of problems with their papers. “Nag-try ako magpa-check up,” Mommy Myraquel shares. “Kaya lang mahirap kasi hinahanapan kami ng mga ID. Hindi ko rin maipasok si Nadine sa high school doon, kasi wala kaming documents. After three months, nag-desisyon na kaming umuwi ng Pilipinas.”

Back home

By the time they got back to Manila, it was too late to enroll Nadine in a regular school. “Ayoko na mahuli siya, kaya nagdecide ako na i-home-school siya,” says her mom. This was also around the time showbiz presented itself as an option. Nadine—

whose morena beauty was beginning to emerge—started going on VTRs and gosees for commercials, another reason the home school option was deemed better for her. Thus, Nadine enrolled in the home school program of the Department of Education (DepEd), going to formal school only twice a semester. “Dahil lagi din siyang nag-vi-VTR, lagi siyang absent. Lagi ko siyang pinupull out. Natakot ako na hindi siya makahabol sa klase. Baka ma-bully lang siya. Dahil nagta-talent nga siya, tinuloy na niya ‘yung home school.” Determined, Nadine stuck with the program and finished it. She only had the modules to guide her through. Nadine would go to school only to take exams. “Awa ng Diyos, natapos naman niya,” says her mom. “Mahirap, kasi walang nagtuturo. On her own siya. Mabuti na lang maganda ‘yung foundation niya for elementary, kaya nakaya niya.” While it felt good to work her way toward finishing her education, there were things that Nadine missed about attending regular school, like having friends. “For a time, I regretted it. I felt like I was missing out on a lot of things. Umabot ako sa point na I would ask myself, why am I even doing this? I didn’t really want to be there. Naisip ko, sayang, sana nasa prom ako ngayon. Sana marami akong friends.” It was a struggle. But after a while, Nadine got used to the idea of being home-schooled. “I went on with it eventually. I was kind of anti-social before, so the thought of having new friends, new classmates, and (adjusting to) new environments scared me.”

New world

Showbiz most definitely counted as a new environment for Nadine. But it wasn’t really one that Nadine wanted to enter. She didn’t want to become an artista. Despite her mom’s encouragement, she drew the line there. Doing commercials was fine, but fulltime showbiz was ruled out. “Show business wasn’t really what I saw myself doing. I watched teleseryes. At that time, (the most popular) was Pangako Sa’Yo with Kristine Hermosa and Jericho Rosales, pero hindi umabot sa point na

gugustuhin kong ako ‘yung nandoon. I didn’t want everyone’s eyes on me, ‘yung tinititigan ng maraming tao.” Yet, fate had other plans for her. She landed a hosting spot for Storyland, a weekly variety show for a theme park. Her mom would also bring her to VTRs. Even though she didn’t really want to, Nadine went to all the go-sees. Pretty soon, she was doing showbiz full-time. She also began attending workshops in ABS-CBN. She went through all the rigors of the showbiz grind—maybe partly also to please her mom—but Nadine now confesses that her heart wasn’t fully into it. “I felt like I was missing out on a lot of things. I didn’t have time to have friends or do things that other kids did.” One day, Nadine, by this time entering her teens, was invited to an audition for a new performing group that was being formed. “My mom just told me na may audition for a group, sasayaw daw. Pagdating doon, pinakanta din ako.” It was a quick audition. Before she knew it, she was already signing a contract with Viva Entertainment. “I was surprised. Nag-audition pa lang ako ngayon, pipirma na ng kontrata bukas? I really didn’t realize what I was getting myself into. They were already grooming us, training us. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, ‘Oh my gosh, pa-showbiz na ba ’to?” The answer to her question was a resounding yes. Nadine was launched by Viva Entertainment as part of Pop Girls, a teen girl group. She didn’t want to become an artista, but it seemed fate had other plans. Nadine relates: “After several years of being with Pop Girls and performing every Sunday for (then GMA-7 Sunday variety show) Party Pilipinas, TV5 got us for a teen series called Bagets. I had a drama soap and variety shows too. Then, it all stopped.” At what she thought was the peak of her career, everything came to a sudden stop. In February of 2012, all the shows she was part of got cancelled.

Second chance

After several years of being a reluctant star, it may seem that the forced ‘vacation’ from showbiz (when her shows

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were cancelled) would be a welcome change for Nadine. With no showbiz career to keep her busy, Nadine decided to go back to school. “I went to Colegio de San Lorenzo in Congressional Avenue. I took Communication Arts, major in Film. Even during my first year, I already knew I wanted to get into film,” says Nadine. “I enjoyed it kasi I met new friends. It was a bit scary, but it was a nice kind of different.” While it would seem that she got exactly what she wanted, Nadine actually missed her job and regretted not taking it seriously. “Just when I was starting to like it, doon nawala. I realized na sana pala sineryoso ko ‘yung trabaho ko para hindi nawala. Sayang. Kasi my attitude when I was doing Bagets and P.S. I Love You was, basta gawin na lang natin ‘to. I didn’t really take it seriously. It felt like I was still playing around.” Even though Viva would still give her small projects now and then, Nadine felt that her career in the industry was at its end. She wanted to give up, but Viva Entertainment top honcho Vic del Rosario would tell her not to. In him, Nadine found someone who believed in her and knew that if she hung on long enough, something good would turn up. Says Nadine: “Boss Vic is like my lolo. Whenever I felt like giving up, he’d tell me, ‘Hindi ‘yan. Antay lang.’” Despite his reassurances, Nadine felt it was a long shot. “I lost hope na, so I focused on studying and making other plans already. I was thinking, lalapit ako sa Viva and see if I can get a job behind the scenes.” She had to do so for a good reason. “I was the breadwinner, so I was expecting myself to be the one giving the funds, like the household budget and my siblings’ tuition fees. It was the thought that I could no longer help my family financially that really got me down.” So Nadine turned to God and prayed hard to have her job again. The prayers were answered soon enough. One day, Viva called her in for a project. She was going to be cast in a movie called Diary ng Panget. Nadine had no idea where the project would lead, but she was determined to make it work. “It was different na. It was 10

a second chance,” says Nadine. “I wanted my career back, so noong bumalik sa akin, I took it seriously. I realized that, ‘ Hey, maybe this is for me’. Maybe I’m made for this. Maybe I’m meant to do this. Baka ito nga talaga ‘yung path ko.”

Destiny fulfilled

The movie, unexpectedly, became a hit. Suddenly, the name Nadine Lustre was thrust into the spotlight. People began to talk about her, and about her promising new partnership with another newcomer, James Reid. Each follow-up project became equally successful. And even more now, it has been her team-up with James—heating up primetime TV in On the Wings of Love nightly—that catapulted the formerly reluctant artista to the top of the showbiz heap. With her career given a second lease on life, Nadine is more grateful, more careful, more focused. She has learned to welcome each opportunity as a gift, and takes time to enjoy the work that she has. This time around, Nadine is able to see how her talent is a source of inspiration, of happiness and, at times, of healing. “I’m enjoying it, really. I like seeing people happy. I like hearing them laugh. During the premiere night of Diary ng Panget, I could hear everyone in the cinema laughing. Knowing that I was part of that happiness felt great.” In spite of her current success, Nadine remains simple and down-to-earth. At home, she is not a spoiled princess, her mother volunteers. “Sabi ng Daddy niya, sa bahay, walang arti-artista. Lahat tayo dito, pare-pareho,” says Nadine’s mom. “Marunong si Nadine sa bahay. Siya ang nag-aayos sa kwarto niya, sa gamit niya. Independent talaga siya.” Nadine is an ate to three younger siblings, aged 16, 15, and 9. She speaks of each one with fondness, clearly proud of each sibling’s unique personality. “’Yung sumunod sa akin, he’s quiet and likes computer games. The one after him is more malambing and really creative,” she says. Both are boys and are not present for the shoot. Joining Nadine this afternoon is her only sister Naomi. According to Nadine, Naomi “is like a mini-me. She’s very mature, for some reason,” shares Nadine. The two apparently enjoy doing

things together when they can, or when Nadine has free time; if you run an Internet search using the terms “Nadine Lustre’s sister”, one of the links that will turn up is a YouTube video of them ice skating with their cousin in a mall rink. “Whenever I have time, I try to spend time with them and take them out. I’m not really the kind of ate who would force you to share. If you need help or if you want to tell me something, you can. If you don’t, it’s okay. I ask them what they want, but as much as possible, ayokong pakialaman sila. They tell me what they need, and I try my best to give it to them.” Nadine is a very caring sibling, says her mom. She takes her role as an ate seriously, whether with Naomi or the boys. “Maalaga talaga si Nadine sa mga kapatid niya. Ngayon, since may trabaho siya, may TF siya, nabibili niya ‘yung gusto niya para sa mga kapatid niya.” And this is one reason why Nadine has thrown herself into her work with renewed vigor, prompting her mom to caution her about working too hard. “Hindi naman tayo palaging okay araw-araw. Napapagod din siya,” explains her mom. “Akala niya kasi kayang-kaya niya. Pinapaalala ko nga sa kanya na kumain, uminom ng vitamins, at matulog. Sabi ko sa kanya, kapag hindi niya inalagaan ang sarili niya, sayang ang pinagpapaguran niya.” Nadine realizes that she is becoming a workaholic, but she has learned to value and love her career more. “Kahit nakakapagod, I’m enjoying,” she smiles. “I had a change of heart towards show business. Kahit sunod-sunod ang trabaho, I now choose to do this.” With her busy schedule, it becomes harder and harder to find time to spend at home with her family. “Minsan maaga siyang aalis, tapos madaling-araw na makakauwi. Matutulog na lang siya, tapos aalis na naman,” shares her mom. Sleep is now a luxury that she can rarely afford, thinking of all the opportunities she might miss. Says her mom: “Sacrifice talaga, pero ang kapalit nu’n, ‘yung napoprovide niya.” Recently, Nadine had their family house renovated. She was hands-on with the design and choosing the furnishings. “It was my lola’s house. It’s a really old house, built in the 1970’s pa,” says

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Nadine. “I’m pretty sure that if she was still here, she’d be happy that we got it fixed. But to a certain extent, I regret having it renovated. I’ve lived my entire life in that house, and now it doesn’t even look the same anymore. The only pictures that I have of it are in my head, memories na lang.”

Highlights, Lowlights

Nadine’s career has gone through some major ups and downs, and it isn’t that easy dealing with the changes. Her personal life hasn’t been spared either. And yet, there is plenty to be happy about. This Christmas, one of Nadine’s biggest gifts to her family and herself is time. She is looking forward to the time off. She remembers their Christmas celebrations as being fun, even if they were spent in different places. “We used to spend it in three different houses,” recalls Nadine. “We’d spend it in our house, then with my dad’s side of the family in my tita’s house, then with my mom’s side in my lola’s house. I get emotional thinking about it, because it’s been a while since we were all together.” One of the Christmas traditions that Nadine holds dear is gift-giving. “My favorite is opening Christmas gifts at midnight! I used to shake the gifts to figure out what was in the boxes. One of the gifts that I remember getting was this Barbie jeep from my lolo. Before kasi, I had a lot of Barbie dolls, and at that time, my lolo lived in the States and he got me that jeep. It was light purple and pink, and it really worked!” Now that she’s older, Nadine has graduated from being receiver to giver. She looks forward to buying gifts for her family. She finds joy in being able to give them the gifts that they really want. “There was this one Christmas that I got my dad shoes. I knew that he wanted this certain brand, and I was able to get him two pairs. I was really excited to get him those. The funny thing is, he hasn’t worn them until now! Tinatago niya kasi ayaw niya daw maluma.” The irony of it is, while she has an ever-growing Christmas list in mind, Nadine has yet to go shopping. “I haven’t shopped yet. No time talaga,” she worries. Nadine is still working on what to

give her onscreen partner James as well. “I’ll give him a hug,” Nadine jokes. “Honestly, I don’t know what to give him yet, kasi he’s not materialistic. Pagiisipan ko pa.” For herself, Nadine has simple wishes. “Gusto ko lang makatulong sa pamilya ko. Gusto ko na may napapasaya akong mga tao, like our supporters and fans. ‘Yun lang, okay na ako du’n.”

With the fame (and yes, the fortune) that she is currently enjoying, Nadine can make all those dreams come true— her own and hers for other people close to her heart. It’s the way every person wants their story to turn out. Nadine Lustre is lucky, indeed, to have hers end just the way she would have written it.

“

Gusto ko lang makatulong sa pamilya ko. Gusto

ko na may napapasaya akong mga tao, like our supporters and fans. ‘Yun lang, okay na ako du’n.”

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White coat by M Barretto, button down shirt and skinny fit jeans from H&M

DREAM GUY James Reid has had his ups and downs, but now he’s soaring high above the clouds and living the life he dreamed of but never thought he’d have By Maan D'Asis Pamaran

t is the day of our photo shoot with James Reid and Nadine Lustre of On the Wings of Love. There is a flurry of activity as style teams rush about, carrying outfits to and fro. In one corner of the living room, another team is busy setting up a Christmas tree and decorating it with colorful ornaments. From the kitchen, the delicious smells of holiday dishes come wafting through the air. It’s the middle of October and a weekday afternoon at that, but it doesn’t seem to matter: everyone is firmly in the grip of a holiday mood. On cue, Nadine and her family arrive first, followed by James and his brother Tom. Having family around heightens the feeling of celebration—and with this good-looking and happy crew around us, there’s no better time for one than right now.

Complicated childhood

James, now 22, settles down for the interview in a casual outfit, wearing faded jeans, a tee, and boots. He sinks into the soft couch, stretches his legs out, and calls up memories recent and distant. “My brother Tom is the one staying with me now,” he begins, glancing over to where the styling team is busy getting Tom, 25, ready for the camera. It’s the first time Tom has agreed to be photographed for a magazine feature with James. The OTWOL star has no whole siblings; all of them are half-siblings. There are seven of them in all, all share the same dad, but not the same mother. Only the eldest three—Andrew, Robbie and Jenny—share a mother and are full Australian. The other four all have different mothers, and all of them are Filipina. Tom, who James

recalls loves sports and spent a lot of time on the basketball court, came to the Philippines and is keeping James company for now, getting acclimatized not just to life in these parts, but this strange new world of showbiz that his brother now moves around in. Two of James’s other siblings, Lauren and Jack, have also spent time in the Philippines. Lauren is older than James, while Jack, who is trying to carve out a showbiz career of his own, is younger. The two have just left for Australia, so it’s Tom that is here for now. James’s family was constantly on the move in Australia, as their fortunes changed dramatically from a very comfortable life, to one fraught with struggles. “We moved a couple of times. It was confusing; nobody would tell you what the situation is, because they don’t want to scare you or anything. Before we

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knew it, we moved from eating at really expensive restaurants to staying at home and eating scrambled eggs because we couldn’t afford it.” He says, “I actually went to a school in the Bush, an inland area of Australia which is very different from the seaside home where I lived until I was about 10 years old.” In an interview after exiting the PBB house, James told the press about the “financial troubles” they had back in Australia. “We lost a court case and had our house taken away. My family was living off government allowance for at least five years because we didn’t have any money.” Making ends meet was a struggle for the Reid family, which found ways to survive. For James, that meant wearing hand-me-downs. “I would get Tom’s old clothes and his shoes. He only found out about it recently and he remarked, ‘Really, it must have been terrible because I would only throw out my shoes if there were holes in them’, and I said ‘Yeah, I’d walk to school in these shoes, and there were holes in the bottom,and it would rain and my socks would get wet.’” Instead of looking at this phase of his life as him missing out on things, James says the tough times helped shape his character. “I had friends in Australia, both rich and poor. I had been to the Philippines, and I saw the real problems here. In Australia, those who were considered poor are still considered better off than those here in the Philippines, where I saw how bad it can be. I think it helped me appreciate what I had. I didn’t care about having the latest shoes or the newest Playstation, even though when I was a kid I could have had any of those had I just asked for them. I wasn’t spoiled as a kid, and when I was growing up (in a different situation), I didn’t care.”

Something big

When he arrived in Manila in 2009 he was a shy teenager. “My dad got sick and he decided to move here because he loved the Philippines. I was 16 at the time,” he recalls. It was a period of

adjustment for him. “My brothers and I are the same, we just like to hang back, and we have small groups of friends. I was always content to stay in the background, even in Australia.” This was the reason why he chose to be home-schooled instead of attending regular classes. “I felt that I would not fit in if I did,” he admits. The words he uses to describe himself at that time are “adrift” and “alienated”. Says James: “I was very happy that my dad started feeling better, but I was also starting to feel depressed.” His father Malcolm, probably sensing that James needed to come out of his social shell, suggested that he enter the Pinoy Big Brother house. “It was a dare, actually, and my relatives on my mother’s side were always encouraging me to go into show business, saying that I had the looks for it, because what they called the half-half (half-Filipino, halfother nationality) look was in.” He took on the challenge, but instead of aiming to be the Big Winner, he had only one goal in mind: to make friends. “I mean, I didn’t think I had any talent. I couldn’t sing or dance. The only thing I knew to do was to play the guitar, something that I had learned to do on my own.” He planned on staying for only a few weeks. “I didn’t think it would go that far,” he recalls, rooting instead for Devon Seron to win. “I felt that some people needed it more.” Ironically, James’s laidback attitude might have helped him win, and he found himself gaining a group of fans who called themselves the “Kehrbears”, a name owed partly to James’s Australian accent and to something he said while in the PBB house about not caring (the statement came out sounding like “I don’t kehr!”) The “Dashing Dude from Australia”—as James was billed— fulfilled his goal of making good friends, finding them in the persons of Korean Ryan Bang and American Bret Jackson. Because of that, he came out perfectly content. “I was happy in there, I enjoyed the experience. Even if I were not called out as the Big Winner, I felt like I had already won.”

Crash and burn

As Pinoy Big Brother’s grand winner, he took home a P1 million cash prize, a condo unit worth P3 million, a waterrefilling franchise worth P1.5 million, an Asian trip for two, and a 46-inch LCD TV. “I had a lot of money,” he reminisces. “I was 17 years old, and I didn’t know what to do with it.” On top of all that, James was making even more out of endorsements and mall shows. He spent all of it, in a big way. “I bought a car, I bought a lot of clothes that I don’t even see anymore. It now seems like such a waste,” he smiles ruefully. “All that time, I was coasting along. I couldn’t sing, dance, or act. All I thought about was, ‘Ok, I will ride along until I get bored. It was just all fun for me,” he bared. Soon enough, all the money was gone. “Before I knew it, I spent it all, I was relying on the mall shows for my income. By 2013, I was really broke, I was living alone with my dad,” he says. But instead of letting his situation defeat him, James decided it was time to get his groove back. “I felt I had to learn how to perform because of that. It was formerly something that took me out of my comfort zone. In Australia, if you were the Big Winner, you get your winnings and go back to your normal life. Here, I found myself in mall shows and ASAP numbers.” Hitting rock-bottom made him realize something that Kuya told him while he was inside the PBB House. “Dream Big,” he was advised. “I felt that I had to learn how to perform,because of the mall shows I did to sustain my income,” he reveals. He started to take his singing more seriously and found out that he loved it. “I started going up to people, telling them that I wanted to be more successful. That’s when I went to Viva. I talked to Boss Vic (del Rosario, Viva Entertainment’s big boss) about coming up with an album. He said yes, with the condition that I also learn how to act,” he says. “It took me one year before I landed Diary ng Panget. That year was really stressful. I did a solo album and I was promoting it. I was doing mall shows and promoting it myself—and

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here, you know, you don’t get paid for doing promotions. I was getting by on singing and guestings and stuff. All the time, I was trying to climb my way back up again.” “Then came Diary ng Panget. It was an unexpected success,” he smiles. “It was really experimental. I am grateful to Viva for giving me a chance on that big experiment. We were told that it broke records for pre-screening ticket sales. The red carpet premiere was the happiest moment of my life,” he reminisces. His thoughts on the moment that they heard they grossed almost P120 million were ecstatic. “I was just proud of myself. I came from no money and a dream, saying I want this. I knew I had potential. I needed the passion, and I was proud of myself that I set my goal and was able to achieve it.” His tandem with Diary ng Panget costar Nadine Lustre—christened ‘JaDine’ by fans—became successful and went on to star in two other movies, Talk Back and You’re Dead and Para sa Hopeless Romantic. Their On The Wings of Love trends practically every night on Twitter. He has sobering thoughts on his success. “If I Iook at myself as a kid, as that 16-year-old, I would never have imagined that I would be here now. I was too shy, I had stage fright. I was shy in general, that is how my brothers are. I just wanted to be alone. For me, it’s so scary. It is terrifying to think, that I almost did not become who I am.” He has become larger than life, it seems, but at the same time he tries to be the same. “Because of who I am now, my dad keeps me grounded, my friends keep me grounded. My friends don’t care who I am, they like me for who I am.” Financially, he has learned his lesson, he says. He stays more solvent these days, when it comes to money

matters. “Now that I have my second wind, I’ve brought my brothers here and my sister here. I’m so tempted to buy a sports car, but I’m saving money,” he laughs.

Christmas cheer

James still has no idea what to give his onscreen partnerNadine for Christmas. “In Australia, we don’t panic over gifts as early as here in the Philippines,” he observes. “Since Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, instead of winter snow on Christmas night with a chimney fire in the kitchen, wearing a sweater or something like that, our Christmases are all about barbecues by the beach or by the poolside.” He says he only gets a short break this year, owing to shooting schedules for their teleserye which has been extended until February 2016. He plans to just go out of town for a few quiet days of R&R with Tom. What he does remember about Christmases past is how there was always food and family around the table, just the way they used to celebrate back in Australia. “All my stepmom’s friends from the Filipino community in Australia would come over to celebrate. We would have dishes like schnitzel (a dish that traces its roots to Austria, it is boneless meat, usually pork or chicken, coated with flour, beaten eggs and bread crumbs), spaghetti, barbecue, chicken and all our favorite food from my mom, and the mom of our little brother Jack’s cooking.” They hung up stockings and all that, too, with Santa paying them a visit on Christmas Eve. “We grew up with Santa, he gives us gifts even up to now,” James says with a smile. “The gift I remember Santa giving me as a kid was a giant water gun when I was around six or seven years old. It was a really fun Christmas,” he enthuses. Tom, who has joined the conversation,

says. “I remember that! Yeah, it was fun.” The relationship between the two brothers has not changed over time and distance, it seems. Tom shares that he is very proud of his kid brother. “My family doesn’t have The Filipino Channel (TFC) in Australia, but I started watching James whenever I could. For the last three to four years, I thought James was just some actor around here. We really couldn’t talk that much back then. I’m really happy for James that he is doing great,and that all these girls are running and screaming after him.” James chuckles, “It’s a very weird situation…” Living apart from his brother was initially difficult for Tom. “I was really sad when I learned that he had to go here with our dad,” Tom volunteers. “I moved out with my mom, but I would see him (James) twice a month. I really wanted to move here with him. I was sort of just used to having him around and all that. When he was growing up, I did not have to play protector or anything. He was just hanging around with me, and we played a lot of sports. James remembers playing with Tom as kids. “He always made me the bad guy!” he accuses playfully. “Now that we’re together here, we are both busy. When we have time, we just hang out, maybe get a drink or play online games,” he says. But no matter how big James’s onscreen persona gets, to Tom he will always be the ‘little brother’. Star or not, screaming fans or not, family will always be at the core of this relationship, just as it should be. When you are surrounded by people who love you, that’s when you discover what life—and not just Christmas—is all about.

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“

If I Iook at myself as a kid, as that 16-yearold, I would

never have imagined that I would be here now.

I was too shy, I had stage fright. I was shy in general. I just wanted to be alone. For me, it’s so scary. It is terrifying to think that I almost did not become who I am.”

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In an industry where countless love teams are competing for viewers’ attention, James Reid and Nadine Lustre have risen to become one of the most successful pairings in recent TV history—and to think that this almost didn’t happen By Grace C. Diez

on the

Wings of Stardom

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all it happenstance. James Reid thought his star was fading after enjoying instafame following his Pinoy Big Brother Teen Clash 2010 win. On the other hand, Nadine Lustre tried everything from joining a pop group,to starring in youth-oriented shows,but success seemed elusive. She was at that point where she was thinking of quitting showbiz altogether. Then in 2013, the two of them were paired in the music video for“Alam N’ya Ba”, a song on James’s first album. It was one of the first things that James requested from the Viva Entertainment bosses when he agreed to sign with them. Pairing the Fil-Aussie James with the very morena-looking Nadine was an experiment that no one was sure would work. At the outset, it was clear to everyone involved that this was going to be a hit-and-miss thing. And at the time, neither James nor Nadine had a clue on how instrumental they would be to each other’s future success.

Birth of a phenomenon

A year after the music video was completed and released, Vic Del Rosario, the big boss of Viva Entertainment, broached plans for another project for James and Nadine: a movie with an unusual title. It was to be called Diary ng Panget, and was a bigscreen adaptation of a Wattpad novel. (Wattpad is a website where aspiring writers can publish their works, free of charge). The movie resonated in a major way with its mostly young audience. It was a sleeper hit, earning almost P120 million in its four-week theatrical run. It surprised Viva, Nadine and James. “It was an unexpected success. It was really experimental. It was a movie with names no one had ever heard before, using me as a star, when I had a hard time speaking Tagalog. They gave me a chance on that big experiment,” James now says. Nadine was equally surprised when the movie became a hit. “I was about to give up na but Boss Vic would tell me, ‘Antay ka lang diyan, may darating na project para sa iyo. ‘Pag dumating

‘yung project, tuloy-tuloy na ‘yan.’ I didn’t really believe him kasi parang wala na. I lost hope (already). I didn’t know Diary ng Panget was going to be that big. After that, everything changed,” Nadine confesses. The first day on the set, they felt awkward. Although both were from Viva, Nadine and James had never really worked together, so there was no instant chemistry or anything of the sort. They didn’t know what to say to each other, or how to behave around one another. “Hindi kasi kami talaga magkakilala, tapos love team (agad) kami,” says Nadine. They didn’t find this to be a problem, though, because their Diary ng Panget characters Eya and Cross were supposed to be at odds anyway, so it actually helped them act it out. Eventually, James and Nadine developed a close friendship and also became friends with co-stars Andre Paras (son of actor and athlete Benjie Paras) and aspiring actress Yassi Pressman. “We became friends na. Lalo na kami ni James kasi lagi kaming magkasama,” says Nadine. Following Diary ng Panget’s performance at the box-office, James and Nadine’s popularity soared. Their onscreen partnership was then christened ‘JaDine’. Not surprisingly, there was an immediate clamor for a followup project, which turned out to be another Wattpad movie, Talk Back and You’re Dead, which also starred Yassi and Joseph Marco. It earned P79.8 million, a respectable box-office take for a sophomore project. This was followed by Para Sa Hopeless Romantic, where James and Nadine worked with Kapamilya teen stars Inigo Pascual, son of Piolo, and Julia Barretto, daughter of Marjorie and niece of showbiz royalty Claudine and Gretchen Barretto. In August 2014, James and Nadine signed with ABS-CBN,and went on to star in their first TV project, My App Boyfie, for the Wansapanataym series. The pilot of the nine-episode series trended on Twitter worldwide. But things were just about to get better. On August 10, James and Nadine made their TV primetime debut in On The Wings of Love. The show’s episode featuring the couple’s romantic kiss

(#OTWOLMostApprovedKiss) earned an estimated two million Tweets.

Feeling the magic

On The Wings Of Love (OTWOL) is not exactly a formulaic, boy-meets-girl romance. It touches on other subjects as well, particularly the plight of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and the reality of Filipinos coping with life in America. Set in San Francisco, California, OTWOL follows the story of Leah Olivar (Nadine) who wants to follow in the footsteps of her mother and pursue her American Dream. Her wish is granted, but visa woes lead her to Clark Medina (James) who she has to marry, so she can secure a green card. The situation turns complex when their fake marriage turns into the real deal, and their mutual hatred of each other turns into romance. Directed by Antoinette Jadaone (That Thing Called Tadhana) and Jojo Saguin, the show also stars Cherry Pie Picache, Albie Casiño, Joel Torre, Nanette Inventor and Bianca Manalo, among others. Considering it was James and Nadine’s first time together to grace the small screen, the effect they had on Kapamilya audience and viewers of The Filipino Channel (TFC) was remarkable. OTWOL is currently the most-viewed TV show on iWantTVand TFC websites, registering 3.7 million views in September 2015 alone. Branded merchandise of the TV show has been consistently sold out at the ABS-CBN Store. The JaDine-OTWOL official scrapbook published by ABS-CBN Publishing was an instant bestseller, selling 10,000 copies,and is on its way to a second printing to accommodate demand. When the scrapbook was launched at Fairview Terraces, some 7,000 screaming fans showed up (estimated by the security marshals present that day), and even when it rained, no one left. They all stayed to finish the show. On social media, they are also a certifiable phenomenon. Both James—with 1.3 million—and Nadine, with 1.3 million followers, are a top draw. OTWOL, as the show is called by loyal fans, trends almost every day on Twitter, along with their hashtags. #OTWOLMostApprovedKiss, the

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On Nadine: Dress romper and coat from Miss Selfridge On James: Pullover and skinny fit jeans from Bershka

Even in this photo— which show James and Nadine getting into a holiday mood—the pair’s chemistry looks effortless. Since they’ve been working hard all year long, both are looking forward to spending time with their respective families during the Christmas break.

episode where James and Nadine’s characters kiss, was the most-talked about OTWOL hashtag among fans, who have since called themselves OTWOListas. And these fans are not just your usual ones. They include the TV-watching masa, of course, and professionals, high society, students, and employees. The lead stars remain incredulous of the show’s success. “I didn’t expect it to be big. No talaga! We didn’t imagine that even the lolas…my lola watches OTWOL! Kinikilig. I’m really happy. It’s making a lot of people happy kahit ‘yung mga may sakit. There are people who tell me na, ‘My lola has cancer but she’s happy whenever she watches your show. Feeling namin gumagaling siya,’” Nadine shares. “Parang everything’s going so fast. Parang my body and mind can’t cope with this. Until now, feeling ko nananaginip lang ako,” she adds in disbelief. James, for his part, can only be grateful for the opportunity. “It’s my first time being cast as the lead star in a teleserye so it’s a big deal,” he says with a shy smile. “I have to thank the writers. OTWOL is a very light romance from the start. It stays on a high from Napa Valley and it only felt slightly sad when Leah had to leave Clark,” he adds. In an interview with The Philippine Star, Jadaone attempted to explain why the show was received warmly on the primetime block. “’Yung loveteam ang unang-una na nagdadala. Kapag napapanood ko, builtin talaga ‘yung chemistry nilang dalawa. Hindi mo sila kailangan i-direct sa kilig, kailangan mo lang sabihin kung ano ang gusto mong mangyari. Sila na bahala sa timing, tamang moment,” the director said. “Fresh faces ang dalawang ‘to. Wala silang regular thing sa TV (before OTWOL)so feeling ko nakatulong ‘yun na nu’ng lumabas sila sa TV, ‘yung mga tao iniisip, sino ang dalawang ‘to? Bakit sila binigyan ng show? So pinanood nila to find out (bakit),” Jadaone further explained. The woman director was being modest. Jadaone was also being rightfully credited for the success of the show. It was largely due to the creative team led by Jadaone herself that the show was able to gift the viewers and OTWOL followers a number of memorable scenes. These scenes include the cute meet of Clark and Leah in the streets of San Francisco, the breathtaking scenery of SanFo as showcased

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Just friends

With their off-the-charts and sizzling chemistry together, one can’t help but wonder about the possibility of them turning from reel to real lovers. However, seemingly learning from the John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo school of platonic loveteams, the two insist they’re just friends. James offers: “Nadine and I are really just friends. We’re in a love team—we’re actors and we make people believe in love, make people feel love. That’s our job. But Nadine and I are very close because we’re alike and we both came from nowhere. We learned so much about each other along the way and we depended on each other. We give each other support.” Nadine supports this decision to remain friends with James. “Okay na kami eh. Baka mamaya kapag dinagdagan namin ng isang factor, it might ruin everything. Baka mamaya konting away lang, konting tampuhan, hindi na kami makapagtrabaho nang maayos,” she tells StarStudio. But their chemistry is effortless. “We really don’t try. Like now, we haven’t talked the whole day. Nagbatian lang kami. Normal lang talaga how we deal with each other,” the young actress remarks. The winsome onscreen couple may rule out romantic possibilities for now but everyone knows that’s how their OTWOL characters Clark and Leah began. Clark and Leah dismissed the possibility of a romance when they first got to know each other, but later fell in love. Who knows? Someday, there might be hope for a future where James and Nadine just might find themselves exchanging these words with each other for real as proof that they will always be there for each other, the way their characters Clark and Leah promised to each other: “Kung mahal ka, babalikan ka.”

BY THE NUMBERS

25.7%

On the Wings of Love Highest recorded ratings: August 17, 2015 episode

2.05

Highest number of tweets

INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS

in the show, the fake wedding of Clark and Leah, the prom surprise of Clark to Leah, the “almost kiss” at Napa Valley, the first kiss of the characters and even to their breakup punctuated by the poetic monologue of Juan Miguel Severo, that awkward shirtless scene of Albie Casiño and James, and now that the show took the romance of Clark and Leah all the way to the Philippines, the list of OTWOL favorite scenes just keeps growing, especially since the show has been extended up to February 2016.

M I L L I O N Hashtags with the highest number of tweets:

#OTWOLMostApprovedKiss #OTWOLTheAminanNight

1.3 1.3 M M @nadzlustre

@jaye.wolf

11 4 3 ENDORSEMENTS

jadine

B oo k s

JAMES

nadine

10,000 Number of books sold: (for the official scrapbook) As of press time, estimated

1 has been released (official scrapbook) The other one will be launched end of November

345

COPIES

MOVIES

jadine

ALBUMS

JAMES

nadine

JAMES

Movie with the highest ticket sales

P120,932,910 “Diary ng Panget”

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Behind the Magic If there’s anyone on set that can comment with authority on the chemistry between James Reid and Nadine Lustre, that would be their On The Wings Of Love directors Antoinette Jadaone and Jojo Saguin. They work closely with the actors and they understand the psyche behind the craze. Jadaone admits that even as their director, she can feel the kilig that the pair gives off. “Kapag take, kinikilig ako. Kapag nag-eedit ako, kinikilig ako. Pag pinanood ko na with music and all, kinikilig pa rin ako. Wala silang pinipiling age, gender o social class eh. Nakakakilig lang talaga sila,” Jadaone says. Direk Jojo feels pretty much the same. “Kinikilig ako, especially kapag sa mga scenes na may tender moment sila. Hindi lang ako, pati staff around the set. Kinikilig lahat,” Saguin notes. Jadaone, a romantic comedy specialist, thinks that TV played a major part in turning JaDine into a phenomenon. “I think On The Wings of Love came at the right time for them. For a long while, they have been making people kilig in movies but never sa TV. Sa TV, it reaches more people—it’s free TV and you can get people hooked on it every day. OTWOL really helped JaDine reach more people,” she says. The chemistry is hard to explain, but it’s there. It exists. The fans can feel it, they can feel it, almost everybody does. “Meron silang something na hindi ko ma-explain eh. And that’s something na hindi nila madadaya. It’s either there or it’s not. Eh sa kanila, it’s so there. Kaya ang mga eksena, natural ang kilig ‘pag sila ang ‘andun. Of course, they’re also passionate actors. They help each other as a love team sa mga eksena. Lalo ngayon na sila na si Clark at Leah, alam na alam na nila ang characters nila, may sarili nang buhay ang characters nila,” Jadaone continues. Direk Jojo, who first worked with JaDine on My App Boyfie, credits James and Nadine for their acting skills and the way they project themselves. “I guess nag-work ‘yung pagiging natural sa kanila ‘nu’ng ginagawa nila. Being true to themselves and giving the Clark and Leah characters the treatment as normal people, ‘yung pwedeng maka-relate ang viewers sa kanila, that makes them unique as a loveteam. Approachable kasi ang dating nila eh. Pwedeng sabihin ng fans na “Ay, totoong tao sila!” Saguin theorizes. They were expecting some appreciation, and good ratings, but nothing like this. “Siyempre at first, hindi namin in-expect na kakagatin agad sila. Kasi first major soap nila ang OTWOL. But after watching the first week pilot episode, we thought na magclick ito. Ang ganda kasi ng story na light plus maku-kwento pa ang plight ng OFWs at struggles nito. I’m very proud of this project and sa JaDine,” Saguin says. Notwithstanding James and Nadine’s insistence that they’re both just friends and the possibility of a real-life romance is remote, the OTWOL directors believe it will work to the loveteam’s advantage. “Nag-work pa nga sa kanila ‘yung friends sila kaya mas madaling umarte as partners kasi walang ilangan. Parang natural na natural sa kanila ‘yung kilig button,” Saguin remarks. This observation is seconded by Jadaone.“I think nakakatulong na hindi sila sa totoong buhay. In real life, they’re just friends. I think may effect ‘yun kapag nasa harap na sila ng camera. It’s pure work so kapag nakasalang na sila, they just get into the characters of Clark and Leah and they make us believe they’re really in love. Kumbaga, ‘yung fantasy ng mga tao na sana sila sa totoong buhay, hindi mawawala. May aabangan ka, may hino-hope for ka,” Jadaone reflects as she attempts to explain the magic behind the new screen sweethearts of primetime TV.

▶

Even OTWOL directors Antoinette Jadaone and Jojo Saguin aren’t immune to the charms of Clark and Leah OTWOL directors Jojo Saguin and Antoinette Jadaone

“

Okay na kami eh.

Baka mamaya kapag dinagdagan namin ng isang factor, it might ruin everything. Baka mamaya konting away lang, konting tampuhan, hindi na kami makapagtrabaho nang maayos.”—Nadine on her relationship with James

On James: Button down shirt and skinny fit pants from H&M On Nadine: Top and skirt from Topshop

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A Very Special

Voice

From holding mini-concerts around the Kamuning area where she sold banana cue for a living, to becoming a bright young singing star after her victory in Season Two of The Voice Kids, Elha Nympha hears the clear sound of success—and it couldn’t be sweeter TEXT By Michelle Angela Orosa Carag, PHOTOs by tristan A. ESPIRITU hair and makeup by benjoe romance, interview by pauline grace ventura

f there is one inescapable truth about life, it’s that you never quite know what to expect. It can be like a ride on a roller coaster where sharp twists and turns can throw you off and make you not want to get back on for fear of falling off again. But while these challenges can bring a person down to the depths of despair, they can also be a source of strength and inspiration—which couldn’t be any truer for The Voice Kids Season 2’s Grand Champion Elha Mae Nympha. Elha, 11, had joined other reality singing searches (she failed two auditions for a talent show on another channel, and lost in her third attempt, when she joined ABS-CBN’s franchise show Pilipinas Got Talent). But it was losing her father Obet to a stomach condition—later identified as an ulcer—in December 2014 that finally turned things around for the young girl. When Elha tried out for The Voice Kids, she felt her father’s presence so strongly, it gave her confidence a major boost. As she stood there, with the cameras focused on her, she could almost hear his voice in her head. “Pakiramdam ko si Papa yung nagpaikot kay Coach Bamboo. Parang (pabulong) ‘Uy, ‘Tol, umikot ka para sa anak ko. Anak ko ‘yan.”’

Little singer

Elha was a toddler when her gift for music became evident. She was only three years old when she would pick up lines from songs she would hear on the radio and in TV

Elha may be young, but she already knows how much power her story carries. “Ako, (kahit) batang singer pa lang, ay pwedeng maging inspirasyon. Maraming bata po diyan ang marunong kumanta, pero hindi nila nailalabas ang talento nila. Kaya huwag po dapat silang mahiya, Dapat po mai-share po nila ang talent nila.”

commercials and go around the house singing them. One of her favorites was “Beautiful Girls”, a reggaeinflected hit by Sean Kingston. There was also the Viva Hot Babes’ novelty song “Bulaklak”, which was used as the background music for a laundry product commercial. Elha saw the commercial on TV, heard the song, and after listening to it several times, learned how to sing it herself. “Ang tawag pa nga po namin du’n ay ‘Bubukam’ (because of the lyrics, which go ‘Bubuka ang bulaklak…’)” she laughs. Other commercial jingles did not escape her either. “Pati nga po commercial ng Knorr sinabawang gulay, ‘yung ang lyrics ay ‘Makulay ang buhay sa sinabawang gulay,’ nakabisa ko po.” StarStudio • HONG KONG VO L 1 N O 11

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One day, her mother Lucy—who works as a household helper—was cleaning and singing Sharon Cuneta’s “Ikaw” when she heard a tiny, highpitched voice trying to sing along with her. It was Elha. Surprised that her daughter already seemed able to carry a tune at her age, Lucy decided maybe it was time to start teaching Elha how to sing for real. She got a cassette tape containing all her favorite songs and would play it for Elha to listen to, over and over. Although Elha could not yet read, she had no trouble memorizing the lyrics of songs she would hear. Elha listened to the songs on her mother’s cassette tape again and again until she could perform them from memory. That’s how she learned to sing the full version of “Maging Sino Ka Man”. “Kahit hindi pa siya marunong magbasa, nasusundan niya ’yung mga bigkas ng lyrics. Kaya pinabayaan ko lang siya,” says her mother. “Ang pinakauna niyang nakabisado ay ‘yun nga, ‘yung ‘Maging Sino ka Man’. Sinasabayan na niya ’yung kanta. Nu’ng nakibisado na niya, sinubukan ko na siya sa minus one.”

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The next thing Lucy did was buy her daughter a toy microphone costing a hundred pesos. It wasn’t a professional microphone, but to Elha it might well have been. “Tuwang-tuwa siya, kasi gusto niya may mic siya. Hindi raw kasi niya marinig ’yung boses niya; hindi raw niya ma-feel ang kanta kapag walang mic,” says her mother Lucy. Elha never let the thing out of her sight—and the little girl fell more deeply in love with performing. “Mula noon, hindi ko na siya maawat sa pagkanta gamit ’yung mic, hanggang sa nasira na,” Lucy says, then jokingly adds, “Mataas kasi boses niya kaya napagod yata ’yung mic niya sa kanya. Kaya nu’ng nasira, bumili na naman ako.” The following year, when Elha turned four, Lucy—who by then realized that her daughter had some serious potential—sought the help of her amo and friend Digna Teaño, a singer who had formal training in music and was crowned champion (in the late 1980s) of Tawag ng Tanghalan, the very first televised singing contest in the country.

Elha, posing here with her trophy, was crowned champion of the second season of The Voice Kids on August 29 this year, with more than 40 percent of text votes. In the final round, she impressed with her performance of “Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin”. After the contest, she told the press: “Nu’ng nag-perform po ako ng ‘Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin,’ kinakabahan po ako kasi po siyempre performance po ‘yon. Mas lalo pa po akong kinabahan sa announcement kasi hindi ko pa po alam kung sino ang mananalo. Pero sobrang saya ko na po [nu’ng nanalo ako].”

Lucy works as a househelper—a kasambahay—for Digna, taking good care of Digna’s kids and caring for them like they were her own. So when Lucy approached Digna and asked for help in training Elha to sing, it was an opportunity for the former to reward Lucy for her loyalty and hard work. “Si Lucy kasi ang halos tumayong pangalawang nanay ng mga anak ko,” Digna expresses. “Hindi niya itinuring na iba ’yung mga anak ko, kahit hanggang sa nakapag-asawa siya at nagka-pamilya na siya.” There were no long discussions. “Sinabi ko lang kay Ate Digna na marunong kumanta si Elha, then pinakanta namin siya sa karaoke,” Lucy shares. “Natuwa naman siya at sinabi niyang puwede niyang turuan ’yung anak ko. Kaya tuwing walang pasok o kapag may katuwaan, pinapakanta niya si Elha ng a capella. Seryoso rin silang magturuan sa karaoke.“ At their first meeting, Digna asked Elha to sing so she could see if the little girl had the right tone and timing and how extensive her vocal range was. The song they practiced with was “May Bukas Pa”. Digna was surprised when Elha passed every vocal challenge she threw out, except for one. “That time, wala pa siyang tremolo—’yung panginginig ng boses. Diretso pa lang ang boses niya noon, kaya tinuruan ko siya ng tamang breathing.” Digna also taught Elha how to sing some of her favorite pieces, including Mariah Carey’s “Vision of Love”, Richard Harris’ “MacArthur Park” and Leah Navarro’s “Isang Mundo, Isang Awit”—a song which Elha would always sing with her younger sister Erika, 9 (aside from Erika, Elha has two other siblings, Elmer John, who’s six, and RJ, four years old). Digna would also ask Elha to sing at her workplace whenever they hosted office parties. The training sessions started out once a week, then gradually increased to every day. Beyonce’s “Love on Top” was their go-to vocalization piece. Digna enjoyed training Elha because not only

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Photos from Elha’s Instagram account

▶

Elha in one of her memorable performances. After being proclaimed champion, she was asked for the most memorable lesson she learned throughout the competition. Elha replied that Coach Bamboo taught her to, “Always smile worth ten thousand points!”

did she have a beautiful voice, but also because she was a fast learner.

On stage

Eventually, the time came to parade Elha’s talent in front of a bigger crowd. Elha was five years old when she made her competition debut, auditioning for another station’s talent competition. Lucy wanted to determine whether or not Elha was ready for bigger stages. But her first try did not turn out well. Elha sang “Pearly Shells” but did not make it past the auditions. She wasn’t even allowed to finish the song before they sent her away. “Nasa part pa lang po ako ng ‘Pearly shells, from the ocean…’ nag-thank you na po agad ’yung babae sa akin. Siyempre po nalungkot ako kasi ang tagal-tagal namin pumila tapos ganoon lang po pala ang mangyayari.” But as soon as they got back to Digna’s house where they still live (with the family sleeping on mattresses on the floor, sharing a room with Digna’s sons), Elha felt better. “Parang wala lang naman pong nangyari,” she smiles. “Kumbaga, ang nasa isip ko noon, lalakasan ko na lang po ’yung loob ko (para sa mga susunod na kumpetisyon). Move on na lang po.” Mom Lucy tried to make light of the situation when Elha told her that she didn’t make it. “Hindi siya nakuha siguro kasi nga busog siya nung kumanta siya,” she jokes. “Mahilig kasi kumain si Elha. Eh siyempre may epekto ’yung kapag busog ka tapos kakanta ka—hindi mo masyadong mabira ’yung boses mo. Kaya nu’ng sinabi niya sa akin na, ‘Mama, hindi ako natanggap,’ ang

sagot ko, ‘Ayan kasi, kain ka nang kain, eh.’ Biniro ko na lang siya.” The rejection she experienced did not crush Elha’s spirits. Determined to keep doing better the next time, she gave the competition another shot with Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” from the 1997 movie Titanic as her audition piece, but it was still not enough to make it to the competition proper. When she was seven, Elha auditioned for ABS CBN’s Pilipinas Got Talent and sang “Lipad ng Pangarap.” Unfortunately, she didn’t get past the auditions that time, either. By then, Elha’s mother had adopted a more pragmatic view of the situation. “Siguro kaya hindi siya nakukuha ay dahil sa sinasabi nilang hindi pa masyadong hinog,” Lucy muses. “Sabi ko kay Elha, ‘Okay lang ’yan, anak. Subukan mo lang nang subukan. Siguro hindi mo pa lang panahon para makuha ka sa ganyan. Basta’t subukan mo lang nang subukan.’” Encouraged by the support and positive comments, Elha decided to try her luck when The Voice Kids announced its first season. But once again, she lost out. It still wasn’t her time yet. Elha was up against the likes of Darren Espanto and Lyca Gairanod, and it was too much for her. “Hindi po ako nakuha, Mama, eh. Magaling po ’yung nakatapat sa akin, eh,” were Elha’s heartbreaking words to her mother. For the full feature, StarStudio's digital edition is available on www.zinio.com/ starstudio

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Photo from www.abscbnpr.com

▶

THE MAKING OF A VOICE. (From left) Elha rehearsing with Coach Bamboo (her victory marked the first time Coach Bamboo’s representative had ever won an episode—regular or kids—of The Voice of the Philippines); with her coach Bamboo; and with coaches Lea Salonga and Sarah Geronimo, who did not turn for her during the Blind Auditions. But Lea would later acknowledge what a feat Elha had managed to pull off. She tweeted: “Congratulations to Elha Nympha on an amazing ride, and to her coach and guide through her journey, Bamboo! This is only the beginning.”

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Charo in her office on the 15th floor of ABS-CBN’s ELJ Building. This is where she holds regular meetings with the network executives, with whom she has shared valuable lessons about leadership. An important lesson she has shared with younger colleagues is that one should never be afraid to grow. When confronting difficulties or problems, finding a solution sometimes requires only a simple shifting of one’s point of view. Says Charo: “Palitan mo ang lente mo. Kahit na mahirap, ‘pag pinalitan mo ang lente mo, ‘di ba ang mahirap, dumadali?” For her, humor is also an essential ingredient to surviving tough corporate battles and getting through the day-to-day. But Charo can also turn emotional at certain moments, like the Kapamilya Service Awards last August, when she delivered a speech in front of the company’s service awardees. On such occasions, she is not afraid to show how she feels, nor is she afraid about putting people in touch with their emotions. Colleagues say her ability to empathize with people makes her an effective leader.

Clothes by Joseph at SM Aura

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T H E S TA R S T U D I O S TO R Y

CHARO SANTOS -CONCIO

A LASTING

legacy •

Boss, mentor, leader, wife, mother and friend, she shepherded the Kapamilya network through some of its most difficult and challenging times by facing her fears and inspiring others to do the same. Now, she lets us into her world through her own words and those of the many people for whom she has become an example to follow. Written by Tinna S. Bonifacio

Photography by Rxandy Capinpin Make up by Chie Gonzales Hair by Ernesto A. jamelarin jr. Styling by Eric Pe Benito

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LIFE LESSONS Charo Santos-Concio shares valuable insights on leadership and how embracing fear and failure, taking risks and leaping out of her comfort zone helped turn her into an industry powerhouse, one who has blazed a trail for the broadcasting network’s next leaders to follow

The Early Years

aria Rosario ‘Charo’ SantosConcio began her career— which now spans more than three decades in the worlds of film and television—as a production trainee, learning every aspect of the job from scripting to working on both sides of the camera. Along the way, she carefully learned how a person is shaped by challenges, and how these same challenges have helped her determine the course of her journey. StarStudio: What was it like when you first began working in the network? Charo Santos-Concio: The conditions are very different. From where we started to where we are, it’s a much, much better world now. SSM: How has the industry changed? CSC: It’s a different world now. Technology has brought about so many changes in behavior, but at the end of the day, you want to connect with what’s really essential in the heart of every person. I believe the values are the same. From the time of Christ, until now, it’s still about love, respect, and truth. SSM: What has working in the network taught you? CSC: It may sound like a cliché, but really, I found meaning in my work— that it’s not just a job, and that I truly care for my audience. Being “in the service of the Filipino” is not just lip service—it’s real service. I think I exhibited that behavior by

pushing for excellence in our work, in the quality of the programs that we offer, or even in the messages that our programs deliver to our audiences here in the Philippines and in other parts of the world. To make life a little bit more bearable, to encourage, to inspire, to make them aspire for a better life—if not for themselves, then for their children. I take those things to heart. SSM: How did you deal with fear or failure? What did those moments teach you? CSC: They taught me that one should always face one’s fears and never run away from them. Being afraid is part of being human. Fear made me face my demons, and it started my journey toward self-awareness. It made me a stronger person. When you are afraid is when you discover that all the qualities you take for granted—like courage and inner strength—are in you. I would not have discovered those qualities if I did not face my fears. SSM: Tell us about a time you had to– as you say—“face the demons”. CSC: In 2004, there was a transition in the organization, and our numbers in Metro Manila were being challenged by competition. Talagang kinain ako ng takot ko. I was catatonic. I didn’t know what to do. As a person, you have these moments of self-doubt where you ask yourself, ‘Kaya ko ba ito? Hindi ko yata kaya.’ Then you realize that you cannot be defined by the approval or disapproval of the world. You have to stand on your own

two feet and make a call. You sink or swim. But really, the best thing you can do, when you find yourself in that situation,is to face your fears.

Learning Process

At ABS-CBN, Charo rose through the ranks to positionsof leadership within the network. Those were difficult and challenging yet, at the same time, ultimately rewarding years. They taught her many valuable lessons that she continues to build upon. One of the most important leadership lessons, she says, is that it is essential to “be aware of your strengths, but also be grounded about your weaknesses”. SSM: How does one learn how to become a leader? CSC: Experience really is the best teacher. Living life and getting out of your comfort zone will teach you the best lessons. Reading only reinforces the values you have learned, and you can only learn and embrace those values if you go through the experience of living life, and that means embracing frustration, anger, and failure, and rising above all of the challenges and trials. It may mean rejection, and so much pain. But kung hindi mo daanan ‘yon, paano? You’ll never grow up, and you will never become the better person that you aspire to be. If you stay in your comfort zone, oo, walang sakit—pero wala namang nagbago sa iyo. SSM: What is the biggest challenge a leader has to face? CSC: It’s not just in playing the role of the boss, but having the grace to accept even your weaknesses, and doing something about them, hindi ba? It’s having the humility, in fact, to face your weaknesses. No one is perfect. Dapat masabi mo rin na, ‘Ah, dito,hindi ako magaling, dito kailangan ko ng tulong’. Hindi pwedeng nasa iyo lahat. SSM: As a leader, how do you teach younger colleagues to turn mistakes into learning experiences? CSC: Don’t feel antsy about it, that’s the way it is. Oo, parang lahat mahirap ,pero nasa attitude ‘yan. Palitan mo ang lente mo. Kahit na mahirap, ‘pag

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Aside from being the head of ABSCBN, Charo also has other roles she plays outside of her career. She is a mother to two boys, Francis and Martin, and a doting lola to granddaughters Julia and Talia. One would think that these roles have nothing to do with running a huge media organization, but according to her, they do. SSM: You are also a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. What have those multiple roles taught you about leadership, or leading by example?

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Precious photos that Charo has kept through the years. Some are of family, while the others are of memorable moments and people at work, such as (inset) this undated photo of her with ABS-CBN Head of Free TV Cory Vidanes, and ABS-CBN Chairman Eugenio ‘Gabby’ Lopez III who have become not only colleagues, but friends of Charo through the years. The bottom photo shows Charo with sister Malou Santos and Olivia Lamasan, Managing Director and Creative Head, respectively, of Star Cinema.

Legacy Building

Charo, who rose through the ranks to become one of the network’s most respected and loved leaders, reflects on her future. SSM: You have given almost three decades of your life to ABS-CBN. CSC: Yes, we here in ABS-CBN are so blessed. I hope that the organization will take care of the legacy of all the former employees who’ve worked so hard. Huwag nilang sayangin ang naipunla ng mga former leaders ng organization. I hope that they recognize that they are so blessed, and that they will not take anything for granted. That they will also learn to be resilient the way their forerunners were so patient, resilient and persevering.

▶

Family Affair

CSC: I think my being a mother taught me to listen to people—and when I say listen, I don’t only mean listen with my ears. I’ve learned to listen with my heart, and to listen even to things that people are not saying. My being a grandma has taught me to go with the flow, to enjoy the moment, to relax, and to realize that there’s life outside of my career. It has brought back many of my child-like qualities, like my sense of curiosity about things, and the thrill of discovering new things, no matter how simple. Like now, I’ve been dabbling in Colorfy (an Internet-downloadable coloring book application). I also take cooking lessons once a month. Right now,I just find joy in everything. I’m discovering,again, all of life’s small pleasures. Most important of all, being a grandmother makes you realize that the world will not end with you. When you see your grandchildren, you just know that life goes on. It’s the same way I feel about the organization. It should never end with the person on top. An organization goes on, and the responsibility of the leader is to make sure that there is a smooth transition, and that the organization is taken care of by the next batch of leaders.

Clothes by Joseph at SM Aura

pinalitan mo ang lente mo, di ba ‘yung mahirap, dumadali? People will make mistakes. It’s alright to fall flat on your face, but be willing to get up. Have the humility to get up, and the strength to keep going. ‘Yun naman ang buhay. ‘Dimo naman pwedeng sabihin na titigil ang buhay dahil may problema,o may krisis. In this life, you sometimes think that it is the organization that is being tested, pero ang tine-test, ikaw. And if you pass the test, the organization goes with you. Remember that.

Charo is a proud grandmother who always likes to keep granddaughters Julia and Talia close—so close that their photos are on her mobile phone case, which she showed to the StarStudio team during the shoot. Last May, she also appeared with the two girls on the cover of ABS-CBN Publishing’s Working Mom magazine. SSM: What would you want to be remembered for? CSC: One day, I want to be remembered not so much for the hits that I produced, but more so for the values that I learned and I lived for,and that there is really no replacement for hard work, courage and determination. In the end, you do not want to be defined by your success or for all the glory that you achieved. At the end of the day, there has to be a meaning to what we’re doing. We’re so blessed,and we should not take that for granted. We have to make a difference. StarStudio • HONG KONG VO L 1 N O 11

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Antonio ‘March’ Ventosa

HEAD, ABS-CBN NARROWCAST AND OFFICER-IN-CHARGE, ACCESS

I met CSC when I joined ABS-CBN 10 years ago. Siya ang una kong direct boss. Ako ‘yung head ng marketing. I remember, sabi niya sa akin, ‘March, wala akong alam sa marketing, magtulungan tayo, turuan mo ako.’ It was a signal that ‘I want to work with you, I want to learn from you,’ and in turn, I also learned a lot from her. With me, her management style has always been very collaborative. I think that’s probably one of the best descriptions I can make (of her). But you know, that doesn’t mean that she’s not strict. Minsan she can be very strict, she can be very determined also, but it’s always a welcome collaboration (where she says), ‘Let’s work together to get the best product’. I think that’s the best style that you can look for in a boss.

August Benitez

Head, ABS-CBN Integrated Sales

I will never forget my first interview with her as a candidate for the ‘Head of Channel 2 sales’position. To prepare, I painstakingly studied the history of the company,and sat through hours and hours watching the network’s teleseryes and other key programs. On the day of the interview, her first question to me was, “August, pikon ka ba?” Hardest question ever, and coming from nowhere! She was more interested in my soul and character, rather than in what I know and what I can do. Right there, I knew that she was going to be, if ever I would be hired, the most interesting, most different boss I will ever have! As a boss, mentor, leader and public servant, she is motherly, nurturing, feeling, but with a dose of tough love when necessary.

Julia Montes ACTRESS

I have known Ma’am Charo ever since Goin’ Bulilit. Nu’ng ma-meet ko siya, totally starstruck ako kasi nakita ko kung paano siya sa mga anak niya, sa apo niya, at nakita ko siya kung paano mag-work. Nastarstruck ako sa ganda niya, sa personality niya. Sobrang tulala ako sa kanya. Sobrang nakaka-amaze siya bilang babae, kasi imagine, lola siya, nanay siya, then boss siya ng lahat, and parang nanay din siya ng lahat ng nasa ABS-CBN. Isang memorable moment siguro ‘yung nag-meeting kami sa office niya. The meeting was about my work, and next plans. Hindi ko alam kung paano ako uupo, o magsasalita. Tinatanong niya ako, pero bago ako sumagot, nakatingin lang ako sa face niya. Sobra talaga akong tulala. Tapos after that, as I grew up, nakita ko ang personality niya na iba ‘yung dahil boss siya. Siya ‘yung boss na may puso, at talagang iba ‘yung atake niya sa work niya. Parang hindi siya mapapalitan.

Mother Lily Yu-Monteverde

producer and founder, Regal Entertainment

Cookie Bartolome

HEAD, ABS-CBN INTEGRATED MARKETING

CSC has earned the distinction of being the only person who has made me cry in a job interview. The interview was very casual. I thought things were going well until she asked a poignant question that caught me unaware. Before I knew it, I was baring my soul and letting out all the feelings I was keeping inside. It was a cathartic exercise. At that moment, she transformed from being CSC, the president, to “Dear Charo”. This made me realize how intuitive she is as a person. She is very good at sensing and sizing up people. She instinctively knows how you feel. Three things she has taught me are: 1) Anything worth doing is worth doing well; 2) The “Tough Love” brand of leadership; and 3) Tough choices and making a call: in her words, “tumaya ka”.

She has always been in my heart up to today. She is such a great lady. We’ve had our differences, but as I said, she’s a great lady. For the past how many years, she has done so much for ABSCBN. She is the model of the whole movie industry. I admire her, that’s why she is my model in Regal. Because I find her not only intelligent, she’s like a Cinderella. Charo Santos is a very soft-spoken woman, and as I said, she is my model. I have learned so much from her. Ang dami kong natututunan, like “Hoy, wag kang magsigaw, ha?”

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Kim Chiu ACTRESS

John Lloyd Cruz ACTOR

I was only 14 years old when Ma’am Charo heard my story. It’s as if she gave me a big part of her heart when she leaned in to listen. My story was no different from the others who were trying to make it in the business. But she chose to take a moment, and listen to my sad little story. I can’t imagine my life without the part when I met Ma’am Charo. She was profoundly instrumental to me getting to where I am now. Without her, there wouldn’t be a me in the business. And for that, I am deeply grateful.

Sa nakaraang Star Magic Ball, ang tumatak sa akin sa speech niya is ‘yung sinabi niya na “Dumaan din ako sa mga pinagdaanan n’yo, walang-wala rin ako dati, nagco-commute lang din ako, pero inabot ko ‘yung gusto kong marating”. Nag-artista siya, nagpupuyat rin, kaya dapat daw ‘Wag kayong magco-complain kasi hindi lahat ng tao, nabibigyan ng malaking oportunidad ng gaya ng meron kayo.’ Opportunities come and go, at kailangan i-grab lang raw ‘yon. Kailangang pahalagahan ang meron ka.”Sabi din niya, ‘Love your work kasi it will love you back.’ Kesa magreklamo ka na marami kang ginagawa, matuwa ka na marami kang ginagawa.

Olivia Lamasan Director and Creative Head, Star Cinema

I met Charo in 1984. I was a fresh graduate from Maryknoll College, applying for a Production Assistant’s position in an American film project to be shot in the Philippines. She was one of the Associate Producers, and my interview with her was to be the final one. I’ll never forget the first thought that crossed my mind when I sat in front of her:“Ay, parang si Mama Mary.” She had a quiet elegance about her, ethereal, parang may halo. And when she opened her mouth to speak, her voice was very soft, gentle, caressing, hypnotic, para talagang si Mama Mary. My impression of her frailty changed when I started working with her. To begin with, most of her projects as a line producer were action movies. And so it became evident to me that beneath all that grace is one tough woman who has more balls than most of the men we worked with. Beneath the charm was an astute producer, who would never stop at anything to get things right. Kahit buntis siya at malapit nang manganak sa pangalawa niya, she would climb mountains looking for the right location. As a leader, she is very inclusive. Hindi siya madamot sa knowledge. She encourages you to share and by doing so, she makes you feel important. I never felt her insecure or threatened by great minds. She knows how to spot them and make use of their gifts. That makes her a good leader. StarStudio • HONG KONG VO L 1 N O 11

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12/9/15 5:06 PM

Ricky Lee

Award-winning screenwriter and author/ ABS-CBN Drama Creative Head

I first worked with Charo in Itim, where I was one of the co-writers. Even then she was already the perfect example of beauty and brains. Kinukwento ng mga nasa production na maski sa set ay lagi daw itong nagbabasa. At mahusay umarte. Mike (de Leon, the director) was raving over her. Then I got to work with her in Gumapang Ka sa Lusak. Lino said that she was very malleable. Gawin nga nating si Imelda Marcos! Tama si Lino. She was perfect in the role. She was our host in Isip-Pinoy, a weekly documentary show where I was the head writer. She expressed a keen interest in issues, both personal and social. Even then she was already a woman with a vision. She gives her all to the present moment, tutok talaga, but she never loses sight of the kind of future she wants. A woman of substance, sabi nga ni (Director) Mel Chionglo noon. She had one trait then that never changed, even years later when she became my boss in ABS-CBN: she listens. Maski hindi siya nakatingin, she hears every word. Days later, babanggitin pa rin niya sa iyo ang nasabi mo. Even when we pitched storylines to her, she would remember details. I think it’s because she is genuinely interested in life, and in people. Kaya matalas ang isip niya, at mabait ang puso niya. It is always a rare privilege to work with her, much more to be a friend to her.

Willie Revillame TV Host

My memorable moment with Ms. Charo was during ‘yung Wowowee days. Every time nasa Willie of Fortune segment kami, minsan kumakanta ako. I think paborito niya ‘yung kanta kong, “Kung Para Sa ‘Yo”, tapos ite-text niya ako para sabihin, “Thank you for singing my favorite song.” Para din siyang isang ina. The way she talks to you—napaka-kalmado. During the Wowowee days, ite-text ako n’yan to remind me na wala akong boses. (She would say), “Umuwi ka na, magpahinga ka na. She’s like a mother na nagreremind sa isang anak. Para talaga siyang nanay na nararamdaman mo, she is not a boss, para talaga siyang kapamilya mo. Isa siyang ina na ipaghahain ka, siya ‘yung nagseserbisyo sa iyo. I would say na nandito ako sa mundong ito dahil I worked with ABS and I worked with Ma’am Charo, and I think siya ‘yung laging nakikipaglaban para sa akin minsan sa mga taong ayaw sa akin. Siguro wala din siyang magawa, pero ramdam ko na meron siyang concern at pagmamahal sa akin. Kay Ma’am Charo ko naramdaman ang isang taong nagmamalasakit at nagmamahal. She is the First Lady of the TV broadcasting industry. I think walang pwedeng pumantay o pumalit.

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Lui Andrada

ABS-CBN Business Unit Head, Talk Unit

Nasa-starstruck ako sa kanya. ‘Pag nakikita ko siya, parang sobrang lakas ng dating na parang ma-i-intimidate ka sa kanya. Pero siya wala, ‘pag nakikita ka niya, bumabati siya, humahalik siya sa iyo. Napaka-down to earth ng taong ito. Pantay ang tingin niya sa lahat, artista man or sa officers ng kumpanya, even sa mga empleyado. Hanggang ngayon, gano’n pa rin and sa kanya, walang nagbago,kahit sino ka pa. Isang lesson na natutunan ko sa kanya is that ‘God is in the details’. Text niya ‘yan lagi. Nase-stress tuloy ako kasi halimbawa, ‘yung spelling, tama ba, ‘yung graphics, kulang ba, plural ba ito o singular ba ito, kasi napapansin niya (lahat) ‘yun. ‘Yung artista,mahaba ba ‘yung kilay sa kaliwa kesa sa kanan? So (kapag naiisip ko siya), lagi kong naaalala yung sinasabi niya na ‘God is in the details’.

Roxy Liquigan

Head, Star Music GROUP AND advertising and promotions of Star Cinema

Naaalala ko ‘yung first five to 10 years kasi ‘yun ‘yung panahong nakakasama ko si Ma’am Charo nu’ng naging Executive Producer ako for Showbiz Lingo and The Buzz. We had this segment na nagba-blind item. It was our number one segment in Showbiz Lingo. Then one time, siguro after three episodes, pinatawag niya ako. Sabi ko, “Bakit po Ma’am?” Una, kinongratulate niya muna kami sa success ng program, then binanggit niya—in a very malumanay way—“Roxy, pwede bang pag-aralan natin ‘yang blind item segment? Tapos sabi ko, “Bakit po? Then binanggit ko na ito ‘yung number-one segment namin, nagre-rate po kami because of it. Sinabi niya, na malumanay ulit ang boses, “I’m not comfortable with blind items,kasi parang hindi ito masyadong nakaka-inspire positively sa viewer, at sa artistang bina-blind item, parang hindi magandang panoorin at pakinggan.” Parang ang lesson sa sinasabi niya is, what if ikaw ‘yung nasa katayuan ng tao na ‘yun, na ang blind item ay obvious na obvious naman kung sino yung pinatatamaan, parang it is not in our values as a company. Du’n ko na-realize na at the end of the day, it’s not all about the ratings. From then on, kinopya na ‘yung style na ‘yun na nasa puso ang tira, hindi pagkatao.

Rondel Lindayag

ABS-CBN Creative Head

Isa siya sa mga mentors ko, tapos a friend din siguro. Kasi yung mga advice niya, hindi lang sa work. Kakamustahin ka niya, ang finances mo, investments mo. Malaki ‘yung naitulong niya sa akin sa gano’n kasi one time, namroblema ako sa credit card; halos hindi ko na alam kung paano ko babayaran. Sabi niya, ‘You’re living beyond your means, dapat ang credit card mo, kung ano lang ‘yung kaya mo.’ Siyempre bata pa ako nu’n, natuwa ako, may P150,000 ako na credit limit. Sabi niya talaga sa akin, “No. you slash that to P50,000. Kaya mo ‘yan. Hindi kaya ng sweldo mo ‘yang P150,000. Tumawag ka, ngayon na.” Iba ‘yung wisdom na nabibigay niya bilang nanay. Ang dami kong natutunan sa kanya.

Tito Sotto

Senator and TV host-actor

I’ve seen three different faces of Charo Santos: (first,) as a recording artist. I recorded a song with her when I was still with Vicor and working with people like Sharon Cuneta and VST & Company; I can’t remember the song, pero ang natatandaan ko, nakatuwaan ko si Charo that time. (Second), nu’ng nasa Channel 2 ang Eat Bulaga, naging professional na ang relationship namin. At ‘yung pangatlo, bilang ninang siya ng panganay ko, si Gian. Kaya siguro our relationship stayed warm through the years kahit na madalas, nagkikita na lang kami sa mga events. In fact ‘yung relationship namin na ‘yon is one reason why pumirma kami nina Vic (Sotto, his younger brother) at Pareng Joey (de Leon) sa Star Music ng kontrata (last September, Tito, Vic and Joey entered into an agreement that entrusted their music catalog of more than a hundred TVJ songs to the company). Her biggest legacy is diligence and responsibility. ‘Yan din ang mga qualities na naging dahilan ng success niya.

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Tony Tuviera

president, Television and Production Exponents (TAPE, Inc.)

The first encounter I had with Charo was 37 years ago, in 1978; when we were still in the planning stages for Eat Bulaga. I was trying to woo her to be one of the main female hosts of the program. At first she agreed to be part of the show with Ms. Tessie Tomas and of course, Tito,Vic and Joey. The reason I had her in mind was because at that time I saw her with TVJ on TV (I can’t recall the program) and thought she was a perfect complement for the comedic trio. Unfortunately, after a month or so, she declined the offer and said she wanted to concentrate more on being an actress rather than a host as she had just won the award for “Asia’s Best Actress” for her role in Itim. The second was some years ago, when one day she asked if we could meet because she wanted to talk to me “as an old (or maybe older) friend”. We met in a restaurant somewhere in Quezon City, in what became an unforgettable tearful afternoon. She lamented over the hardships of coping in our industry, and how she was thinking if she should give up. We both shared and learned a lot from each other’s woes and struggles of surviving in the world of broadcast media. I hope I was one of those who convinced her to persevere because look at her now, she is the president of a network, a very accomplished executive, a truly talented actress and TV host of Maalaala Mo Kaya which is an institution in Philippine television, a woman of exceptional strength who not only survived but did so with flying colors; a woman I sincerely admire and am proud to call a very good friend.

Wenn Deramas TV-MOVIE DIRECTOR

Si CSC, ang pinaka-naaalala ko, ‘yung pag-me-mentor niya, from PA (production assistant) to writer hanggang sa maging direktor ako, every step of the way sa career ko, nandiyan siya. Napaka-personal niya na mentor. Talagang inuupuan niya kami dahil gusto niya kaming matuto. When I was tapped to direct Mula sa Puso, ‘yung pilot episode, feeling ko ang ganda. Gandang-ganda ako sa trabaho ko, may mga sumasabog pa ako na kotse. Tapos nu’ng pinaakyat niya ako sa office niya para panoorin, ang tanong lang niya sa akin, ‘Wenn, bakit ganito ang mounting mo?’ Sabi niya pag-aaralin daw niya ako ng directing sa US. So after six months of directing Mula sa Puso, pinag-direct naman niya ako ng una kong Maalaala Mo Kaya (MMK) episode. Tapos before mag-air, she previewed the episode. Puro superlatives naman! After that, tinanong ko sa kanya kung kailan niya ako ipapadala sa States para mag-aral ng directing. Ang sabi lang niya, ‘Hindi na kailangan.’ Isang bagay na natutunan ko sa kanya is, you don’t compromise (on the quality of your work). Because if you do, that’s the start of your mediocrity. Even if you’re pressed for time, you never compromise.

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Aida Espiritu

Executive Secretary for 14 years

Kami ni Ma’am Charo, mababaw lang ang kaligayahan. We laugh about anything na katawa-tawa. ‘Pag may naisip kaming mga bagay na kakaiba, sobrang nababawasan ang stress niya sa trabaho dahil diyan.

Wilma Galvante

former senior vicepresident of GMA Network and TV5, and currently, independent content producer and head, Asian Academy of Television Arts (AATA)

I remember the first time ko nakita si Charo, I was a PA (production assistant) in RPN 9, then this very pretty girl comes into the production office with her handbag, kaswal na kaswal, at may payong pa na folding. Masipag siya and may drive. Even then you could already see the earnestness that says ‘This is the kind of work that I want to do’. One of the things she has done that I admire is Maalaala Mo Kaya (MMK). I still watch it from time to time today. Ang pinaka-nagustuhan ko doon is the way it’s dramatized. ‘Yung production pa rin. Hindi siya (Charo) bumitaw sa formula. (When I was with GMA), natatalo ang mga shows ko diyan. So I said, ‘I need to create a show that will eventually compete with that show.’ So sinimulan ko ‘yung Magpakailanman. We all went through the same kind of training. Then siya, nag-film pa, at nag-on cam pa. Hanapin mo lahat ng areas, pinasok niya. So if you ask me if there’s anyone, at least right now, in our business, who personifies the glamor of producing for TV, the hard work, the professionalism, and being able to deliver all genres of shows, I would say Charo is among them. Through the years, we would see each other at awards nights and parties. Minsan, pareho kaming ninang sa kasal. I’m sure somehow, mag-kumare kami n’yan. At ngayon, pareho na kaming lola. Siya, ang apo niya, dalawang babae. Ako, dalawang lalake (Nicky, 5 and Niño, one and a half). The last time we met was at an event. Pinagusapan namin mga apo namin. ‘Di ba ang ganda, from both of us being PA trainees, now we’re both mumsies (grandmothers)? I am happy for her that she has traveled the road successfully. But she can do many things pa. That’s her choice, but the wealth of experience,you cannot take away anymore.

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Now on TFC Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta

reunite in newest Kapamilya drama

ABS-CBN TFC shows the importance of family in newest powerhouse drama Youre My Home By Aaron Domingo with additional text by Somewell Aljames Gadiane

hen all the love and trust are gone, can a family still pick up the pieces and rebuild a once complete and happy home? ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel (TFC) tells the heartfelt story of a daughter who will do whatever it takes to fix her family in the newest powerhouse drama, “You’re My Home” which airs Monday to Friday (Tuesday - Saturday, Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time or AEDT, New Zealand Daylight Savings Time or NZDT, Guam, and Japan time) on TFC worldwide. Get to know the Fontanilla family in the eyes of the eldest daughter, Grace Fontanilla (Jessy Mendiola). After many years of living simply, the lives of the Fontanillas suddenly take a turn when Gabriel (Richard Gomez) handles the frustrated homicide case against Christian Vergara (JC De Vera), son of a powerful senator. With their new and luxurious lifestyle, then 12-year old Grace realizes that her dad and mom, Marian

Kapamilya stars show gratitude..

ABS-CBN thanks inspiring Kapamilyas in new Christmas Station ID

apamilya stars express gratitude to Filipinos whose stories inspire them in their work and in their personal lives in ABS-CBN’s Christmas Station ID “Thank You for the Love.” Sung by today’s hottest loveteams James Reid and Nadine Lustre, Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil, and Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, together with Rock Royalty Bamboo and “The Voice Kids Season 2” grand champion Elha Nympha, the “Thank You for the Love” theme highlights how Filipinos never forget genuine and unconditional acts of love and generosity and how Filipinos never cease to give back even in simple ways. 36

(Dawn Zulueta) have no time for them anymore, thus turning her to a rebellious daughter. One night, she decides to run away to be with her friends. Her younger brother Rahm together with their househelp, run after her, leaving their youngest sibling, Vince alone inside the house. Hours later, the Fontanilla family finds out that Vince has been kidnapped. This shocking news will change their lives and will test their bond as a family. Twenty five years later, the Fontanillas still face the reality of Vince’s disappearance. Marian and Gabriel have separated. Marian focuses her time and strength on putting up her own clothing line while Gabriel finds comfort in the arms of Roni (Lara Quigaman). Rahm (Sam Concepcion), at an early age, now has a son and a wife while her sister while Grace continues to blame herself for what happened with Vince. But fate comes into play when Grace crosses paths with Vince (Paul Salas).

“Ang Probinsyano” star Coco Martin, together with the cast of the top-rating series, gave soldiers from Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal new sets of combat boots and enjoyed a boodle fight feast afterwards. “Pasion De Amor” cast, on the other hand, packed goods at Sangley Point of the Philippine Navy in Cavite for soldiers who serve as inspirations of strength in Ayungin Shoal. Gerald Anderson with ABS-CBN Cebu personalities led the surprise homecoming tribute for Pinoy Pride boxers and sports heroes Donnie Nietes, Mark Magsayo, and brothers Jason and Albert Pagara, while Piolo Pascual provided new uniforms to the inspiring kids of Bayanijuan Futbol Club in Calauan, Laguna. Meanwhile, Angel Locsin, Matteo Guidicelli, Jessy Mendiola, JC De Vera, and Paulo Avelino spent the afternoon with orphans from Meritxell Children’s World Foundation in Marikina City. A roving Christmas Noche Buena table also went to different places to gather more families together. “Be My Lady” stars Erich Gonzales and Daniel Matsunaga dined with the farmers in Pampanga; “Doble Kara” star Julia Montes with the health

As Vince returns to their lives, will the Fontanillas become a one whole family again? Can Marian and Gabriel give love another chance? What will happen when Grace finds herself falling in love with Christian, the man who got convicted for the kidnapping of her brother? What is the truth behind Vince’s disappearance? Also included in the powerhouse cast are Assunta De Rossi, Tonton Gutierrez, Minnie Aguilar, Diana Zubiri, Joebel Salvador, Mika dela Cruz, Peewee O’Hara, Belle Mariano, Bugoy Cariño, and Raikko Mateo. “You’re My Home” is directed by Jerry Lopez-Sineneng and is produced by Star Creatives led by business unit head Malou Santos. Do not miss You’re My Home Monday to Friday on TFC channel 725 on now TV. To watch it on your android devices (mobile phone and tablet), download TFC.tv HK app on Google Playstore and subscribe to the LIVE package.

and birthing station volunteers in Batangas; “You’re My Home” stars Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta with avid fans in Quezon City, and Kim Chiu and Xian Lim with random people on the streets. The 2015 ABS-CBN Christmas Station ID was created by ABS-CBN Creative Communications Management headed by Robert Labayen, Johnny Delos Santos and Patrick de Leon. It is directed by Paolo Ramos with second-unit director Peewee Azarcon-Gonzales. The SID Creative and Production team members are Sheryl Ramos, Edsel Misenas, Kathrina Sanchez, Dang Baldonado, Adrian Lim, Christine Joy Laxamana, Christer John Salire, Christian Faustino, Carlota Rosales, Chiz Perez, Mark Bravo, Carla Payongayong, Nathan Perez, Edward Ramirez, Leeroy Lim, Revbrain Martin, Mark Raywin Tome, Love Rose De Leon, Lloyd Corpuz, Shally Tablada, Stephanie Angeles, Christian Abuel, Charles Bautista, Jeddah Legaspi, with ABS-CBN Marketing, ABS-CBN TV Entertainment, ABS-CBN News, ABS-CBN Regional Network Group, ABS-CBN Sports and Action, ABS-CBN Global, ABS-CBN Digital Terrestrial Television, ABS-CBN

Licensing, ABS-CBN Property Management, ABS-CBN Safety and Security, and ABSCBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc. Other members are Tess Perez-Mendoza, Aye Duñgo, Traffic & Operations; Jaime Porca, Technical Production Head; Sam Esquillon, Production Designer; Oliver Paler, Dennis Amarille, Alfie Landayan, Meryl Pacis, Maria Concepcion Ignacio, Raphael dela Rea, Teters Enrique, Karlo Victoriano, Mark Gonzales, Joseph Linga, Post Production Team; Andrei Antonio, Mark Antonio, Lorenz Roi Morales, Shane Ibañez, Joseph delos Reyes, Ralph Escoto, Tim Aguirre, Mico Manalaysay, Karl Montenegro, Jonathan Amaquin, Videographers; Marl Abejero, Aileen Gooco, Queenie Labrador, Photographers; Carmelo Saliendra, Print Graphic Design; Keith Paulo Ordoño, Sound Engineer; Arnold Sulit, Location Manager; Darwin Dueñas, Renato Valerio, Jojo Medrano, Jenverly Esber, Jesusa Canilang, Jun Nalipay, Production Coordinator; Louella Tiongson, Technical Producer; and Freddie Patungan, Utility Man. (ABS-CBN Integrated Corporate Communications)

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Now on TFC

Robi Domingo and Alex Gonzaga host newest dance reality show

Jimboy and Miho named Big Winners of “PBB 737”

‘Barrio Rapper of Nueva Vizcaya’ and ‘Sexy Mommy of Japan’ win first PBB with two winners in one Big Night which aired worldwide via TFC By Kane Errol Choa with additional text by Marianne de Vera

imboy Martin and Miho Nishida were declared the Big Winners of “Pinoy Big Brother 737” after garnering the highest number of public votes at the program’s Big Night held at the Albay Astrodome in Legazpi City (Luzon, Philippines) on November 9. Jimboy, the 17-year-old “Barrio Rapper of Nueva Vizcaya,” was named the Teen Big Winner for getting 56.76% of the votes, while Teen Second Big Placer Ylona Garcia got 43.24%. Big Winner Miho Nishida, the “Sexy Mommy of Japan” won by landslide with 81.96% of the votes, while Second Big Placer Tommy Esguerra gathered 18.04%. When asked what he wants to do now that his PBB journey is over, Jimboy said, “A simple life is okay for me as long as I’m with my family. But they helped me build my dream to be the Teen Big Winner… I will grab whatever opportunity comes my way.” Miho, meanwhile, cheerfully thanked the Albay crowd for their support after hugging her mother and daughter Aimi. Jimboy and Miho were both granted an Asian tour package, a house and lot, and P1 million. This is the first time that “PBB”

announced two Big Winners in a Big Night. Both Ylona and Tommy, meanwhile, won P500,000 each. Awarded last Saturday (Nov 7) were third Big Placers Franco Rodriguez and Roger Lutero who won P300,000 each, while Fourth Big Placers Bailey May and Dawn Chang were given P200,000. For the past ten years, the “PBB house” served as a home to Filipinos from all over the world who showcased their talents, and demonstrated the importance of caring for others, sacrifice and love for the family, and being true to oneself. To celebrate its milestone year, the “PBB 737” Big Night served as the biggest reunion of housemates from the past editions, led by previous Big Winners Kim Chiu, Daniel Matsunaga, Ejay Falcon, Myrtle Sarrosa, Slater Young, Keanna Reeves, and Nene Tamayo. People from Albay also showed their support from the program as more than 17,000 people were estimated to have showed up at the venue on the first night of the Big Night last November 7. The Big Night was led by hosts Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla, Robi Domingo, Enchong Dee, and Toni Gonzaga-Soriano.

Pinoy kids, set to dance their way to the top in ABS-CBN TFC’s “Dance Kids” BY Aaron Domingo with additional text by Somewell Aljames Gadiane

have proven time and again that they are exceptional singers and actors. Kids will show that Filipinos are a force to be reckoned with when it Fcomesilipinos to dancing via ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel’s (TFC) newest talent reality

search “Dance Kids,” which airs every Saturday and Sunday (Sunday and Monday, Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time or AEDT and New Zealand Daylight Savings Time or NZDT) worldwide. Watch different acts dance to achieve their dreams and share their stories of inspiration in the Philippine TV’s first-ever dance competition for kids, which is hosted by Robi Domingo and Alex Gonzaga. In the program, solo, duo, and group acts with ages four to 12 years old will showcase their dance ability. A total of 60 acts will face the tryouts and will be divided into two teams, to be led by two dance celebrities. During the tryouts, the acts will have to face the Dance Masters Georcelle Dapat-Sy, Andy Alviz, and Vhong Navarro, some of the most respected names in dance in Philippine entertainment. To get through the round, an act has to make the three Dance Masters’ “stomp.” Get to know the kids who will impress Teacher Georcelle, who started dancing in TV programs when she was just 14 years old. She later joined dance group Hotlegs, but gained more prominence as the founder and head of G-Force, a group that performs with the most successful artists in the industry. Teacher Georcelle currently serves as the dance mentor and choreographer of the musical competition “Your Face Sounds Familiar.” Joining her is Alviz, a veteran choreographer, artistic director, and musician who served as resident choreographer for the local productions of musicals “Miss Saigon” and “Urinetown,” as well as for ABS-CBN shows such as “‘Sang Linggo nAPO Sila” and “ASAP.” Aside from that, he also established Whiplash Dance Company, one of the most prominent jazz dance groups in the country. Alviz is also known for directing and producing musicals and albums that aim to promote the culture of his hometown, Pampanga. Navarro, meantime, considers his first love of dance introduced him to showbiz. Before becoming an actor, comedian, and host, Navarro made a name for himself as a member of group Streetboys. In “Dance Kids,” he is excited to share his knowledge and experience with the young dance artists. If the Dance Masters fail to come up with a unanimous decision during the competition, the acts have to convince one or two Dance Masters to give them a chance to advance in the competition. By the end of the tryouts, only 16 acts per team will remain. Meanwhile, the remaining 32 acts who will pass the tryouts will then enter the dance offs, where two acts from each team will be pitted against each other. The 32 acts will be reduced by half, and the Top 16 acts will further prove their potential, versatility, and excellence in thematic solo performances. After several weeks, the Final 4 acts who will battle it out in the grand finals will be named. The act who will garner the highest number of public votes will be declared the first-ever “Dance Kids” grand champion. Who will own the dance floor? Do not miss the newest reality competition for young Filipinos “Dance Kids”, Saturdays and Sundays, on TFC channel 725 on now TV. To watch it on your android devices (mobile phone and tablet), download TFC.tv HK app on Google Playstore and subscribe to the LIVE package.

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Balitang Hong Kong Community in Action

Pacific Ace celebrates 21st VIP Get-Together

acific Ace, one the most reliable remittance company for the last 30 years, celebrated its 21st VIP Get-Together Party with the theme “Resiliency, Empowerment, Positivity and Education” held at Regal Airport Hotel last 29 November 2015. Almost 1,000 of its VIP members attended the momentous event including its founder Virginia Dio, who gave an inspiring and empowering message to all members. The highly-anticipated get together became even more special with the Dramedy musical stage play about the lives of domestic helpers led by Joy Dio and the Pacific Ace staff. Also adding to the delight of the guests are the Pacific Ace Got Talent and Ms. Emmalin Navarro from Calasiao, Pangasinan emerged the Grand Winner singing the “Power of Love” and Pacific Ace Cultural Dance contest where the Ifugao Dance Group composed of Jocelyn Aquino, Lily Andres, Marnie Lazaro, Analyn Almazan, Yolanda Paet, Emelyn Agunoy and Ma. Lourdes Eguia performing Pinikpikan Una-Kaya emerged as the winner. A short documentary about the lives of Pacific Ace VIP members was shown to the audience. Towards the end of the celebration, ten lucky guests also won the raffle prizes ranging from android phones, tablets and round trip tickets HKG-MNL-HKG.

Bethune House launches “Behind the Walls” for domestic workers

ethune House recently launched the “Behind the Walls” photo exhibit last November 22 to raise awareness and popularize the issues regarding the different struggles of migrants, and provide opportunities for discussion, clarifications and support. It was held at the Kowloon Union Church (KUC) Space, #2 Jordan Road from 6PM to 8PM. Established in 1986 for foreign domestic workers in distress, Bethune House collaborated with well-known photographer and former household service worker Xyza Cruz Bacani for the project. Bacani spoke about women victims becoming survivors, the reality of the lives of the household service workers in Hong Kong, how they cope with their problems, and how they live as a human beings. The project officer of HerFund Judy Kan mentioned how privileged they are to support Bethune House in its new project as it is a good way to share to the public the reality that household service workers are facing in Hong Kong, most especially those living in Bethune House. Bacani vividly captured in her lens the shelter residents’ expression of anxiety, hope, grief, temporary joy, loneliness, homesickness, usefulness and productivity, depicting the real life situations most migrants in distress experienced.

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Go Negosyo Talks Inspire OFWs

By Victoria Reyes Munar

ARD MRI Philippines and CARD MRI OFW Foundation Hong Kong held its first conference last November 22 at Tin Ka Ping Lecture Theatre, City University of Hong Kong to raise awareness among Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) aspiring to become future entrepreneurs. As part of CARD SME Bank’s “The Negosyo Talk Series,” the conference in Hong Kong is a response to the growing interest of OFWs to CARD Hong Kong’s financial literacy and entrepreneurship program that intensified OFWs’ desire to go home for good and venture into business. In the “Negosyo Talk Series,” several speakers gave relevant information and inspiration to almost 300 participants. “Training the people who depend on you is the greatest challenge, you should teach them how to fish,” said City University of Hong Kong’s Dr. Reuben Mondejar, who emphasized that self-reliance and having proper attitude are the secrets to successful entrepreneurship. Dr. Jaime Aristotle Alip, Managing Director of CARD MRI, meanwhile, shared the inspiring beginnings and current state of the microfinance institution and underscored the full support CARD institutions can offer.Aside from introducing the “Go Negosyo Law” that encourages the establishment of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Guest of Honor Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV stressed that the 3 M’s of Entrepreneurship namely money, mentorship and market are secrets to success. To end his talk, Sen. Aquino also shared the success story of an OFW couple from Brunei who were fully assisted by business counselors of one of the” Go Negosyo” centers in the Philippines. Melvin and Myrna now own Myrna’s Creation, a profitable business on selling cakes online. The afternoon session of the conference featured the different talks from DTI, DOLE, OWWA, CARD SME Bank and CARD Hong Kong about the support they can extend to OFWs planning to venture into business. The highlight of the session that inspired aspiring OFW entrepreneurs the most were the sharing of the CARD Nanays. Gina Radovan, a CARD client who started from simple farming into a profitable agribusiness, emphasized that one of their keys to success is that her whole family were hands on from clearing the land to harvest time. Meanwhile, Maria Andal recounted how she started from selling banana cue with just a capital of 3,000 pesos. Now she has her own land, a house and a restaurant with more than 20 employees. “Hard work, determination, persis tence and sharing of workloads to family members were our main secrets,” said Gina and Maria. Because of their stories, participants and OFWs present in the event cannot help but be inspired and enthusiastic about the possibilities that await them once they start their own business in the Philippines. “Stories of the successful CARD SME clients made me more determined to pursue my future plans, their stories truly inspired me,” shares Arlina B. Clarus, one of the participants. Elpie A. Malicsi, a CARD OFW Hong Kong trainor who has plans for a business in the Philippines shared that she is now ready go home and start her new venture. “With the whole day talks, I am now given clear directions on the support I can have as I go home for good, with these I am more motivated to pursue my future business plans,” she said. Aside from all the talks, there was also a showcase of OFW products where Filipino community organizations participated. Several crafts and food products were displayed, and the participants and guests were given the chance to view these products that can be livelihood pursuits for OFWs. For updates on upcoming seminars of CARD OFW Hong Kong, follow CARD OFW Hong Kong’s Facebook page and contact 95296392/ 54238196

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Wrap-up!

Cris Tamayo Macalipis Ramos

It’s time to wrap-up, ladies and gents! And it’s not only because the year is coming to an end. The cool Christmas breeze has started to blow our holiday blues away and it’s time to dress up for it. Say goodbye comfy shorts and tank tops, and say hello to jackets, coats, and scarves. Shops and boutiques have already released their winter collection and everyone has a lot of options to choose from. Aside from casual jackets and sweat shirts, men and women can level up their winter season wardrobe with sweaters, leather jackets, fleece jackets, and several kinds of coats to choose from. Just match it up with scarves, gloves and a pair of rocking boots and you’re good to go. Happy Holidays, SSM readers!

Dada Habab

Yllar Quilay Claire Mayrell Mones

Our Kapamilyas in Singapore share with Star Studio Magazine Hong Kong, to whom they want to say “Thank You For The Love” I just want to say “thank you for the love” for my MOM sa pag a-alaga niya sa akin at sa mga kapatid ko na nandiyan na sumusuporta sa akin. MERRY CHRISTMAS and Happy New Year – Grapes Tabaryo “Thank you for the love” salamat sa mga magulang ko at sa bienan ko nag a-alaga sa mga anak ko at asawa ko. I MISS YOU – MERRY CHRISTMAS PO SA INYONG LAHAT – May Ayon

Bida Kapamilya

“thank you for the love” salamat sa bienan ko na nag a-alaga ng mga anak ko at asawa ko – I miss you mga anak! – Ophelia Mojica

“thank you for the love” sa aking asawa, sa aking mga anak at sa aking mga hipag. MERRY CHRISTMAS sa inyong lahat. – Emelita Panganiban

“Thank you for the love” sa nanay ko at anak sana po lagi kyong nag i-ingat – Iveen Tibayan

“Thank you for the love” sa family ko , sa mga anak ko, at sa mga kabigan ko at sa lahat ng sumosuporta sa akin – MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR! – Anjanette Quilloy

RU Dela Cruz Ortega

Gielaiza de Vera

“Thank you for the love” Sa nanay ko at tatay ko sa pag papalaki at pag a-aruga sa amin. Pati na rin Lolo ko at Lola ko mga kapatid ko at Merry Christmas and HAPPY NEW YEAR po sa lahat. – Reyna Dexano

“Thank you for the love” sa parents ko, sa mga pinsan ko at tiyuhin na sumusuporta sa akin – MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR – Jhume Mharvin Jardin

“thank you for the love” sa mga family ko sa Pilipinas, sa mga inlaws ko, sa nag a-alaga sa anak ko while I’m here in HK, sa parents ko sa buhay na ibingay nila sa akin at Makita ang mundo kung gaano kaganda at sa lahat ng mga taong nag mamahal sa akin. GOD BLESS at ingat kayong lahat diyan sa PILIPINAS. – Rency Marcos

“thank you for the love” sa family ko, sa friends ko at high sa baby ko. MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR. – Crystalin Cristobal

“Thank you for the love” of my family and to all of my friends all over the world. MAGANDANG BUHAY, ALWAYS GOOD VIBES and be HAPPY. Merry Chrsitmas to all! – Ms Blanche Abasa

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The Greatest Christmas Gift is Family

Jigs and Nes met accidentally through a telephone“cross line” during their high school years in Manila. Jigs suddenly heard another voice while he was talking to his male classmate. He courteously asked the other party on the cross line her phone number so that he could report this to the phone company. After that, they realized they were just neighbors and they finally met .Since then, their romantic love story began. They became good friends and later dated and stayed in a relationship for seven years before they decided to tie the knot. Jigs and Nes were blessed with three wonderful kids--Josh (18 years old), Jia (17 years old), and Yana (7 years old).

Family vs. Career

Jigs was able to obtain his US license as a Physical Therapist after graduating from a college in Las Pinas. He opted to go the US to practice his chosen field but later decided to work in HongKong instead. Nes, on the other hand, finished her degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from a girls college in Manila before she started her career as a Flight Attendant in Hong Kong. She has been working in a well-known airline for 26 years now. For the sake of his family, Jigs sacrificed his American dream to be with his wife in Hong Kong, hoping to be there as a father to watch his family grow. He went there to work and landed a job not as a physical therapist but as an employee of a banking institution. He humbly gave up his own goals and made his family his top priority. At present he works in a top US bank in Hong Kong.

Bida Kapamilya

Through Thick and Thin

We may not have all the money in ths world but the greatest treasure any family can ever own is the gift of being together and that makes us wealthy. We are together and we are very happy and we live a simple life. —Bergas Family 44

ecember truly is the most wonderful time of the year for most Filipinos. With the holidays coming up, many Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are thrilled to go back home even for a short vacation just to celebrate the Christmas season with their families and loved ones. This month, Star Studio Magazine Hong Kong is delighted to share the story of our Proud Parents “Nes” and “Jigs” Bergas who are both from Mandaluyong, Philippines...

The nature of Jigs and Nes’ jobs require a lot of adjustment as Nes travels most of the time while Jigs comes home late at night on weekdays. They seldom see each other when Nes goes for long haul flights. They both struggled with their growing family while the cost of living soon overwhelmed them. When Josh was born, Jigs shares that he learned how to change diapers and took turns in taking care of him when Nes went back to flying after her maternity leave. As a mom, Nes found it difficult to leave when Josh was sick. It became even more difficult the next year when their second child Jia came

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and the couple needed to work harder to sustain the growing needs of their family. But for Jigs and Nes, the hardest and most painful eendeavor they ever had to go through was when their third child was born and died a week after delivery because of a rare congenital heart defect.. Nes confesses that this was the most heartbreaking experience they had to face as a family but Jigs chose to be positive. He believed that everything happens for a reason and that was just a phase in which to grow stronger and closer as a family. True enough, ten years later, Jigs and Nes decided to have another baby and they were blessed with their youngest girl named Yana.

Proud Parents : Jigs and Nes

Jigs and Nes admit that their children experienced cultural adjustments living in Hong Kong but they eventually embraced the culture wholeheartedly. Josh is active in the rugby team in school and wants to be a pilot someday. Janica loves to play volleyball and leads a team in their school’s English Society. She wants to be a journalist someday. Josh, Jia and Yana are also gifted in music as they can all sing well and play musical instruments such as the piano, guitar and yukelele.The family spends a lot of time playing music and singing after dinner at home. Yana,, while still young , shares that she wants to become a teacher someday. Parenting is a continuing challenge

for Jigs and Nes. Jigs admits being the disciplinarian , as he always teach them the values of education, faith, and family. But he also knows how to have fun with the family by going cycling, swimming and playing tennis with them.When the family is complete, he treats them out for meals during the weekend. But a typical regular night is spent eating a simple dinner with the family, with no gadgets around. Just conversing about the day’s events and talking about everything and anything that comes into mind.They go to mass on Sundays where Josh and Jia are part of the liturgical ministry while the parents also serve in the church. Jigs often try to lessen his overtime in the office and Nes try to fix her roster so that she can be in Hong Kong more often. They take turns in helping their kids with the homework. One of the most memorable bonding moments for the Bergas family was their travel to Maldives. They were able to connect and make everlasting and truly cherished moments.

All I Want For Christmas Is...

This Christmas, Josh, Jia and Yana would like to thank their parents for being supportive and loving to them. Their only wish for the Yuletide season is to have many more quality time with them. “My family is the most important thing in the world for me. I am blessed that we can be can be together especially this Christmas season. I pray for good health

and strength to face future challenges in our family life.”, says Jigs. He adds, “ I wish that our family will always be able to spend time together even if the children have all grown up. That truly will be the greatest Christmas present ever...” Jia shares to SSM her literary piece entitled “A Different Kind of Christmas” which captures the beauty of their family and the love that she has for her parents. A short excerpt from Jia’s poem... Time stood still in this captivating, picturesque moment Full of smiles and relief and words that meant Of happiness and love and joy and hope That a family will always be there if one needs to cope So while you still have time, be grateful and be glad Keep close to your heart your Mom and your Dad A family is a treasure, more precious than gold A family is a story that should forever be told.”

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Bida Kapamilya

Flying High: From Dreams to Destiny

he was under the strict orders of her parents to stay inside the house as a young girl, kept inside the protection of their home, away from any possible danger, not knowing that someday, she is destined to fly. This Christmas, SSM is delighted to share the story of Leah Tolentino Nicolas, Philippine Airlines’ Area Manager for Hong Kong and Macau. Unlike other kids, Leah was not allowed to go out of their house that much during her younger years. It was only when she entered college that she was given the freedom to go out on her own, learn to take public transportation, and become more independent. She took up a degree in AB Psychology at De La Salle University in Manila, where she spent her days as a student actively participating in extra-curricular activities and volunteer works such as immersion and outreach programs. She was also an 48

academic achiever, as she was a consistent dean’s lister, which led her to graduate with honors. She also took up Masters in Industrial Psychology, with the vision that she would pursue a career in Human Resources. But while she took up a different course, Leah recalls that she had always been fascinated and interested in joining the airline industry since she was young, because she wanted to travel and see the world. So right after she graduated college, Leah immediately landed a career at

Philippine Airlines, and turned her dream into reality. She has already been with the company for 22 years and counting. In her many years of service to our Country’s Flag Carrier, most of which were spent working at the head office in Manila, Leah shares that one must be focused and results-driven. But as soon as she started her foreign assignment in Hong Kong, she realized that she needed to have more…”Most importantly, an Area Manager of PAL should have a strong sense of nationalism and love for the company

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because wherever we are assigned, we represent PAL and the Philippines,” she added. There should always be a sense of pride in being a Filipino and for working for Philippine Airlines. However, because her line of work requires a lot of traveling, Leah often had to sacrifice her time with her family and sometimes miss attending school activities of her kids, Bea (eldest) and Gabie (youngest). During those times, her husband and mom would willingly pitch in for her. But despite loving her job passionately, Leah learned to draw the line between her family and her career. There was an instance when she was considered for a post in Vietnam, but because her dad was then very sick and her eldest daughter was still very young, she had to make that painful decision to let her career dream take a back seat.

All work and no play makes Jane a dull girl.

Leah revealed that one of the best things about working for an airline company (as you may have guessed it) is the perks of traveling. She recalls that her first international trip was a visit to Hong Kong, and adds that because of Philippine Airlines, she was able to visit places she has never dreamed of visiting. Going on a European tour and a safari game drive in Kenya, Africa were some of the most memorable. Aside from her own adventures, Leah is also fortunate to share the perks of her job with her family. They get to travel together during school breaks and long weekends. And now that she’s assigned in Hong Kong, a bonding trip back home to Manila is something they look forward to, as a family.

A Christmas message

This Christmas, Leah looks forward to spending the Yuletide seasons with her loved ones in Manila, and enjoy the cool breeze of December while attending the Simbang Gabi, eating puto-bumbong, and happily spending the holidays with her family. “My family has been my inspiration all throughout this journey, and so to them I’d like to say thank you. Thank you for supporting me with this career move. You all had to make sacrifices just to be with me in Hong Kong. The support means so much to me,” says Leah. “It makes my journey more bearable and the challenges more manageable. Christmas is a time to look back and be thankful for all the blessings, and I’d like to say that my family is the greatest blessing I have ever received.”

“To my fellow OFWs in Hong Kong, I’d like to say I am proud of all of you. The sacrifices and emotional roller coaster of being away from family, friends and our country is now very clear to me. I know now that it is not easy. But let us be happy with the thought that all these sacrifices are for our families, which is the true meaning of Christmas”. —Ms. Leah T. Nicolas

Dreams, Goals, and Ambitions

SSM asked Leah what career path she could have taken if she was not with PAL, and she said that she could have remained in line with the course she has taken and applied for HR positions, as she has initially planned. “But then I believe I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Things happen for a reason. Circumstances led me to shift from being an HR practitioner to an Airline Sales person for a reason…perhaps because this is where I can excel and contribute more,” she says. But when her children are all grown up, Leah plans to make another dream come true, and pursue her interest in the arts. She would like to pursue her hobby of sketching and perhaps take some courses in Interior Design. StarStudio • HONG KONG VO L 1 N O 11

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Kapamilya TIPS

a. Thrombotic stroke, which occurs when a blood clot forms in one of the arteries that supply blood to our brain. Fatty deposits that accumulate through time in the arteries may cause a clot and cause reduced blood flow. b. Embolic stroke occurs when blood clot or other debris forms away from your brain, commonly in our heart, and is swept through our bloodstream to lodge in narrower brain arteries. Another type of stroke is the hemorrhagic stroke, which occurs when a blood vessel in our brain leaks or ruptures. There are two types of hemorrhagic stroke: a. Intracerebral hemorrhage occurs when the blood vessel in the brain bursts and spills into the surrounding brain tissue, damaging brain cells. Brain cells beyond the leak are deprived of blood and are also damaged. b. Subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs when an artery on or near the surface of our brain bursts and spills into the space between the surface of your brain and your skull. This bleeding is often signaled by a sudden, severe headache.

What is Stroke? A By: Michael M. Manio, MD, MHPED, PhD

s the Yuletide season comes, parties and celebrations can be found almost everywhere. And when there are parties, there are food--lots of them. Most Pinoys would consume more food than their usual intake during this season and most of these are cholesterol rich or super sweet gastronomic desserts. But as a physician, I strongly advise to watch out for your diet as December is the month where most cases of strokes, heart attacks, or diabetes are very rampant. This month, let me share to you some insights about Stroke. Stroke is a medical condition that happens when the blood supply of our brain is interrupted or severely reduced, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. In a span of minutes, brain cells begin to die. It is considered as a medical emergency where prompt treatment is crucial because early medical intervention and treatment can minimize brain damage and potential complications. How do we know if you or someone else may be having a stroke? Here are the signs and symptoms that we should know: a. Trouble with speaking and understanding. Patients may experience confusion, slurring of speech or have difficulty understanding speech. b. Paralysis or numbness of the face, arm or leg especially on one side of the body. Try to raise both of your arms over your head at the same time. If one arm begins to fall, the patient may be having a stroke. This goes the same when one side of your mouth droops when you try to smile. c. Sudden blurring or blackened vision in one or both eyes or seeing double d. Sudden headache accompanied by vomiting, dizziness or altered consciousness e. Patient may stumble or experience sudden dizziness, loss of balance or loss of coordination But what causes Stroke? About 85% of stroke cases are ischemic strokes which occurs when the arteries in our brain become narrowed or blocked, causing severely reduced blood flow (ischemia). The most common ischemic strokes include: 50

Many factors can increase our risk in having stroke lifestyle risk factors includes the following: a. Being overweight or obese b. Sedentary lifestyle c. Heavy or binge drinking d. Use of illicit drugs (Cocaine and Methamphetamines) Patients who are more at risk to have a stroke are cigarette smokers and those who have high blood pressure, and exposure to secondhand smoke. The same goes for those who have high cholesterol, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, heart attacks, transient ischemic attacks, or those with personal or family history of stroke. Also prone to strokes are people at the age of 55 or higher, those coming from the African-American race, and those from the male gender. However, women are usually older when they have strokes, and they’re more likely to die of strokes than men. Patients who have had stroke may sometimes cause temporary or permanent disabilities, depending on how long the brain lacks blood flow and which part was affected. Complications may include: a. Paralysis or loss of muscle movement b. Difficulty talking or swallowing c. Memory loss or thinking difficulties d. Emotional problems e. Pain f. Changes in behavior and self-care ability With the advancement of medical treatments, the success of treating patients with stroke will vary from person to person. To treat an ischemic stroke, doctors must quickly restore blood flow to our brain. Therapy with clot-busting drug must start within 3 hours and the sooner the better. Immediate treatment not only improves the chances of survival but also may reduce complications. Again, prevention is better than cure. We should watch our diet these coming holidays. What you eat is what you become. Eat in moderation and eat healthy.

References: Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Edition www. mayoclinic.org Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 9th Edition

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