Cinema

I have been going to the movies so frequently ever since I came to the Philippines! Movie going is very popular amongst Filipinos as a ticket cost P45 only! Furhtermore, there has been an increasing production of foreign film especially American films each year and this has resulted in an increase in the increasing popularity of American files among moviegoers in the Philippines. American films with themes related to romance, action-adventure and science fiction are hot favourites in the Philippines!

Tagalog cinema is also big in Philippines with the industry almost rivals that of Bombay or Bollywood. Most cinemas can be found in large shopping centers like Harrison Plaza, Araneta Center and Makati Commercial Center. Movie schedules can be found in the daily papers so remember to check the time of the movie before heading down!

Famous Celebrities

Coming to the Philippines has got me going crazy over the Filipino celebrities! Here me introduce a few to you whom I am really like!

1) Angel Locsin Angelica Colmenares
One of the most popular Pinay celebrities today, Angel Locsin was born on April 23, 1985 and is a television and film actress, commercial model, film producer and fashion designer in the Philippines.
Angelica rose to fame after starring as one of the lead stars in the fantasy-themed television series Mulawin in 2004. She also starred as the superheroine Darna in the TV adaptation of the popular Mars Ravelo comics hit, a very popular comic among Filipinos! She currently stars with Piolo Pascual In the Teleserye LOBO.

2) Sarah Geronimo
Currently one of the highest-paid Filipino celebrity at present, Sarah started her career when she was 14! Sarah bested 10 other finalists in the nationwide search for Star For a Night (Philippine Edition) aired over IBC Channel 13 with Asia's Songbird Regine Velasquez (who brought us the popular love ballad together with Jacky Cheung 'In Love With You')as host. In September 2003, Sarah released her debut album entitled "Popstar: A Dream Come True", which was awarded 7x platinum, selling more than 350,000 copies. She also staged a highly successful first solo concert at the Music Museum in the same year. The album produced popular hit singles including "Forever's Not Enough" as well as "Sa Iyo". Aside from singing, Geronimo also acted in supporting roles for films Filipinas, Captain Barbell, and Annie B.


3) Richard Gutierrez
My favourite male actor! Richard Gutierrez is the son of former Philippine cinema matinee idol Eddie Gutierrez and former actress turned talent manager Annabelle Rama. His entire family is in the show business in Philippines and he has acted alongside his his brother Elvis on Sugo, Lupin, Kamandag and Asero. His other half-brother Ramon Christopher starred with him in Sugo and was also one of the most popular teen stars of the 1980s.
Richard began acting as a child with his twin brother Raymong Gutierrez and has worked in many movies with his famous father and his brothers. With his good looks and guidance from his family, it is no wonder he is gaining fast popularity among the ladies!

Newspapers and Tabloids

As I was looking through the various newspapers and tabloids available for the day, I realized how most of the headlines were about gossip, scandals and celebrities! Speaking to the Filipino uncle mending the stall, I found out that newspapers and tabloids are Filipinos' source to the scandalous lives of celebrities and socialites. With the increasing number of newspapers and tabloids being published in Philippines, it is no wonder that there is a constant rush for the most sensational stories! I am sure that reporters do not check the validity of the story before publishing it so as to stir up a controversy regarding the report!

Some newspapers commonly sold in the Philippines include 'Philippine Daily Inquirer', 'Philippine Star', 'Cebu Daily News' and 'Manila Bulletin'.

Pinoy Acts in Singapore

More and more Filipino celebrities are coming to Singapore to showcase their talent and perform for the local crowd there! Even though most Singaporeans may not understand Tagalog, but they appreciate good music and Filipino CD albums have been flying off the shelves in Singapore music stores. The increasing demand has led to chains of music stores stocking up an estimated 15 to 20 per cent more Filipino CDs in the last five years.

Even though Sunday evenings are not a popular time slot for clubbing in Singapore, up to 1,000 partygoers can be spotted at The Areana Live at Clark Quay to catch Filipino bands such as Bamboo and Kamikazee perform. It is not only the expatrides who are grooving to their music, but Singaporeans as well! The increasing popularity of Filipino acts was sparked by the changing demographics of their respective expatride communities - an increase in the number of white collar Filipino workers.

Filipino bands are making its presence on TV in Singapore, with Channel V shown on Starhub Cable TV featuring 200 per cent more Filipino bands as compared to 10 years ago. The station has flown in Filipino acts such as band Rivermaya and singer Joyce Suraya Alberto to perform for their events as well!

Some Filipino singers to take note are:
Aiza Seguerra
Laid-back, jazz lite in the vein of Norah Jones and Corrine May. Went gold after selling 9,000 copies of her CD in Singapore. The actress has a role in the upcoming puppet musical Avenue Q.
Lani Misalucha (my favourite!)
A pop singer who is at ease with rock, jazz and classical songs. She was recently voted Best Singer in the 27th Annual Best of Las Vegas poll by the Las vegas Review-Journal.

Upcoming Shows to Catch in Singapore:
Aiza Seguerra
Where: DBS Arts Centre
When: October 26 2008
Admission: $28 and $38 available at Sembawang Music Centre stores and several shops in Lucky Plaza
Parokya Ni Edgar
Who: Entertaining and popular comedic alternative band with seven studio albums released in the last 15 years.
Where: The Arena in Clark Quay
When: October 26 2008
Admission: $50

Now I know where to head to or what activities to do on Sunday evenings when I get back to Singapore!

Philippines TV

Coming to the Philippines has started to make me into a big fan of Philippine drama. Philippine drama, or teleserye, is a form of melodramatic serialized fiction produced and aired in the Philippines. It comes from two words "tele" which means television and "serye" which means series in Tagalog. Teleserye is the generic term for most Filipino soap on television as the term officially came into existence in 2000 when TV network ABS CBN aired its first official form of teleserye called Pangako sa 'Yo.

Teleseryes usually reflect social realism of Filipinos and are aired on prime times, five days a week, with replays during weekends. In this way, Filipinos can catch up on episodes which they missed on weekdays! Teleseryes attract a broad range of audience and commands the highest advertising rates. They usually last for about three months to a year depending on its rating before it comes to a climatic close.

Teleseryes are produced by two main Philippine TV networks ABS-CBN and GMA Network. Some other Teleseryes produced by these two TV networks include 'Kahit Isang Saglit' and 'Sana'y Wala Nang Wakas'. I have to admit I've become addicted to watching teleseryes that I choose watching them over heading out with friends! Other Philippine TV Networks which I enjoy watching include 'Radio Philippines Network' (RPN) and Dream Satellite TV as well!