2009 03/04-03/10

MANILA MAIL COMMUNITY

ROYAL SUPPORT. 'Angel at the Archipelago' got full support from Club Royale International, a Bay Area based non profit organization from its President, Gil Navarro (rightmost) all the way to its members, sisters Jett Viray-navarro (3rd right) & Claire Viray (2nd right; she is Angel Ventura's official wardrobe and make-up consultant). They all also vowed support to Angel's next show at the Intramuros on March 6th, which seeks to relive the glamour and mystical excitement of the Masquerade Ball.

He Changed Their Lives. Filipinos filled the Fox Theater, all the way to the balcony section, last Sunday and watched the premiere showing of John Llyod Cruz's 'You Changed My Life'. Their schedules rearranged, their Sundays were normally reserved for doing the laundry, paying the bills, going to church and other errands.

SFO Loves John Llyod. Heartthrob, John Llyod Cruz (center) with Director Cathy Garcia-Molina, rightmost, flew in from Manila and braved the Bay Area rains to personally grace the premiere showing of his new movie with today's hottest Superstar, Sarah Geronimo, 'You Changed My Life' at the Fox Theater in Redwood City last Sunday. He will be seen performing next at the Silver Legacy Resort in Reno on Saturday, April 18th, 2009 together with the other ultimate hearttrobs, Piolo Pascual and Sam Milby.

Umbrella..ella..ella..ella.. Filipinos changed the Redwood City landscape as their umbrellas filled the raining horizon last Sunday during the wait to the 'You Changed My Life' premiere showing at the Fox Theater starring John Llyod Cruz (who graced the event) and Sarah Geronimo. Both the 2pm and 8pm screenings were sold out so quickly, according to reports.

IRS Gives Expanded Tax Breaks for 2009 First Time Homebuyers

The Internal Revenue Service announced last Wednesday, via IR-2009-14, that taxpayers who qualify for the first-time homebuyer credit and purchase a home this year before Dec. 1 have a special option available for claiming the tax credit either on their 2008 tax returns due April 15 or on their 2009 tax returns next year.

Qualifying taxpayers who buy a home this year before Dec. 1 can get up to $8,000, or $4,000 for married filing separately.

“For first-time homebuyers this year, this special feature can put money in their pockets right now rather than waiting another year to claim the tax credit," said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. “This important change gives qualifying homebuyers cash they do not have to pay back.”

The IRS has posted a revised version of Form 5405, First-Time Homebuyer Credit, on www.IRS.gov. The revised form incorporates provisions from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The instructions to the revised Form 5405 provide additional information on who can and cannot claim the credit, income limitations and repayment of the credit.

This year, qualifying taxpayers who buy a home before Dec. 1, 2009, can claim the credit on either their 2008 or 2009 tax returns. They do not have to repay the credit, provided the home remains their main home for 36 months after the purchase date. They can claim 10 percent of the purchase price up to $8,000, or $4,000 for married individuals filing separately.

The amount of the credit begins to phase out for taxpayers whose adjusted gross income is more than $75,000, or $150,000 for joint filers. For purposes of the credit, you are considered to be a first-time homebuyer if you, and your spouse if you are married, did not own any other main home during the three-year period ending on the date of purchase. The IRS also alerted taxpayers that the new law does not affect people who purchased a home after April 8, 2008, and on or before Dec. 31, 2008. For these taxpayers who are claiming the credit on their 2008 tax returns, the maximum credit remains 10 percent of the purchase price, up to $7,500, or $3,750 for married individuals filing separately. In addition, the credit for these 2008 purchases must be repaid in 15 equal installments over 15 years, beginning with the 2010 tax year.

SEEN IN THE CITY

San Francisco loves John Lloyd Cruz

Rain poured heavily the whole day last Sunday but there was no shortage of shrieking fans and supporters as hundreds filled the Fox Theater in Redwood City to full capacity to watch the US premiere showing of the Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz latest love story, ‘You Changed My Life’ (YCML). Although Sarah Geronimo can’t make it to the premiere due to her ASAP09 and other schedules, John Lloyd Cruz made it to the event and was met with the warmest hugs and biggest kisses by the audience.

The move began where the first one (A Very Special Love) finished...when both Sarah’s and John Lloyd’s characters began dating amidst their respective busy schedules, more especially John Lloyd’s as he began to fiercely prove his half-brother wrong, as he began to climb their own family corporate ladder. The movie served its purpose of existence, that is to make everyone in the audience laugh at Sarah’s every kikay antic and swoon at John Lloyd’s every close-up shot.

Technically, the organizers and the theaters upped the ante by showing a visually high quality movie (as compared with their previous screenings in which the images looked aged and they only used a portion of the huge screen). The sound was also a lot better this time.

Although, personally, I like the first movie better for its richness in content and style, I still can highly recommend YCML for its rich entertainment value. To sum it all up, one obviously satisfied grandmother seated behind me said ‘Haaaaaay Sarah…marami ka na namang pinasaya…’.

Kudos to the organizers (congrats, Miss Nerissa Fernandez and staff!) for handling the huge crowd so flawlessly, especially considering the rains.

TO-BE-SEEN IN THE CITY

Masquerade Ball at the Intramuros this Friday

In the mood to wear a mask? Or just wanna ballroom dance the night away to the tunes of yesteryears? Join Angel Georecha Ventura, with her sensational and amazing renditions of classical and modern selections of songs to make you sway and make the dancefloor shaking,together with The Young Once Band with their repertoire of retro 60/70s tune that will make you young again and the best of Georecha Band, at the Intramuros, Music Hall on Friday, March 6th, 2009 at 7pm.

Your $50 paid ticket will include:

· Door admission

· Plate Dinner

· FREE Masquerade mask at the door!

(although, you can bring your own fantastic one)

· Ballroom music provided by 2 bands for 4 hours!

Call Intramuros, Music Hall now at (650) 877-7736! Or call (510) 224-0363

(510) 316-2849 / (510) 304-1601

Antioch’s John Paul Castillo stars in ‘Alibis’

Freedom High School presents ‘ALIBIS’ starring John Paul Castillo (see accompanying photo) as Sir Tanley A. Fraude. Showtimes are on Thursday, March 5 at 7 pm, Friday, March 6 at 7 pm, and Saturday, March 7 at 2 and 7pm. The Play will be held at the Freedom High School Multipurpose Room located at 1050 Neroly Rd, Oakley, CA 94561.

‘Alibis’ is a spoof of a traditional murder mystery. Set in the 1940s, a dinner party at the home of Primavera Donna quickly turns into an evening of murder and intrigue that will keep you guessing. Featuring a bumbling detective, a ditzy socialite, a playboy, a sarcastic chemist, a royal snob, a French maid, and a very annoying butler Alibis is a comedy that is sure to entertain. John Paul’s mom, Shey Castillo surely is very proud.

PERSONAL NOTES

The Air Force has a Wedding Planner. Congratulations to Ms. Judy Villar-Cayabyab of the US Air Force for organizing and (very coolly) executing a very successful wedding for her friends, Melina and Daniel Thomas. The couple exchanged vows at the Truth Tabernacle inMarysville, CA last Saturday at around 4:00pm with no less than the Father of The Groom, John Mark Thomas officiating the ceremony. In the evening, the reception followed at the Travis Air Force Base. Congratulations and Best Wishes to the new Mr. & Mrs. Thomas! Special congratulations, Judy for a job well done! With you, I witnessed ‘extreme grace under pressure, personified’.

This column appears online also at www.FilipinoVillage.com andwww.FilAmNation.com.

Do you have any personal or community events you want announced? Just email them to bradford_adkins@yahoo.com