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Cecilio Asuncion, founder of Slay Model Management, Miss Universe 2017 judge and one of the two main coaches in the series, “The People’s Queen”, which first aired on TFC,
launches Slay Model Management’s groundbreaking new search for the first worldwide transgender model. (Project Publicity)
Slay Model Management Announces First
Worldwide Transgender Model Search
Slay Model Management, the world’s first Transgender exclusive model agency, has announced it will host its first ever Model Search on February 15, 2020 at One Culver in Los Angeles. “We are looking for star quality,” says Cecilio Asuncion, the founder and director of Slay Model Management. “It takes more than beauty to be a top model. It takes determination, a healthy outlook, and a visceral understanding that she is a model first, and a Trans woman second.”
Slay Model Management models have appeared in campaigns for Eva Mendes for NY and Co., Nikita Dragun cosmetics, Katy Perry Fragrance: Indi, Elle Magazine, Truvada and on TV in FX’s Pose, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Project Runway and Netflix’s upcoming show, Next in Fashion. Even the agency has gained notoriety. The Oxygen-TV series, Strut, executive produced by Whoopi Goldberg, was built around the agency and showcased the challenges its models faced in the fashion industry, fighting to overcome gender and beauty stereotypes.
Asuncion is careful to clarify: “Slay is not about selling Transness. We are selling a young woman’s capability to represent a brand or a designer. Sure, it’s great to be booked during June for Pride month, but what we want is sustainability and opportunities year-round.”
He says unique opportunities are available to transgender models today. “Fashion is changing. Companies understand the need for representation, diversity and inclusion.” At some point in the near future, he contends that models will be hired for their beauty and not, specifically, because they are Trans. “One of the biggest misconceptions is that a Trans model has to be an activist. Frankly, I don’t believe they do. By polishing their craft and representing themselves as the best in the business, they will help future generations.”
To enter the model search, hopefuls are encouraged to visit the Slay Model Management website (www.slaymodels.com) and click on the “Get Scouted” tab. However, Natalie Chang, the head of new faces at Slay Model Management cautions all women prepare themselves mentally as they will be competing against thousands of other young women for only three spots.
Twenty-five finalists will be selected from all entries received through the website. They will be invited to compete in the January 25, 2020 finale at One Culver in Los Angeles, hosted by supermodel and Slay Model Management talent, Arisce Wanzer and International Celebrity DJ and Slay Model Management talent Lina Bradford.
“My advice for all who are selected to compete is to concentrate their efforts on perfecting their stage presence and confidence,” says Asuncion. “To be a top model today, women must be able to deliver a great walk that connects with audiences and cameras.”
The model competition will be co-produced by celebrity event planner Jason Rhee of the Rheefined Company. A seasoned event designer, Jason has spent the last fifteen years producing events that are designed around experiences and inclusion. “It’s an honor to be a part of producing this event and my goal is to create an event that matches the beauty of each of the contestants."
Prior to the competition night, all selected contestants will attend a Model Boot Camp where they will be coached by top photographers, stylists and editors. The competition, itself, will be judged by industry professionals.
“As it often is in model competitions, the real challenge will be an internal one,” Asuncion predicts. “It used to be that women reshaped themselves to fit the industry standard; striving to match the idealized version of a Barbie doll. Today’s fashion industry wants to see the real, unfiltered woman beneath the lashes and lipstick.”
The Slay Model Management Model Search takes place February 15, 2020 at One Culver in Los Angeles. For more information, visit Slaymodels.com
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PRESS INQUIRES:
Len Evans, Tel: 212-445-0066
(LEFT TO RIGHT) ABS-CBN TFC Co-founder Raffy Lopez with “The Kingmaker” director-writer Lauren Greenfield; Greenfield with Adobo Nation host Ginger Conejero;
and “The Kingmaker” director with BA’s Rommel Conclara.
“The Kingmaker” opens today in SF; director Lauren Greenfield visits TFC Studio
for interviews with BA and Adobo Nation
DALY CITY, CA, December 13, 2019 – The must-see movie this season is actually a documentary that has all critics raving.
“A soul-chilling portrait of Imelda Marcos” – The Washington Post
“Gripping… Imelda Marcos’ scary pull comes to light” – San Francisco Examiner
“Jaw-dropping” – Variety
“Engaging, appalling” – The Hollywood Reporter
“Lauren Greenfield turns a cool, clinical eye on the seemingly unsinkable, unstoppable former first lady of the Philippines” – The New York Times
Opening today in the San Francisco Bay Area, Showtime Documentary Films’ The Kingmaker has become a much awaited film in theaters after its sterling debut at the Venice Film Festival. The film’s director and writer, Lauren Greenfield, visited the ABS-CBN TFC Studio in Daly City for interviews with the popular daily Filipino American news program, BA, and the long-running Filipino American magazine talk show, Adobo Nation.
Centered on Imelda Marcos, The Kingmaker examines, with intimate access, the Marcos family’s improbable return to power in the Philippines. Watch the trailer here.
Named by the New York Times as “America’s foremost visual chronicler of the plutocracy,” Emmy Award–winning filmmaker/photographer Lauren Greenfield has produced groundbreaking work on consumerism, youth culture, and gender for the last 25 years. Her films Generation Wealth, The Queen of Versailles, and Thin, and photography books Generation Wealth, Fast Forward, and Girl Culture have provoked international dialogue about some of the most important issues of our time. The Queen of Versailles was the opening night film of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Best Documentary Director Award. Her record-breaking, Super Bowl ad #LikeAGirl (250+ million views) earned her 14 Cannes Lions and the Most Awarded Director by Ad Age, making her the first woman to top this list. Generation Wealth opened the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, screened at Berlinale, and received a Writers Guild nomination. In 2019, she launched Girl Culture Films, to address the lack of diversity of directors in the advertising industry.
Catch the insightful interviews of Lauren Greenfield on BA tonight and Adobo Nation this weekend only on TFC. Watch The Kingmaker starting today at the Landmark's Embarcadero Center Cinema, San Francisco, Landmark's Shattuck Cinemas, Berkeley and Landmark's Albany Twin, Albany. (LARSEN ASSOCIATES/ABS-CBN Global)
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Larsen Associates
KAREN LARSEN
Global multimedia stars Edward Barber and Maymay Entrata host ABS-CBN and TFC’s “Star Hunt: The Global Showdown” on Kumu app (ABS-CBN Corporation)
Search for new global singing sensation in “Star Hunt: The Global Showdown”
to stream live on Kumu app
Multimedia stars Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber to host the search; Top 25 Global Star Dreamers
come from the Philippines, U.S., U.K., Japan, Germany, Australia and Italy
MANILA, PHILIPPINES, November 8, 2019 - ABS-CBN’s grand audition program with TFC, “Star Hunt,” kicks off its first global singing search on Kumu, the fastest growing social media app in the Philippines and a powerful livestream platform that prioritizes the voices of over 100 million Filipinos around the world.
Called “Star Hunt: The Global Showdown,” the search is hosted by multimedia stars Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber. It premiered on Wednesday (November 6) at 7 PM (Manila time). Eliminations and major contest events will stream live every Wednesday evening (MNL time) on the Star Hunt channel on Kumu until its grand finals in December. There will also be live shows for the rest of the week, with former “Pinoy Big Brother Otso” housemate Kiara Takahashi providing updates and online guestings of the contestants.
The global singing sensation search introduced recently the top 25 Global Star Dreamers from the Philippines, USA, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Australia, and Italy who joined the month-long call for entries from September to October this year. They were selected by Star Hunters or the panel of judges composed of “Pinoy Big Brother” and “Star Hunt” Creative Manager Marcus Vinuya, ABS-CBN Global Head of Music and Talent Roslynn Cobarrubias, and award-winning composer and ABS-CBN Music Creative Director Jonathan Manalo.
The 25 Global Star Dreamers will have to go through various levels without being eliminated in order to win the competition.
Each level will require them to go live on the Kumu app, perform songs that match the weekly theme, and rally for votes from family, friends, and fans. Star Dreamers who will get the lowest combined judges’ scores (50%) and votes or virtual gifts (50%) in each level, meanwhile, will be eliminated from the competition.
For the first challenge, the top 25 Star Dreamers will have to sing a song that they dedicate to Kapamilyas abroad and songs that make them happy. They will be given two weeks to rally for votes, and the first ten Stars Dreamers to be eliminated will be announced live on the Star Hunt channel on Kumu on November 20.
The last elimination round and grand finals where the grand winner will be revealed will also happen in December.
Big prizes and opportunities await the winner as he or she will win a management contract with “Star Hunt,” a recording contract with ABS-CBN Music, and $10,000.
They come from different countries and use different styles of singing to highlight their voices, but they have one dream – to be a “Star Hunt” singing idol. Whose star will shine the brightest?
Follow the journeys of the Star Dreamers in “Star Hunt: The Global Showdown,” where the biggest dreams begin with the smallest screens on the Kumu app. It streams live daily on the Star Hunt channel on the app. For updates, like facebook.com/starhuntabscbn and follow @starhuntabscbn on Twitter and Instagram.
BA Original Doc breaks the story of Nanay Fedelina, a victim of modern-day slavery in Los Angeles
DALY CITY, September 23, 2019 – “I was taking care of the kids. Day and night, it was only me watching them. They controlled my food, did not pay me.” Nanay Fedelina summarizes her life in captivity for the past 65 years with a family she served who brought her to America in the 1970s and who cut her ties from her own family.
The story of Nanay Fedelina, domestic worker and human trafficking survivor, will be featured in the BA Original Documentary KEPT: Six Decades of Servitude, airing soon on TFC.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide – including right here in the United States. It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality.
The oldest human rights organization in the world, antislavery.org, lists human trafficking and forced labor as forms of modern slavery.
“Human trafficking is a global phenomenon and it’s very hard to track. There’s a lot of people who do not report it and we only know about it when we rescue someone or when they actually report it themselves,” explains Philippine Vice Consul General and Assistance to Nationals Program Head of the Los Angeles Philippine Consulate Dyan Pastrana Miranda.
Fedelina lived six decades serving four generations and at least a dozen family members.
“This is a concrete case that this is happening around the corner in our neighborhoods,” shares Executive Director for the Pilipino Workers Center Aqui Soriano Versoza.
Nanay Fedelina’s compelling story, KEPT: Six Decades of Servitude, a BA Original Documentary is written and produced by the same team behind last year’s BA original documentary and Emmy finalist “Lost & Found” – Steve Angeles, Jeremiah Ysip, Danny Manansala, and Mike Carrion.
Follow BA on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and on www.balitangamerica.tv
for KEPT’s telecast schedule, and to get the latest news, feature stories and special reports on the Filipino communities across North America.
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/FMfcgxwDrRRZTPLlTQCncFCwMKrbmHph?projector=1
TFC's "Summer is Love" to showcase stellar performances
at "Taste of Manila" in Toronto this weekend
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, August 14, 2019 - “Taste of Manila” -- the biggest annual outdoor Filipino festival in the world -- just got even bigger! This weekend, August 17-18, at Little Manila, Toronto, the Philippine Legacy and Cultural Alliance (PLACA) teams up with TFC Live to stage “Summer is Love”, a showcase of stellar performances that highlight the event’s TFC Hour.
Headlining August 17 are pop singer-songwriter-actor Inigo Pascual, Jugs & Teddy from the megahit TFC noontime show, “It’s Showtime”, rapper Ruby Ibarra, singer-songwriter August Rigo, pop group rIVerse, the renowned Jordan “DJ Tilt” Rulloda, with the iconic Filipino music and TV star Randy Santiagohosting the MOR Pinoy Pop Regional Finals.
Meanwhile, fresh from the success of “ASAP Natin ‘To Bay Area”, Crystal Voice of Asia Sheryn Regis and international pop singer-TV host Billy Crawford, who also just performed last weekend at the TFC Hour of the annual Pistahan Parade & Festival in Yerba Buena, San Francisco with Morissette, topbill August 18entertainment at “Taste of Manila”.
“We brought in top-rate performers to blend well with the winning food extravaganza that ‘A Taste of Manila’ always offers,” said ABS-CBN Country Manager for Canada Kerwin Du. “And as diverse the food offerings are in this event, so are the genres of music entertainment that TFC is infusing into this colorful celebration of Filipino and Filipino Canadian cultures here in Toronto.”
Pascual recently made waves in the Anaheim House of Blues where he performed before an SRO crowd. An article from OC Weekly Editor-in-Chief Matt Coker described him as a likely “next big world crossover artist”. His recent performances has taken him from New York to Los Angeles to Tokyo to London to San Francisco to Honolulu, among others.
Ibarra, who just in June made a lot of buzz with her performance on NPR’s highly popular “Tiny Desk Contest”, has been performing all over North America, awakening many with her sharp lyrics and killer beats that attempt to reclaim the voice and narrative of Filipino American women in society. Her music has been widely praised. She was featured in a music video commercial with various artists for Mastercard.
Filipino Canadian August Rigo has enjoyed singing, songwriting and producing success, having previously signed deals with Sony/ATV, BMI and Island Def Jam Records. He co-wrote “U Smile”, “Stuck in the Moment” and “Kiss and Tell” for Justin Bieber, “Solo” for Iyaz, and “Outta This World” for JLS. He has collaborated as a singer with Busta Rhymes and Cheryl Cole. He has also released his own albums as well as executive produced for other international artists.
Dizz, Khadija, Zak and Monroe combine powerhouse vocals with clever songwriting, slick beats and stellar songwriting to form the sound of rIVerse, a Toronto-based pop and R&B group. The overarching message of the group is self-acceptance – being true to who you are and living life to the fullest. The diversity of the group’s composition fuels this mission.
DJ Tilt is a true music connoisseur, playing a multi-genre style of music with mixes that include the latest House, Hip Hop and Top 40 tracks and everything in between. He was previously signed by HP (Hewlett-Packard) to be a brand ambassador and Official DJ. He did a campaign with HP that was featured in all Cineplex Theaters and Best Buy locations throughout Canada.
The wacky duo of Jugs Jugueta and Teddy Cruz of “It’s Showtime” is guaranteed to keep everyone in stitches. The two are masters of comedy-drama skits complete with sound effects. They have contributed to the success of the show which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Just last March, Jugs and Teddy flew to Indonesia to represent “It’s Showtime” and witness firsthand the pilot episode of its Indonesian version on MNCTV.
Santiago is a certified singing hitmaker who has also achieved huge success in hosting, songwriting, acting, directing and producing. He was one of the top heartthrobs in the 90s and is an accomplished performer in the live concert circuit. He has appeared in scores of hit films and TV shows and has released several albums.
Houston, Texas-based Regis has performed all over the world after she placed runner-up to Erik Santos in the singing competition “Star in a Million” of ABS-CBN. She has recorded several hit albums, performed in countless tours, won dozens of Philippine and international awards, and has also endeared herself to TFC viewers as the voice behind several beloved teleserye theme songs like “Maria Flordeluna” and “Gulong ng Palad”.
Prior to becoming one of the Philippines’ top TV hosts/singer/dancer, Crawford has had major chart success in France and other parts of Europe. His single, “Trackin’”, was certified platinum and was number 5 for five weeks in France. It also reached top 1-3 in the charts in Netherland, Belgium and Switzerland, respectively. His second album, “Ride” turned double platinum (600,000 copies) over there, too. He was chosen to sing the theme song of “Pokemon: The First Movie”. The multilingual singer (who speaks Tagalog, English and French) has since then focused on becoming a singing-dancing-hosting powerhouse in the Philippines.
Feed your senses and soul at the “Taste of Manila” this weekend! For more information, visit https://mytfc.com/tasteofmanila
“ASAP Natin ‘To Bay Area” promises a one-of-a-kind,
once-in-a-lifetime musical extravaganza on TFC’s 25thanniversary
SAN JOSE, CA, July 22, 2019 - There is a Japanese idiom from the 16thcentury that goes, “ichi-go ichi-e”, which means “one time, one meeting”. Through the years, the term has been translated as “for this time only” or “once in a lifetime”.
In Tagalog, the basis of the national Filipino language, the equivalent phrase is “minsanan lang ito”.
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of TFC, the international flagship channel of ABS-CBN, the Philippines’ leading media and entertainment company will bring its longest-running weekend variety show in the Philippines to the birthplace of TFC -- the San Francisco Bay Area.
Come August 3, Saturday, at the prestigious SAP Center at San Jose, right in the heart of the Bay Area’s Silicon Valley, “ASAP Natin ‘To Bay Area” promises a one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetime concert experience that music lovers of all ages and ethnicities would not want to miss.
After selling out world-class venues in Singapore, Dubai, Los Angeles, London, New York, Toronto, Honolulu, and Sydney, ASAP has sealed its reputation overseas as a tour de force Filipino musical event. Each ASAP show that is held abroad fires on all cylinders: top-drawer celebrities, back-to-back concerts in one event which are aired as two full episodes on TFC, highest production values, carefully curated song and dance numbers, hard-to-match levels of performance energy and explosions of Filipino talent and pride.
But “ASAP Natin ‘To Bay Area” dares to go beyond what all previous ASAP tour legs have accomplished.
“TFC’s gone silver: a quarter of a century in service to the Filipinos worldwide,” said ABS-CBN Global COO Olivia De Jesus. “The concept behind ’ASAP Natin ‘To Bay Area’ celebrates not only where TFC has been, but what it has become, and where it’s going. This ASAP reflects the journeys of the overseas and migrant Filipinos and how they’ve evolved as a dynamic community which is diverse in composition but still identifiably Filipino.”
De Jesus continues: “Expect ‘ASAP Natin ‘To Bay Area’ not to be just a single-flavor dish; it will be a fusion of both fresh and familiar musical flavors that will showcase what being Filipino in the diaspora looks like today.”
To further explain, ABS-CBN North and Latin America Managing Director Jun Del Rosario cited the most unique ASAP live cast to date -- a casting coup that would be very challenging to replicate.
“In previous ASAP legs in the U.S. like ‘ASAP Live in New York’ at Barclays Center, we involved local talents. For instance, the Broadway Barkada performed with select ASAP mainstays,” Del Rosario said. “But ‘ASAP Natin ‘To Bay Area’ enhanced that collaboration with more popular local entertainers. It has AJ Rafael, Angelica Hale, The Filharmonic, Jasmine Trias, Josephine “Banig” Roberto, Jej Vinson and the Str8jacket Dance Company, all of whom have drawn significant U.S. mainstream attention and exposure. Moreover, ASAP has brought in two Filipino rap artists in Bassilyoand Smugglaz which is a first for ASAP Live abroad. All of these infusions add to the once-in-a-lifetime character of this special TFC 25th anniversary event.”
Rounding up the star-studded line up are as follows: Angel Locsin, Angeline Quinto, Billy Crawford, Carol Banawa, Coco Martin, Daniel Padilla, Darren Espanto, Edward Barber, Ella Mae Saison, Enchong Dee, Erik Santos, Gary Valenciano, Gerald Anderson, the Gold Squad, Inigo Pascual, Janine Berdin, Joshua Garcia, Julia Barretto, Kathryn Bernardo, Kim Chiu, Kyla, KZ, Maja Salvador, Martin Nievera, Maymay Entrata, Moira Dela Torre, Morissette, Ogie Alcasid, Paulo Avelino, Pia Wurtzbach, Piolo Pascual, Pops Fernandez, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, Sam Milby, Shane Ericks, Sheryn Regis, TNT Boys, Tony Labrusca, Yeng Constantino, Zsa Zsa Padilla and the G-Force.
ABS-CBN Global Head of Events Ricky Resurreccion quipped: “‘ASAP Natin ‘To Bay Area’ -- which means ‘this is our ASAP Bay Area’ -- is ‘minsanan lang’. So, let’s make sure ‘na sulitin ang bihira’. Let’s make the most out of this spectacular event. Family fun starts at 2pm with all our exciting vendor booths. We have a pre-show at 3:30pm. The first ASAP show starts at 5pm, and the second one starts at 7:45pm. With all these, I guarantee that fans will get more than their money’s worth.”
Tickets are moving fast, with the top two tiers sold out already. To buy tickets now, visit https://mytfc.com/asapbayarea
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ABS-CBN TFC gets exclusive broadcast rights
to Pacquiao-Thurman fight in the Middle East and North Africa
DUBAI, UAE, July 16, 2019 – After the wild and crazy NBA Free Agency and the amazing Women’s World Cup victory of the U.S. women’s soccer team, another event hogging international sports headlines this summer is the much anticipated “welterweight supremacy” fight between undefeated WBA super welterweight champion Keith Thurman and WBA regular welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, the only eight-division world boxing champion in history.
The fight is slated for Saturday, July 20, Pacific, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Once again, ABS-CBN TFC reinforces itself as a key player in the pay-per-view landscape when it acquired the exclusive broadcast rights to the Pacquiao-Thurman fight in the Middle East and North Africa. The PPV event will be carried on TFC live on various platforms in the region on Sunday, July 21, 4AM in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and 5AM in United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Fans in the Middle East and North Africa can watch the fight on the following authorized distribution platforms: ONLINE: TFC Online (www.tfc.tv), OSN Play, and WAVO; DTH/Satellite: OSN; Cable: E-Life/ E-vision (UAE) and Ooredoo/ Mozaic TV (Qatar).
Since 2006, starting with the unforgettable Pacquiao-Morales super featherweight championship fight, ABS-CBN TFC has been at the ringside of major boxing events, bringing the biggest fights of Pacquiao’s legendary career to the homes of Filipinos and boxing fans in the region.
“The Philippines is recognized as one of the world’s top boxing nations in terms of talent and fans,” said ABS-CBN Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Managing Director Arnie Garcia. “It is integral to our service DNA to make sure that Filipino boxing fans in our region get access to world-class boxing entertainment from the comfort of their homes and on whatever device or authorized platform they watch TFC.”
At the same time, ABS-CBN AVP of Global Anti-Piracy and Content Security Elisha Lawrence cautioned against piracy. “We will go after each and every site that tries to provide illegal access to the Pacquiao-Thurman fight,” she said. “I urge viewers to protect yourselves and your families from free sites and free streaming sites. These are littered with malware. Don’t pay a high price for ‘free’ sites.”
THE HEAT IS ON: BOLD TO BOASTFUL PREDICTIONS
Today, International Business Times interviewed two analysts who predicted that the Pacquiao-Thurman fight will not last the distance.
Filipino fight analyst Ed Tolentino said that the “fight would end within ten rounds.” Boxing journalist Nissi Icasiano said that Thurman has the size and reach advantage against Pacquiao that could negate Pacquiao’s offense.
Bleacher Report’s Rob Blanchette wrote that “if Thurman lands with accuracy, it could be Pacquiao who collects the eighth loss of his mostly glittering career.”
How about former boxing legends and current champions? Boxing Scene interviewed 46 experts: 24 chose Pacquiao, 19 picked Thurman, and three called it a draw.
The likes of Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Roy Jones, Jr., Shane Mosley and Shawn Porter all picked Pacquiao to win by decision. Sugar Ray Leonard, Deontay Wilder, Paulie Malignaggi, Errol Spence, Jr. and Andre Berto picked Thurman to win by decision or TKO.
The boldest and most boastful prediction came from Thurman himself. He has claimed to The National: “When Keith Thurman fights Manny Pacquiao… Keith Thurman is the new Manny Pacquiao. I’m the most exciting fighter in the welterweight division today.”
From Tampa Bay Times, Thurman also said: “He’s (Pacquiao) a legend. I get the last remaining legend. He’s like a dodo bird. He’s like a dinosaur. He might be old, but he’s not extinct. That’s my job, make him extinct.”
Fortunately or unfortunately, these are statements from the man who also claims that the Apollo 11 moon landing never happened.
For more info on the Pacquiao-Thurman fight in the Middle East, visit TFC EMEA.
Taste of Manila lights up the summer festival season in Canada
with the best cultural flavors of the Philippines
ABS-CBN TFC, MOR Pinoy Pop Icon Canada regional finals contest to unveil world-class Filipino musical performances
TORONTO, CANADA, July 15, 2019 – In August 2017, Canadian English-language newspaper National Post published an insightful industry story entitled, “We will, we will WOK you: How food festivals became the new music festivals”.
In March 2018, Canadian digital and broadcasting company Vice released a story claiming that “Food Festivals Are the New Music Festivals”.
The National Post story stated that “Chefs have been called the new rock stars an uncountable number of times, but the rise of food festivals is perhaps the best example of food’s new position as a dominant cultural factor.”
Why should Filipinos care? Because the biggest annual Filipino street festival in the world outside of the Philippines is, you guessed it, a FOOD festival called, Taste of Manila.
The original concept was simple: flock to Toronto’s “Little Manila”, feast on Philippine delicacies and savor authentic Filipino culinary delights. No 5-star Michelin chefs; just homegrown cooking from the participating vendors’ Filipino roots.
Just how big? When Taste of Manila started in 2014 in the Bathurst and Wilson Avenue area, organizers hoped to get 5,000 attendees. Well, 75,000 showed up that year. Two years later, no less than Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau checked out the Filipino summer event whose attendance had already leapfrogged to 350,000. Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne and Toronto Mayor John Tory have also graced the event.
This year, Taste of Manila is happening on August 17-18, still in Little Manila in North York in the Greater Toronto Area, home of the largest concentration of Filipinos in Canada. The corner of Bathurst and Wilson is considered to be the epicenter of Toronto’s Filipino community, a main watering hole of the vibrant, hard-working Filipinos in Toronto.
But aside from servings of the likes of sisig fries, ukoy or deep-fried shrimp fritters, Pinoy-style pork, chicken and octopus barbeque, and more versions of adobo, pancit, chicharon, lumpia, halo-halo andgulaman that hungry and curious Filipino millennials could handle, Taste of Manila focused on food as the key pillar, but built an ecosystem of festival offerings around it. There are karaokes galore, street wear and gear, Filipino arts, crafts and novelty items, street games, among others, and a two-day program of entertainment, featuring, yes, music and dance.
WORLD-CLASS FILIPINO ENTERTAINMENT
ABS-CBN TFC has been a partner of Taste of Manila and has helped elevate the experience at the event by providing world-class Filipino performers. More details on this to follow soon as the line-up will surely rock modern music lovers in Canada.
ABS-CBN’s MOR 101.9 is holding the Regional Finals of its Pinoy Pop Icon contest on August 17, 2019, the first day of Taste of Manila.
The contest is open to all unsigned Filipino singers who are permanent residents of Canada, aged 18 years old and above. The aspiring contestants can prepare a 3-5-minute YouTube video of two songs, one in English, one in Filipino in a cappella. They can email the video link with their full name and telephone number to tfc_events@abs-cbn.com with the subject line, MOR Talent Search 2019.
Deadline for submission is on July 20, 2019. The chosen finalists will be notified via email and will get the chance to compete at the Taste of Manila for a cash prize of CAD1,000 and a chance to become a digital recording artist under Star Music label in the Philippines.
Linofiel Eroma, chair of Philippine Legacy and Cultural Alliance (PLACA), Taste of Manila organizer, said, “(Taste of Manila) is one of the strongest ways to unite Filipinos to our fiestas back in the Philippines. The main takeaway of attendees and participants is a tasteful experience of Filipino culture, food, entertainment and our world-renowned hospitality. It’s an event that brings out Filipino heritage for everyone in Canada to appreciate and savor.”
Kumu: The livestream app designed for global Filipino Gen Z and millennials
to spend their online time the smart way
DALY CITY, CA, June 26, 2019 - If there is one currency that everyone on earth has, that’s TIME. Time makes all human beings equal: we all have 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
Where the differences start appearing is how people spend their finite time, or more appropriately, how they invest their time. When you just spend time, there are no expectations of getting anything back. When you invest time, you respect its value and you realize it’s a resource to do something meaningful and get something in return – a reward that can help you reach your personal goals.
Based on the Digital 2019 report of social media management firm Hootsuite and creative agency We Are Social, Filipino internet users spend 10 hours and 2 minutes each day online, making Filipinos the world’s heaviest internet and social media users.
With all the time that Filipinos are spending online, how much are they really getting out of that experience? How much is it advancing towards fulfilling their dreams? How much is it making a difference in their lives? How much is it making the world a better place, something that is supposedly a huge goal of the social media generation?
KUMU: For Filipinos, By Filipinos
Enter KUMU which claims to be the fastest growing social network in the Philippines. On its website, Kumu (derived from “kumusta” in Filipino, which means, “How are you?”) it says that Kumu is a “powerful livestream platform that prioritizes the voices of over 100 million Filipinos and communities around the world. It enables you to meet new people, make money, and play games.”
Meeting new people, making money and playing games are nothing new in the digital world. But by claiming so, Kumu instantly recognizes and imparts that there is reason and purpose for your precious time in using its app.
For Filipinos all over the world, there is a bigger reason to use Kumu: it’s a livestreaming app that was planned, designed and created with them in mind.
“None of the other apps prioritize the voices of Gen Z and millennial Filipinos,” says Kumu CEO and co-founder Roland Ros. “Kumu was built by a team of Gen Z and millennial Filipinos for them. That fact alone will result in a product that is entirely unique, authentic, and more creative to young Filipinos around the world.”
Everyone wants to get on his or her soapbox. But for Kumu, getting Filipinos on their soapbox is most important. Moreover, getting Filipinos on their live soapbox so they can make money empowers them as content creators and enables them to invest their time on the digital world meaningfully.
“With Kumu, you don’t need to produce, edit and spend countless hours to get subscribers just to earn a fraction of a check,” says Ros. “You don’t need to pretend that your life is perfect. You just need to be real and have something authentic and real to say. You can’t fake a livestream. The secret is in the livestream connection with your audience. And truth and integrity – be these in the form or fun, games, entertainment, education, inspiration -- always have a ready audience.”
Expanding Possibilities for Brands and Content Creators
Kumu is now reaching out to Filipinos in North America, the part of the world that started social media giants like Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and the like.
“Through Kumu, Filipinos in the U.S. and Canada get to connect to their motherland in a unique way, in an experience not possible at the time when their parents migrated,” Ros says. “They get to know their culture on a closer level. For Filipinos who migrated recently, it allows an easier connection to home, while they adjust to living in America or Canada. Overseas Filipino millennials are reconnecting to their motherland through a sense of belonging and community with other millennials.”
There is good reason for Filipinos in North America to invest their time using the Kumu app.
Kumu allows fan to tip their favorite content creators. One example: former college students – the acoustic duo Ffyona and Earl – now successfully pursue music full time on Kumu.
Kumu allows brands to reach out to their target audiences through features like the app’s community chats called Kumunities. Brands can sponsor individual live streamers.
Beyond user-generated content, Kumu has its own in-house productions. So far, it has launched successful game shows like Quiz Mo Ko, Winner Winner Lechon Dinner, Pinoys Doing Stuffs, Kumunity Face-Off among others.
So, there’s no need to fear that you have to win in a talent search or talent lottery or labor endless hours to get subscribers only to make pennies from pursuing a passion. For a few hours of your time, showcase your inspired, creative content on real time on Kumu. Start turning the camera on yourselves, be yourselves, and see how a good, purposeful investment of time can reap meaningful rewards.
Invest your online time wisely. Kumu now. Visit https://www.kumu.ph/.
Filipino Americans Sam Milby, Ruby Ibarra and The Balikbayans
celebrate the 121st Anniversary of Philippine Independence
in the heart of San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO, June 18, 2019 --- KalayaanSF is an annual celebration of Filipino culture and pride that also commemorates the 121st anniversary of the declaration of Philippine Independence.
This year’s main event, happening on Saturday, June 22, 2019 at Union Square, will be a free outdoor festival and concert that showcases Philippine culture and heritage through art exhibits, dances, and food throughout the whole day from 10:00 A.M. until 7:00 P.M.
TFC Hour that starts at 5:00 P.M. will have rockoustic heartthrob Sam Milby and Filipino American rapper, music producer and spoken word artist Ruby Ibarra with The Balikbayans, a Filipino-American group formed in the San Francisco Bay Area with the roots of Hip Hop, Soul, Jazz and Metal.
Filipino Americans Sam Milby, Ruby Ibarra and The Balikbayans
celebrate the 121st Anniversary of Philippine Independence
in the heart of San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO, June 18, 2019 --- KalayaanSF is an annual celebration of Filipino culture and pride that also commemorates the 121st anniversary of the declaration of Philippine Independence.
This year’s main event, happening on Saturday, June 22, 2019 at Union Square, will be a free outdoor festival and concert that showcases Philippine culture and heritage through art exhibits, dances, and food throughout the whole day from 10:00 A.M. until 7:00 P.M.
TFC Hour that starts at 5:00 P.M. will have rockoustic heartthrob Sam Milby and Filipino American rapper, music producer and spoken word artist Ruby Ibarra with The Balikbayans, a Filipino-American group formed in the San Francisco Bay Area with the roots of Hip Hop, Soul, Jazz and Metal.
Sam Milby, Filipino-American actor, commercial model, and recording artist, takes the stage during the TFC Hour at KalayaanSF this Saturday at Union Square.
Ruby Ibarra, known for her sharp lyricism and rhythmic multi-syllabic flows, takes the stage together with The Balikbayans, during the TFC Hour at KalayaanSF this Saturday at Union Square.
The TFC Hour will be emceed by Adobo Nation co-hosts Lee Robin Salazar and Hannah Tolentino, who is also known as a popular YouTube content creator as purplebanana25.
Experience the best of Filipino culture during this enjoyable and engaging all-day event filled with dance, visual arts, and musical performances around Union Square, right in the heart of San Francisco.
KalayaanSF is organized yearly by the Filipino-American community in the SF Bay Area with the support of the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco. Go to www.KalayaanSF.com for more details.
International Filipino stars Kiana V (left) and Inigo (right) were featured in Viacom’s artist showcase at the historic Viacom headquarters in New York.
Inigo & Kiana V. Break Musical Ground Internationally
with Tarsier Records & myxTV
New York, NY, June 7, 2019 – VIACOM – home to the leading portfolio of global multi-platform entertainment brands like MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount Network, Vidcon, Pluto TV and TV Land and one of the top five largest media conglomerates in America in terms of revenue in 2018 – hosted Filipino-American singer Inigo and Filipino-Puerto Rican talent Kiana V. in an artist showcase celebrating diversity and the end of May, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
The showcase, which took place at the historic 54-floor skyscraper Viacom headquarters on 1515 Broadway, Times Square, Manhattan was a partnership between myxTVmusic channel and underground record label Tarsier Records with AMP at Viacom Group.
The well-attended event sponsored by Tanduay Rum included an open invitation to all Viacom employees in the historic Viacom building (also known as the 1 Astor Plaza) where artists like Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé and Rihanna began their careers on popular TV shows like TRL and exclusive industry showcases like these. Additional guests included personally invited entertainment and music industry guests from companies like Sirius XM, Spotify, Live Nation, Universal Records, the New York Knicks and local Filipino community leaders like officials from the Philippine Consulate General from New York.
This was Kiana V's first time in New York and only her second time performing solo in the US after a recent performance before a sold out crowd in Los Angeles last week. She performed songs 530A, Keep It Secret, KBye and Get Together off her new album, See Me.
Inigo debuted his newly co-written songs like Options and Neverland that were produced by Justin Bieber's music director Harv and Catching Feelings produced by DJMoophs (Tarsier Records label head Chris Lopez). myxTV also showcased its new TV show, MyMotto: The Music Edition, before the live crowd that featured the top music talent from across the globe like Australia's #1 YouTuber and K-pop star Wengie (with whom Inigo currently has huge viral hit called, Mr. Nice Guy), Latin pop star Ally Brooke, formerly of Fifth Harmony, and Saweetie, a bi-racial Filipina and African American rapper.
“The general sentiment after the event was much excitement for Inigo and Kiana,” said ABS-CBN Global Head of Music and Talent Roslynn Cobarrubias. “Both of them were asked to participate or to be considered in future music opportunities ranging from radio appearances to music licensing opportunities that will further expand their goals in getting their music heard on a mainstream level throughout the world.”
The Bay Area’s most delicious race returns to Coyote Point Recreation Area in San Mateo
DALY CITY, Calif., June 4, 2019 – The 2019 TIKIM Filipino Food Fun Run, a one-of-a-kind 5K fun run or walk that celebrates Filipino culture and the value of giving back, returns on its second year for more fun treats and good eats. The run takes place on Saturday, June 8, 2019 at the Coyote Point Recreation Area, 1701 Coyote Point Drive in San Mateo.
TIKIM is a Filipino word that means “to taste” and the 5k fun run, presented by TFC Live, will take runners through a course with a Filipino food tasting station at each kilometer of the way. Each station is a celebration of different Filipino flavors. This year’s theme is Filipino street food. The street food scene in the Philippines is arresting, as it is intriguing, and TIKIM hopes to capture the spirit and substance of Filipino street food with an offering that go the range from mild to hella wild. One must see it, or rather, run the course to be blown away by the offerings.
After the run, the fun continues with a post-run picnic that features more Filipino food – from savory to sweet, stage activities with performances by Trace Repeat, a Bay Area soul and funk band from Oakland, and guitar virtuoso Jinx Jones and The Kingtones. There will also be the much-awaited balut-eating contest plus other classic Filipino reunion games.
Aside from being a fun run, TIKIM is also a philanthropic event. According to ABS-CBN Global Head of Events Ricky Resurreccion, “It is a way to give back, as part of the proceeds of theTIKIM Filipino Food Fun Run registration will be donated to the feeding program of Bantay Bata(the Child Watch program of ABS-CBN Foundation International).” By registering and joining the fun run, each adult runner registration provides meals to six (6) * undernourished children in the Philippines.
Runners will receive a commemorative TIKIM t-shirt, race bib, an acknowledgement letter with the runner’s donation to ABS-CBN Foundation International (for adult registrants), and access to the TIKIM Post-Race Picnic.
Aside from food trucks and vendor booths, the post-run picnic will have entertainment, and other fun activities for the whole family.
TIKIM has partnered with Let’s Do This and The Filipino Food Movement to bring you a celebration of family, fitness, fun, and Filipino food flavors. Click here or go to www.mytfc.com/tikim2019 for more information and to register for the 2019 TIKIM Filipino Food Fun Run.
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Youth serving youth are recognized at the inaugural Epic Youth Leadership Awards
SAN FRANCISCO, May 14, 2019 --- Feed2Succeed, the organization started by three teen-age girls by fundraising through a yard sale on the corner of Third and Kenmore in Koreatown, Los Angeles to feed undernourished children in Busiing Elementary School in Ilocos Sur, Philippines, was named first place at the recent Epic Youth Leadership Awards (EYLA) held at the Google Campusin Sunnyvale, California.
The EYLA is the latest iteration to the Gawad Geny Lopez, Jr Bayaning Pilipino Awards (Filipino Heroes) founded by Eugenio Lopez, Jr., a pioneer of Philippine television and the late Chairman Emeritus of the largest media conglomerate in the Philippines – ABS-CBN Corporation.
When Lopez founded the Bayaning Pilipino Awards in 1994, it was to recognize modern-day Filipino heroes whose values, actions, and projects are geared towards service of the Filipino.
ABS-CBN Managing Director for North and Latin America Jun Del Rosarioaffirms that “our biennial search has generated scores of Filipino organizations who will truly touch your hearts with their stories and service to mankind.” In fact, Jose “JC” Chan, founder of Building Lives for a Better Future – a winner at the 2017 Gawad Geny Lopez Bayaning Pilipino Awards – was at the event. Del Rosario adds that Chan’s organization has “been helping feed, educate and empower students and senior citizens in poverty in the U.S. and Mexico, and also in the Philippines.”
In her welcome remarks, Global Head of Corporate Affairs and Public Relations Nerissa Fernandez says that “the mission of the Bayaning Pilipino remains the same but the context within which we must realize the mission is now radically different.” It had to address service and being Filipino for this generation and in this climate. “Our team set out to create a new Bayaning Pilipino award – the Epic Youth Leadership Award (EYLA), which seeks to recognize youth serving organizations in the US and Canada, whose drivers are indeed a Filipino heritage, but serving and collaborating with those who may or may not share the same color of their skin or roots or even history. It's being Filipino, for the Filipino and for the world. These are Filipino youth leaders who are making a difference in various areas of service.”
Second place EYLA winner is Kultivate Labs/UNDISCOVERED SF, a non-profit venture designed to jump-start economic activity and public awareness of SOMA Pilipinas – the Filipino cultural heritage district in San Francisco. They envision incubating a batch of innovative retail concepts, award-winning restaurants, and neighborhood serving businesses that are culturally relevant, financially resilient, and adaptable to the market needs of all San Franciscans.
Kultivate Labs/UNDISCOVERED SF Executive Director Desi Danganan believes that “as Filipinos, we're so adaptable that we can take the rules of economic development and turn it on its head so that we can actually develop wealth in immigrant communities.”
Kubo (hut), a content engine built for Pilipin@s and whose mission is to celebrate Pilipin@ culture, challenge the status quo, and amplify Pilipin@ voices in the digital sphere, placed third.
Kubo Co-Founder Mallory Valenzuela explains that “There are so many ways in which the Filipino experience is really being lived and Kubo unites us as Filipinos, but also highlights those different experiences.”
Two other organizations shared the stage with the EYLA winners and brought home finalist trophies. Empowering Pilipino Youth through Collaboration (EPYC) is the youth initiative developed by the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) that facilitates collaboration among Pilipino American student organizations across North America, for the purpose of networking and sharing of best practices for student organizing.
From Canada, Montreal-based Pinay Power II, is a student-led collective that organized the first Canadian academic and community conference – Pinay Power II: Celebrating Peminisms in the Diaspora – a gathering of self-identified Pinays (Filipinas), bringing together Filipina scholars, activists, artists, and community and cultural practitioners.
It was an incredible gathering of passionate and committed young people who are working concretely to uplift their communities. As UGAT Foundation Executive Director Fr. Nilo Tanalega noted, “This type of leadership highlighted here at the EYLA is called servant leadership and the service of these young people reflects their other-centered leadership for all.”
Fernandez also stressed the importance of how “these new Filipino revolutionaries of service need new grounds to tell their stories – one that is global in nature, a welcoming hub for diverse ideas, thoughts, and knowledge.” Engineering Program Manager at Google Regina Manzana-Sawhney and the team of Filipino Googlers Network (FGN) helped realize this vision of having the EYLA at the Google Campus.
Arille Jeriza Stutler, Solutions Consultant at Google and part of the FGNshares that “Our Filipino Googler community partners with organizations who share the same commitment to empower Filipinos globally with education as the catalyst for action and change. We are so honored to celebrate epic youth leaders in our campus today, those who are committed to building community through entrepreneurship, education, mentorship, civil rights and culture advocacy.”
Special guest artist singer/composer Kiana Valenciano performed her songs 5:30 and Get Together.
Stay tuned for the special episode of Adobo Nation where Feed2Succeed,UNDISCOVERED SF, Kubo, Empowering Pilipino Youth through Collaboration (EPYC), and Pinay Power II talk about their passion, commitment and service to their communities.
Kerwin Du (center, in blue suit), ABS-CBN’s new Country Manager of Canada, is shown with his team at the ABS-CBN Toronto office.
(Photo by Rosary Escano/ABS-CBN Canada)
ABS-CBN names Kerwin Du as new Country Manager for Canada
TORONTO, March 12, 2019 – ABS-CBN Global, the organization that oversees all international subsidiaries of ABS-CBN Corporation, the world’s largest Filipino media and entertainment company, has recently named Kerwin Du as the new Country Manager of Canada.
As Country Manager of Canada, Du is responsible for strategy execution, business operations, profitability, growth and expansion in the country. He reports directly to ABS-CBN Managing Director for North and Latin America Jun Del Rosario.
Du is a proven leader who began his career with ABS-CBN Global in 1997 as Director for Telecoms Marketing and introduced both the ABS-CBN and Bayantel joint product 123-700 Bayan Kollect sa America and the ABS-CBN Long Distance Direct product to the Filipino American market. He joined the ABS-CBN North America team in 1999 to assume product management of the company’s telco business, and later on its flagship channel TFC, Retail, and Theatricals. In 2012, Du was appointed Head of Product Operations of North America, and in 2017 was named North America Business Unit Head for Cargo and Retail concurrent to his existing role. He started the TFC Store on Amazon and is responsible for rapidly growing its online retail sales.
Prior to joining ABS-CBN, Du was Head of Marketing of Sprint Philippines. He also worked for Eastern Telecommunications, Inc., NCR Corporation Philippines, and Citibank Philippines (Asia Pacific Division).
Du graduated from De La Salle University in Manila with a degree in Computer Science. He lives with his wife, Pia, in Toronto, while their daughter, Angelica, is taking Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania.
PRESS RELEASE
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Your youth organization could win cash and a trip to the Philippines in the Epic Youth Leadership Awards
Deadline to submit nominations is February 15.
Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez urges the youth to share their selfless efforts in building and uplifting their communities by nominating youth-serving organizations to the Epic Youth Leadership Awards.
DALY CITY, Calif., February 12, 2019 – Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez invites young people involved in youth-serving organizations to nominate their groups to the Epic Youth Leadership Awards (EYLA) under the parent banner Gawad Geny Lopez, Jr. Bayaning Pilipino Awards. It is a new search by ABS-CBN Corporation, ABS-CBN International andUGAT Foundation, Inc. conducted in the U.S. and Canada that seeks to recognize youth-led and youth-serving organizations that empower and provide service to the youth whether in the U.S., Canada, or in the Philippines through any of these specific areas of service: (1) Entrepreneurship/ Innovation; (2) Environmentalism; (3) Mentorship/ Education/ Literacy; (4) Civil Rights/ Compassion/ Charity; and (5) Arts/ Culture/ Heritage Advocacy.
There are many groups doing a world of good for young people in the U.S. and in Canada. They could be your friends, your family, your co-workers, schoolmates, or neighbors. And they could be part of development or humanitarian organizations, school groups, faith-based, social justice, mentorship, or cultural societies, clubs or associations. They are ordinary people doing extraordinary work that are changing communities.
Share the stories of the groups you know of by representing the incredible work they do. Nominate them at www.mytfc.com/eyla.
Here are some pointers to help you craft your nomination:
What are the accomplishments of the organization?
How does the organization make a positive impact on the youth/community they serve?
Review the nomination form and be sure to fill in all required information
Click the “Submit” button at the end of the online form. You will receive a “Thank You” message once your nomination has been successfully sent.
Deadline for nominations to the Epic Youth Leadership Awards (EYLA) is on Friday, February 15, 2019. Be sure to send in your nominations now. For more information and to submit nominations, go to www.mytfc.com/eyla. Follow the search for more updates on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/GawadGenyLopez/ and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/epicyouthleaderawards.
PRESS RELEASE
Watch Balitang America’s story here
“An Afternoon of Love” kickstarts the year with selfless giving to sustain village economies in the Philippines
DALY CITY, Calif., January 15, 2019 --- ABS-CBN Foundation International hosted an afternoon of love in early January, bringing together like-minded individuals and groups who want to give back to the motherland.
Filipina environmentalist and philanthropist Gina Lopez, who won the Seacology award in 2017 for her exceptional achievement in preserving the environment and culture of her home country, presented iLOVE – Investments in Loving Organizations for Village Economies, a new initiative that aims to lift communities out of poverty through the creation of environmentally conscious businesses at the grassroots level.
Currently, eight organizations have been identified to transform marginalized communities into viable localized economic zones, such as successful resource-based agro-forestry, fisheries, or eco-tourism sites and the like. The Investments in Loving Organizations for Village Economies (iLOVE) Foundation and its partners will provide financial and technical support to the eight (8) organizations to utilize the Philippines’ biodiversity to improve the lives of local communities, with area development and inclusive growth at its core.
According to Lopez, “You can have so much money, but at the end of the day, if you’re not improving people’s lives, they’re the ones who are ravaging the environment and their lives must be improved if they must protect it.”
That is why the “loving organizations” are important. It is their role to make sure that people’s lives are improved. Lopez adds that “if you don’t have people on the ground to make sure everything runs well, then it’s not going to work. So, I’m also there to make sure that things are happening, and that people’s lives are improved.”
One of the partners that stepped up to the call is the Filipino-American team behind Pride 4 Philippines project. Host and entrepreneur Lanai Tabura, part of the leadership team of #pride4ph, is excited about working with Lopez saying that “She has this, what we say in Hawaii, this mana, this power. This energy. She’s amazing because she educated you and at the same time, she’s motivating you.”
Mama Earth Founder/Director Jaime Kailani adds that #pride4ph is “bringing together influencers and celebrities to bring more attention to what Gina’s already doing and helping bring more funding to the project.”
Event planner extraordinaire Anthony Schlander of Anthony Presents is all in. “We’re trying to do more meaningful things for the community and for our heritage, we’re both Filipino. I just got back from the Philippines and I saw first-hand the poverty and the beauty.” Schlander is confident that Lopez has already figured out the structure on how to make it work so “enough people can rally behind her and more places in the Philippines can be developed.”
At the end of the gathering, Lopez shares she is excited and ecstatic. “I’m very optimistic because the group was so good, and their hearts were there. If people really care, then magic happens. So, let the magic begin.”
For more information, U.S.-based inquiries, or to send help, please contact ABS-CBN Foundation International Managing Director Jerry Bennett at jerry_bennett@abs-cbn.com Direct questions about the iLove communities may be sent to Gina Lopez at hellogina@gworld.ph.
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