BY the time my first name “Rogelio” was being chanted musically at Philstagers’ PSF Blackbox Theatre in Manila on late evening of July 6, 2024, something good was happening on the other part of the globe: my new column P.E.P. (People, Events, Places) for Asian Journal was about to be published in print in the Asian Journal LA Weekend edition in California. That for me is a blessing.
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The No. 1 highest rated show on GMA is “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” and July 7’s episode rated a lately unheard of 18 points, the highest rating of any show in 2024.
Maria Jessica Aspiras Soho, born in San Fernando, La Union, has been the host of GMA Network’s Public Affairs news magazine program “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” since 2004. In 1998, she became the first Filipino to win the British Fleet Street Award for Journalism. In 1999, she and the I-Witness team received the Philippines’ first Peabody Award for producing the “Kidneys for Sale” and “Kamao” documentaries. Her story of a hostage crisis in Cagayan Valley made her the first Filipino to win in the New York Film Festival.
Soho attended the University of the Philippines Diliman to study Mass Communication. One of her professors was Luis Beltran who inspired her to finish her studies and practice journalism in Manila.
Meanwhile, the No. 1 highest rated show on GTV is Pinas Sarap, hosted by Kara David. It has been rating more than double its TV5 counterpart (which happens to be a drama).
Kara Patria Constantino David-Cancio, a TOYM and TOWNS awardee, is assistant professor at UP Diliman and the current chairperson of the Journalism Department at UP’s College of Mass Communication.
She is the founder and president of Project Malasakit, a foundation that helps the people she has featured in her documentaries. She has won a Peabody Award, the second Filipino to win this award.
She is the daughter of Professor Randy David of UP Diliman and Karina Constantino-David, former chairperson of the Civil Service Commission.
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The 2nd Philippines Finest Business Awards & Outstanding Achievers 2024 will be more exciting this year for it will give recognition to outstanding individuals and companies that have made a difference and impact to society.
One sector is the entertainment industry. Among those to be given awards are Sparkle GMA artists like Ken Chan, Julie Ann San Jose, Rita Daniella, Rayver Cruz, Anthony Rosaldo, Ruru Madrid, Miguel Tanfelix, Bianca Umali, Barbie Forteza, Ashley Sarmiento, Marco Masa, Allen Ansay, Sofia Pablo, Boobay, as well as Sparkle GMA Artist Center and UP College of Law lecturer Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes, president of GMA Worldwide, Inc. and GMA Network Films.
Likewsie, awardees will also be coming from the broadcast news and information sector: Annabelle Surara, Wej Cudiamat, Dennis Antennor Jr., Braggy Braganza, Earlo Bringas, Audrey Gorriceta, DJ Mama Colleen, Papa Marky, DJ Kuya Machete, Usec. Robert Rivera, Nerlyza Eliza Francisco Rivera, 97.9 Home Radio, Aliw Channel 23, DWIZ-AM, Media House Express, The Metropolista, Rise and Shine Pilipinas, Light TV, and Win Radio.
In music, awardees will be Lae Manego, Dylan Menor, Merjohn Lagaya, George Sison-Tagle, The Flippers (3rd Gen.), Carmela Betonio, The Voice Academy of the Philippines Inc., and RTU Himig Rizalia.
Others are in the field of business or entrepreneurship and professionalism: Salvacion Paparon, Bhinky Reyes, CPA Shirley Belangel, mga photographer Miller Daniolco, Jamin Lim at Bhon Jheo Exconde, Janice Israel Delima Tentler, Judge Tarcelo Sabarre Jr., Jeffrey Dy, and Sara Luningning Medina.
The PFBA is organized by La Visual Corporation and SIRBISU Channel. The awards night will be held at The Hexagon Events Place in Quezon City on September 8, 2024.
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Museo Orlina in Tagaytay City celebrated its 10th anniversary by opening the “Eskultura III: Crystal Clear” exhibit featuring some of the Philippines’ top glass sculptors like Marge Organo, Raisa Luz, Jinggoy Salcedo, Anna Orlina, Michael Orlina, and Presidential Medal of Merit Awardee Ramon Orlina.
It was highlighted by a house blessing presided by Fr. Tito Caluag, and both the museum and the new space being developed were blessed.
“Eskultura III: Crystal Clear” will run until August 18, 2024. For questions or requests for catalogs, you may contact +63917-107 -5958, landline (+6346) 413 2581, email: [email protected].
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Rolando Inocencio, a seasoned actor who appeared recently in “A Thousand Forests” musical film, was invited as one of the three judges (the other two were actor Mon Confiado and Eric dela Cruz) in the recent Philstagers’ PSF Theatre Festival for two Saturdays. (Writer Ymman Jake Biaco and PX Ilano were helping me in the updates there.)
Inocencio started as a workshopper in 1981 in the CCP Student Drama Workshop. Since then, he joined the Bulwagang Gantimpala, Teatro Pilipino, Repertory Philippines, PETA, and Tanghalang Pilipino.
He also appeared in dozens of Jose Javier Reyes films. “He runs a tight ship. No time is wasted,” said Rolando of Joey’s style of directing.
He was the artistic director when Dulaang Talyer performed during Festival Off d’Avignon in 2003 in Theatre du Balcon in Avignon, France.
It is a spontaneous space for creation that sprung up in 1966 in relation to the Festival d’Avignon. Referred to as the ‘festival In,’ the ‘festival Off Avignon’ is today in and of itself one of the biggest performing arts festivals in the world. The Festival Off means more than 1,500 shows during the 3-week duration of the festival in July that turns Avignon into one big festival, thanks to the thousands of artists and performers who take over the streets, and the more than one hundred theatres in the city. A unique structure, built on the independence of the theatres that take part in the festival off, the ‘Festival Off Avignon’ welcomes all the rich diversity of French and international artistic creation.
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Sparkle GMA Artist talents Alden Richards, Rayver Cruz (who once went to my house to shoot ABS-CBN’s “All of Me”), Julie Anne San Jose, Boobay, Ai-Ai de las Alas, and Isko Moreno (who said to me that he is unsure if he would join the political arena in next year’s elections) are all busy looking forward for the Sparkle Goes to USA performance in Anaheim, California on August 9. The following day, they will perform in South San Francisco High School Auditorium in San Francisco, California.
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Navarro Jr., son of the late comedian Rod Navarro Sr., met again the FAMAS ladies headed by its president Francia “Cheche” Conrado and members Christina Aliada and Teresita Tolentino Pambuan (a retired schoolteacher in Hayward, California who appeared in Romm Burlat’s Manang) during the first anniversary of a beauty wellness and spa in Binondo, Manila. They were all invited as VIP guests by top podcaster Cali Manzano.
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On July 21, a month before the August 21 death anniversary of Ninoy Aquino, a holiday in the Philippines, a group of August Twenty-One Movement (ATOM) will quietly walk, run, jog and bike along Ayala Avenue at 6:30 a.m. through its ROAR (run on against revision) campaign. Expected to attend are regular runners Kiko Aquino Dee (the Aquino family’s spokesperson), Emilio Aquino (son of former senator and actor Butz Aquino), historian Xiao Chua, Volt Bohol, and Jose Francisco Kawada of the Gerry Roxas Leadership Awardees Inc.
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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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