2012 04/25-05/01

MANILA MAIL COMMUNITY

This column is predicting a Jessica vs Phillip finale in American Idol Season 11.

It's now official - Derek Ramsay, signs as the newest TV5 Kapatid, 2nd right, as witnessed by (L-R) his Manager, Jojie Dingcong, TV5 President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa and TV5 Creative Entertainment Production Head, Perci Intalan.

Rick Silva, 'American Idol' Producer, left, with Ms. Ami Almerol of Los Angeles, CA

The Producers (L-R Noli & Badette Tagoc, Jayson Arguelles & Susan Funtanilla YoungBlood) of "Three's Company" concert held last Sunday at the Nob Hill Masonic Auditorium SF, shown here with the Concert Queen, Pops Fernandez , 2nd left. Congratulations!

Joey Camins, right, celebrated his recent birthday with family & friends in Fremont, CA, shown here with the Concert King, Martin Nievera during the latter's "Three's Company" concert at the Nob Hill Masonic Auditorium SF. Belated Happy Birthday, Joey!

Henry M. Gunn High School's Maria Victoria Recinto attended her prom last Saturday at the San Francisco City Hall with Sacramento's Justin Smaby, a Coke & Bench model.

Happy Birthday, April Bernardo, right, of Dublin, CA, shown here with husband Dennis & children Darryl & Ally!

Ryan Irvin Manansala, 27, is currently at the El Camino Hospital..27 years Old for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He needs a Bone Marrow Donor. To help, call Ms. Domi Custodio @ (408) 205-1082

Miss Guen Paquio turned 18 recently and she was feted by parents Eric & Wheng Paguio with a lavish private party at the Quinlan Community Center in Cupertino, CA last Friday night. Belated Happy Birthday, Guen!

JESSICA VS PHILLIP

(It will be down to the Judges’ Favorite versus Tweenworld’s Darling for the American Idol Crown)

TO-BE SEEN IN THE CITY

American Idol resident musical coach/consultant, Jimmy Lovine predicted a Phillip versus Colton finale a week or two ago. Boy, he was sooo wrong as the Christian-preaching Colton Dixon was eliminated last week after singing Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance dressed unconventionally in an emo-inspired outfit (the two-tone hairstyle didn’t help, either). The whole AI world got their 2^nd biggest surprise, after Filipina Mexican-American Jessica Sanchez, 16, got eliminated (and fortunately got saved by the judges’ one-time only power) two weeks ago.

A record-breaking season vote tally of 53 million poured last week mostly from Filipinos, Mexicans, and the hyphenated population, trying to save Jessica from a 2^nd and last elimination. And we all (yes, I voted non-stop for two hours, also!) succeeded as our strongest bet, vocally, to-date in this year’s AI, was declared safe last week.

Jessica is obviously the judges’ and even the production staff’s favorite this season as her performances were mostly highlighted by elaborate sets, not accorded to the other candidates. She sang with two-toned doors during her Beyonce ‘Sweet Dreams’ number at one point in the competition. Last week when she sang ‘Fallin’ by Alicia Keys, she had numerous red umbrellas falling from the sky as dramatic enhancement to her performance. The judges got tired of praising her every week that they stopped giving her standing ovations. Plus the fact that they are openly campaigning for a girl winner after successive male winners in David Cook, Kris Allen, Lee Dewyze & Scotty McCreery (Seasons 7, 8, 9, 10 winners, respectively).

On the other corner is the teen vote-friendly just by looks alone, Phillip “Phil” Phillips who is not only musically competent, sings cooly like Dave Matthews, doing all the right things and picking the right songs for his very original and unique vocal stylings, etc. He even cries at the right moment – when his BFFs Heejun Han & Colton Dixon got voted out (subtle, switch your votes to me campaign).

This stage of the competition – I am predicting a Jessica Sanchez versus Phillip Phillips showdown!

Is it the finale yet?

SEEN IN THE CITY

Presenting the newest TV5 Kapatid – Derek Ramsay!

Philippine Television’s fastest-growing network adds yet another star to its growing roster of A-list celebrities as it welcomes one of showbiz’s most bankable leading men, Derek Ramsay. The actor-host-athlete recently signed with the Kapatid Network in the presence of TV5 President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa, Creative and Entertainment Production Head Perci Intalan and Derek’s manager Jojie Dingcong. “There’s so much more I’d like to do and I know that here in TV5, there are more opportunities for me to grow as a person and as an artist,” says Derek.

Derek is already proven as a dramatic lead both at the box-office and on primetime television. And now, as his first project as a Kapatid, TV5 announced that Derek will be hosting the Pinoy version of the multi-awarded reality show, “The Amazing Race Philippines.” Recognizing also that Derek is passionate about sports, he will be the Network’s ambassador to the 2012 Olympics to be held in London which is being covered by AKTV on IBC Channel 13, the official free TV broadcaster of the 2012 London Olympics.

“We are very happy that Derek has decided to accept our offer. TV5 has big plans for Derek as we gear up our programming for the balance of the year. He is perfect as host of The Amazing Race Philippines because we all know how action-packed that reality show is,” according to Atty. Espinosa. The Amazing Race has won the prestigious Emmy Award for Best Reality Show eight times in the nine years since the American Academy of Arts and Sciences created the Outstanding Reality-Competition Program award in 2003.

With AKTV on IBC-13, TV5’s sports channel, as the official free TV broadcaster of the 2012 London Olympics, Derek will be the face of the network’s comprehensive coverage of the much awaited international sports event that draws thousands of athletes from all over the globe.

“It is good to be part of a Network that really understands who I am and what I can do, and I’m excited and looking forward to working with TV5,” adds Derek.

Catch Derek Ramsay as Pilipinas Global Network Limited (PGN) officially launches its 2 international channels, Kapatid TV5 and Aksyon TV International in the US this spring. For more details, visit www.kapatidtv.com.

Briefs & Shorts

The Philippine Consulate General of San Francisco, CA will be closed on the following holidays:

May 01, 2012 (Tuesday) - PH Labor Day

May 28, 2012 (Monday) - US Memorial Day

Regular consular service hours will resume on the next working day following each holiday.

For emergency cases requiring assistance from the Consulate during the holidays, please contact the Help Desk at telephone no. (415) 269-2090.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"All will be reduced to ashes in three to four minutes," and will involve "form of fire." - by

North Korea leadership threatening to "soon" reduce parts of South Korea's capital to "ashes" for insulting North Korea's leadership. Last Monday, ABCNews.com reported online that regular programming was interrupted on North Korea's state TV by a special report declaring that "special actions" will be carried out "soon" and aimed at parts of the South Korean capital Seoul. Furthermore, it said the military attack will use "unprecedented peculiar means and methods of our own style."

This article also appears online at www.FilAmnation.com and http://sites.google.com/site/adkinsmmcevents/Home/ with readership in 158 countries now (& still counting!) according to the latest Google Analytics report.

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

Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/bradford_adkins)