2012 02/01-02/07

MANILA MAIL COMMUNITY

American Idol Runner-Up David Archuleta is flanked by soon-to-shown "Nandito Ako" co-stars Jasmine Curtis-Smith & Eula Caballero during a promo tour at TV5's "Will Time Big Time" last Saturday, January 21st.

Today's hottest young actor, Enchong Dee, soared higher at the 100th Year of Coke Fashion Show (together with Bench) held at the Trinoma Activity Center, QC last Saturday night.

Elk Grove, CA's Justin Smaby's very first gig (a paid one!) in Manila is at the Coke & Bench Fashion Show in Trinoma last Saturday, with Enchong Dee, Kathryn Bernardo, Julia Montes, Joseph Marco, Rocco Nacino, Enzo Pineda, David Chua, Elite Manila's Mark McMahon, among others.

TV5's Will Time Big Time's Willie Revillame (with this Columnist) celebrated with hundreds of family, friends and co-workers at his Wil's Event Center in Quezon City. He had previously announced in his show and other appearances that TV5 is bringing his whole cast & crew in the US for a grand launch/show in May 2012.

TV5's Pinoy Explorer Aga Muhlach (with this Columnist) arrived to celebrate with birthday boy, Willie Revillame the Wil's Event Center in Quezon City. Chances are, Aga Muhlach might be part of the TV5 group of performers when Willie brings the 'Will Time Big Time' whole cast & crew in the US for a grand launch/show in May 2012.

Belated happy birthday greetings (January 25) to TV5's hit celebrity talk show "Juicy" host, Shalala aka Carmelito Reyes (center) shown here celebrating in QC with friends Noel Ferrer, left and Jeffrey Remigio.

Celebrating the Chinese New Year (Water Dragon) at the "Saigon Noodle House" at the Seasons MarketPlace Sea Food Center in Milpitas, CA with Mayor Joe Esteves are Andy & Domi Custodio, Kevin & Mai Tran (owener of Saigon Noodle House), Florence V. Pena, Dorothy V. Alcantara and Rhuddee G. Vitug.

The entire cast of ABS-CBN's "Mundo Man Ay Magunaw" (starts airing Monday, January 30th) led by Eula Valdez, center, Empress Schuck, left, & Nikki Gil during the teleserye's press conference at the Dolphy Theater in QC last Wednesday night, January 18th.

Julia Montes of ABS-CBN's "Walang Hanggan" & Joseph Marco (of "Sabel" ) perform at the Coke/Bench Fashion Show (with the giant photo of Kathryn Bernardo of "Mara Clara" in the background).

Belated Happy Birthday greetings to writers Joe Barrameda, Mario Bautista & Ian Farinas who jointly celebrated with other media friends at the poolside of Imperial Palace Suites in QC last Wednesday, January 18, 2012.

Elite Manila model, Mark McMahon, right, shown here at the San Juan Elementary School Gym rehearsal, was the finale male model during the Coke/Bench Fashion Show last Saturday night at Trinoma, QC.

ABS-CBN OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON NEW NOONTIME SHOW “IT’S SHOWTIME”

DAVID ARCHULETA AMAZES

(American Idol has been filming quietly in Manila at the same time as ‘Bourne Legacy’)

TO-BE SEEN IN THE CITY

The Philippines seems to be the center of the world last couple of weeks as “Teenage Dream” and “Firework” hit singer Katy Perry smooches Pinoy Big Brother Teen Ivan Dorschner at the Mall of Asia concert stage & actor Edward Norton arrives in Manila, in addition to the growing already present in Manila Hollywood cast of “Bourne Legacy” (filming here for almost a month now). There was Cebu Sinulog, Iloilo Dinagyang, Chinese New Year & looming Baguio’s Panagbenga Flower Festival, among other events, happening one week after the other. Not to mention the huge bomb (attributed to a terrorist attack) that exploded right beside the Grand SoHo condo building this Columnist was staying at along H. V. De La Costa Building in Salcedo Village, Makati City during the Chinese New Year celebrations. And of course, the highly publicized Corona impeachment trial going on.

Meanwhile, American Idol David Archuleta amazes the music-loving audiences during promotional tours at the SM Fairview & TV5 Novaliches. This, after TV5 hosted a grand press conference the American Idol Season 7 runner-up David Archuleta, anointing him as their newest ‘kapatid’ immediately upon his arrival in Manila Friday morning via PR 113.

According to an eyewitness account of fellow Philippine Airlines passenger, Mr. Meil De Los Reyes of Reno, NV (who transited in Los Angeles with Archuleta), the singer was a constant crowd drawer all the way from the airport in the US up to his arrival in Terminal 2 of NAIA where a huge throng of supporters welcomed him together with the media and teleserye co-stars Jasmine Curtis Smith and Eula Caballero.

Archuleta is staying at the EDSA Shangri-La where a number of his loyal Filipino fans and followers are staking out trying to get a glimpse of their idol.

Archuleta, just like the rest of the teen world today tweets (yes, as in Twitter) and blogs (including video blogs) non-stop, chronicling his nothing but pleasant experiences in the Philippines all the way from Day Zero. "I'll be arriving this week to start a new adventure in acting. I'm nervous, but also really excited to try this new experience. I'll be doing a mini-series for TV5 and will be filming in the Philippines for the next few weeks. Hope everyone has had a good start to their year and I'll talk to you guys when I arrive in Manila,” he said on one of his vblogs.

At a private conversation during Willie Revillame’s recent birthday party at the Wil’s Event Center in QC, I heard a group of well-wishers (from the power table of TV5 President and CEO lawyer Ray C. Espinosa, Executive Vice President and COO Roberto V. Barreiro, Ito Ramirez, Perci Intalan, Jeffrey Remigio, among others), raving about David Archuleta’s version of the hit tagalong song and theme song of his teleserye, “Nandito Ako”. David Archuleta is apparently, amazing.

I’m dying in anticipation to hear Archie’s version of that song. Can’t wait to watch the show, too!

SEEN IN THE CITY

COKE’s 100 is Justin Smaby’s 1st

Fil-Am Justin Smaby’s recent modeling appearance at the Coke (100^th-Year Anniversary) & Bench Fashion Show at the Trinoma Activity Center in QC is a huge triumph for the 16-year old from Elk Grove, CA. First of all, it’s his first major gig, first paid one, and it’s in the Philippines, away from his comfort zone. He auditioned, accompanied by his mother Joyce, also of Elk Grove, CA, prodded by his freelance agent, Jonas Antonio Gaffud of Mercator Model Management in Makati City. Justin was adamant to audition, for he was below the minimum age requirement of 18 and he doesn’t feel like he has that “Bench body” yet. He left the go-see, learning a couple of days later that the selection was made the very same day he auditioned, which he missed (due to miscommunication). About 5 days before he goes back for the states, he got a text message notifying him that he got the Coke/Bench gig, the rehearsal and show dates. The succeeding rehearsals revealed to Justin just how major the show is, as celebrities (Enchong Dee, Kathryn Bernardo, Julia Montes, Joseph Marco, David Chua, Rocco Nacino, Enzo Pineda, Steven Silva, Mark McMahon, among others) previously unannounced, began showing up for their parts as well. And the show itself was a huge revelation as harnesses were set up & flash mob dancers rehearsed with the celebrities and other models under the direction of no less than Robby Carmona and his creative team. Audiences composed of Bench Owner, Ben Chan, Coke President Guillermo Aponte, among others.

Justin’s mind is set – he is going back soon to the Philippines to pursue further his bigger dreams. And the Coke/Bench show was just his beginning.

Briefs & Shorts

WILLIE IN MAY

The most popular TV Host in the Philippines today, Willie Revillame, will bring to the United States, his entire “Will Time Big Time” cast when TV5 launches in the United States in the month of May this year, according to his aired previous announcements.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“To all who those who doubt me, I thank you because you only push me to do better.” – by freelance Elite Manila & Mercator Model Management model Justin Smaby, 16, of Elk Grove, CA, according to his recent FaceBook status post upon arrival in the States, fresh from his Coke/Bench Fashion Show.

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