Archive for September 2007
Best-loved Thalia telenovelas
When Thalia arrived in the Philippines in August 1996, the media frenzy caused by the Mexican superstar’s visit was surpassed only by Pope John Paul II’s visit a year earlier in 1995.
The darling of the Filipino people invaded local television via her Mexican telenovelas that made Thalia a household name. RPN-9 made a killing when it made the move to dub foreign shows into Tagalized programs that sparked a revolution in the boob tube. The pioneer show Marimar paved the way for more foreign shows to be introduced in the Philippine market.
On the downside, Mexican telenovela craze also became a butt of jokes for others. Remember the badly dubbed episodes wherein the voices don’t exactly match the character’s lines? Or how about the spoof of TV characters such as Sergio Santibañez with his chest hair peeking out from his shirt?
Despite these shortcomings, Filipinos fell in love with the oppressed characters played by the sensual Thalia in her telenovelas. But did you know that the sexy actress was actually a tomboy while growing up? Thalia, whose real name is Adriana Thalia Sodi Miranda, preferred playing sports with boys and being outdoors. She became more feminine when she enrolled in a school to be trained in classical ballet. (more…)
13 comments September 27, 2007
EDITORIAL – Health for the wealthy
Filipinos can live with the high prices of food supplements with no approved therapeutic benefits, which are popular among health buffs. People can also live with the high prices of drugs for non-life threatening afflictions, such as Viagra and Cialis. But why do Filipinos have to contend with the high prices of drugs for chronic illnesses and even ordinary infections?
The House of Representatives committee on trade and industry, which is deliberating on a bill that will bring down the prices of medicine, reported that drug prices in this country are 22 times higher than those in India and five times higher than those in Pakistan. A 500 mg tablet of the popular painkiller Ponstan, for example, is retailed at P21.82 in the Philippines but only at P2.61 in India. An 80 mg tablet of the common antibiotic Bactrim costs only 69 centavos in India but P15.55 in the Philippines.
People can survive without ordinary painkillers. But what about a diabetic whose life could be shortened without maintenance drugs? A tablet of Diamicron, a drug for diabetics, is priced at P4.71 in India and P11.46 in the Philippines, the House panel learned. (more…)
Add a comment September 17, 2007
Angel quickly eclipsed by KC
LAST Thursday, “Marimar” registered a very high rating of 39 plus percent, its highest so far. The feedback on the show is so positive that management decided to make it run for 26 weeks. Usually, a series runs for only 13 weeks (one season) and it gets extended if it’s a toprater, like “Impostora” that will have its explosive climax this week, that ran for 16 weeks. In the case of a super hit show like “Marimar”, it’s now going to run for two seasons. Angel Locsin’s lost is really Marian Rivera’s gain.As for Angel, someone observes that her transfer to ABS-CBN was quickly eclipsed by the appearance of a more ravishing celebrity in whom the public has long been interested in, KC Concepcion, introduced recently in “TV Patrol” as “ang bagong prinsesa ng Kapamilya network”.
“The public’s interest now is in KC,” some folks say. “Last Sunday, Angel was the guest in both ‘ASAP’ and ‘The Buzz’, but sadly, hindi siya nakatulong para mapag-rate ang shows na ito against its rivals sa GMA-7.”
KC has declared that if ever she’d do a movie, she’d like to be paired with Piolo Pascual, who’s now also being paired with Angel in a new teleserye. Honestly, though, we think KC should be paired with someone who’s in her age range, like Billy Crawford. But the problem is that Billy is a Kapuso while KC is a Kapamilya.
We ask GMA exec Wilma Galvante at the launching of their new stars what she thinks will happen to Angel? “Alam mo, sa totoo lang, wala na siya sa consciousness ko,” she says. “I am just happy that all our shows now from GMA Telebabad up to the Sunday shows, puro matataas ng rating, like ‘Showbiz Central’ na one month nang tinatalo ‘yung katapat nila. Even the Sunday primetime shows like ‘Kap’s Amazing Stories’, ‘Tok Tok Tok’, ‘Mel & Joey’, ‘All Star K’ and ‘Fulhaus’, puro mas matataas ang rating. For that, I’d really like to thank our viewers at sana patuloy silang manood sa amin.”
MARIO BAUTISTA
Journal Online
2 comments September 17, 2007
Erap: Plunder – Guilty; Perjury Case – Not Guilty!
The Sandiganbayan special division has found former President guilty beyond reasonable doubt for plunder and not guilty in his perjury case.
Reclusion perpetua for Joseph Estrada; Jinggoy Estrada, Not Guilty. The Sandiganbayan also ruled the forfeiture of former President Joseph Estrada’s bank accounts and real estate property in Quezon City in favor of the Philippine government.
In the verdict, the antigraft court said the following will be forfeited from Estrada: P442.701 million worth of bank accounts including interest, P189 million worth of Jose Velarde accounts including interest and the so-called Boracay mansion in New Manila, Quezon City.
The former president is ordered to move back to Tanay until further order of the Sandiganbayan.
ricojr
Add a comment September 17, 2007
TVRatings (Sept. 10–13): Marimar hits 39.3 percent; surpasses pilot rating
Just like any race dealing with statistics, GMA-7’s Marimar is showing frequent highs and some moderate lows. But like any competent warrior engaged in a tough competition, any setback means sufficient reason to regain ground.
And what a way to bounce back.
A day after tying its pilot episode rating, the tandem of Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera in Marimar showed sufficient grit as it registered a whopping 39.3 percent showing last September 13, Thursday. The impressive number came a day after Marimar matched its debut rating of 38.3 percent. (more…)
Add a comment September 15, 2007
Transformers (The Pinoy Version)
This was emailed to me today… katuwaan lang…
1. Regine Velasquez
Before: Down-to-earth songbird.
After: Alien-like diva.
2. Bernard Palanca
Before: Lanky member of “The Hunks”
After: A pregnant chunk of lard
3. Kim Delos Santos
Before: The cute-as-marshmallows love interest of Dino Guevarra
After: The Marshmallow Woman / battered wife of Dino Guevarra (more…)
Add a comment September 15, 2007
Dubai tower now world’s tallest free-standing structure
DUBAI — The world’s tallest building, still under construction in the booming Gulf emirate of Dubai, has become the world’s tallest free-standing structure, its developers said on Thursday.The Burj Dubai tower is now 555 meters (1,831.5 feet) tall and has surpassed the 553-metre- (1,824.9-feet) CN Tower in Toronto, Canada, which held the record for the world’s tallest free-standing structure since 1976, developers Emaar Properties said in a statement.
The skyscraper, being built by South Korea’s Samsung and set for completion at the end of next year, is one of several mega projects taking shape in Dubai, which is part of the United Arab Emirates.
The statement did not reveal the tower’s final projected height or its final number of storeys, which Emaar has kept secret since launching the project in January 2004. (more…)
Add a comment September 15, 2007
Hero Angeles will be seen in two GMA-7 shows
Hero Angeles faced the cameras once again when he taped episodes for two GMA-7 shows: Maynila and the game show Tok! Tok! Tok! Isang Milyon, Pasok. The Star Circle Quest (SCQ) alumnus relates his experience of working with Kapuso stars who are also products of reality shows like him.“Ka-partner ko po sa Maynila sina LJ Reyes and Jackie Rice. It’s a light story about college love. Ako yung boyfriend ni LJ sa story and may love triangle kami ni Jackie. I play Mike while LJ plays Carla. Jackie portrays the role of Joan in the story,” narrates Hero.
“Nangangapa ako noong una. Medyo naninibago kasi first time ko uli humawak ng script sa GMA-7. Okay naman yung staff ng Maynila. Accommodating sila and friendly. Nag-shoot kami sa Parks and Wildlife sa Quezon Avenue. (more…)
Add a comment September 15, 2007
Joey de Leon’s promise to Chairman Laguardia: “No more trash talk.”
The much-anticipated meeting between Joey de Leon and Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) Chair Consoliza Laguardia finally took place yesterday, September 3, at the latter’s office.According to Abante Tonite columnist Abu Tilamzik, the closed-door meeting lasted for more than an hour.Joey reportedly assured Chairman Laguardia that he would refrain from giving snide comments about Willie and Wowowee. Despite initially saying that he is not yet ready to bury the hatchet, Joey’s decision to finally adhere for a ceasefire was probably triggered after Willie gave a public apology last Saturday, September 1, at his program.
“Kung may natitira pa siyang [Joey] respeto sa akin, sana tuparin na niya ang pangako niya sa akin,” said Chairman Laguardia when asked for a comment after the meeting.
The Eat Bulaga! host likewise asked Willie and his supporters to stop from hurling invectives meant to tarnish his reputation. (more…)
Add a comment September 4, 2007
