GAB VALENCIANO Continues to Shine in US

Gab Valenciano surely didn't mind being a person from a very talented clan. It's been years and now, he's not just a son to Dad Gary but a very spirited Dancer/Choreographer who made headlines with his moves in viral video "Super Selfie". No less than Beyonce took notice and got the moves done in her 7/11 video a couple years back. 

Imagine, doing a thing in Florida, then having it be done by one of the greatest artists in the world, where it racked up 6000 million views. This just makes his efforts of finishing recording arts and engineering doubly special right? The move even got him nominated at MTG Video Music Awards for Best Choreography. Unbelievable to be credited in that together with greats Chris Grant and B herself!

Locally, he even did work for several soap operas on home station ABSCBN plus a few awards in the bag for Best Inspirational Song, Best Secular Song, Best Musical Score for several tracks he did on ABSCBN shows and indie film Alagwa which starred Jericho Rosales. He also did several music videos for his Dad, Yassi Pressman, Kai Buizon, and lovely sister Kiana. 

He's talented and a very accomplished motorcycle champ, he also did a few commercials, radio jingles, and recently, the TFC 30 Happy Hour during independence day celebrations in Texas. The man is now residing in the USA and still performs, does a lot of projects to feed his passion. 

Good job Gab! 

POPS FERNANDEZ Celebrates 40 Years with "ALWAYS LOVED" Concert

The Concert Queen Pops Fernandez is going to have her 40th Anniversary concert called "Always Loved" at the Theatre at Solaire in Paranaque City. This will happen on February 9 and 10, so if you miss her, this is the time to celebrate with her!

Pops says "I actually did not expect myself to be in the business this long. I usually say 10 years is okay, but here we are, I lasted this long. There are so many things that happened to me, my life and career. I didn't enjoy it all til I got separated. It was easy for me to perform with Martin because he was there, now I realized I had to perform on my own. Although I do concerts solo, he helped me, but when I did the Captains Bar gig, I was more nervous there than when I was in bigger venues. I think that's when I told myself I could do it. I was more passionate, I thought of all the numbers, I thank him because I had to go through that professionally."

She adds "I want something light, I haven't done a movie for a long time. I did a few musical comedies that I did very comfortably. Maybe we can do something along that lines. Maybe we can do light movies first. When I was younger, I was a little impatient and looked for it, but now I think it will just come, someone out there is meant for me. I'm happy, it's just going to be a bonus. I hope it is someone I can just grow old with, to travel and see the world. Maybe when I look back, I remember Rizal Stadium. I also want to thank Fritz Infante, it's a little difficult to tell who the next concert queen is because it's really a different level of performers now. It's also performing without a script, the big entertainment value. They have to be known with their own title. I want family and friends to be there. I have lots of barkadas who I feel really love me. I have to thank my Mom for her genes, she really looks young, and she always tell me how to take care of my skin. I think I owe it to myself to feel good, I figured if I was going through something, I would still be conscious of taking care of myself. What you see now is a more fulfilled life, I still have more dreams and yes I want more, I have goals which I hope to still get at a certain age. I want to perform, be part of showbiz, I would still travel with family and explore more."

For the concert she will do a new fast song, something current, you'll also see her perform "Get it Poppin!", a song that may get appreciated by the new generation. So again, for those who would want to watch her concert, get tickets from the Ticketworld website or Solaire. See why she's still revered as the Concert Queen this 2024!

KIANA V To Perform at the SXSW Music Festival

I've loved KIANA V's music for its international flair, flavor, a sound that can unmistakably be even better than those who are in top charts in the US or elsewhere in the globe. 

In a couple of days, she's set to perform at the SXSW (South By Southwest) Music Festival at Austin, Texas. The event running from March 14 to 20 will be featuring 240 artists and will be an in person event, much of which has been missed in two years. Kiana V has recently released a single entitled "Heartbeat On Me" together with a music video directed by Gab Valenciano (who's gotten several awards for his previous work, and consequently her brother). The track is soothing as they utilized synthesizers with light beats, you'll love her even more. Kiana says "It's about falling in love with someone, as if you're scared to see if the other party would reciprocate the feeling, and hope it is mutual." This is also part of the EP Dazed which has been lauded by Spin, NME, Hypebae, Office Magazine, Paper Magazine among others.

Kiana V has gotten awards from Awit Awards, MYX, Wish FM, McMillan Woods Global Awards and featured in Spotify's NYC Times Square billboard last year. She will also be appearing in a MYX original series called "The Crossover" which will be shown on different platforms. Make sure you're subscribed to her YouTube and social channels. Meanwhile, treat yourself with this video.

 

Congratulations Kiana V!

GARY VALENCIANO Set to Perform in "riSing Together" and "Celebrate Christmas In Singapore"

The holidays are certainly here and together with that, Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano is set to perform in two international events this month. One is Gawad Kalinga USA's riSing Together, a virtual celebration of hope through world class music of Filipino artists. He will be there with the maestro Ryan Cayabyab, the Ryan Cayabyab Singers, Kiana Valenciano, AJ Rafael so they could share their voices to inspire, spread happiness through music. The other one called CCIS is an annual Christmas outreach program that aims to bring the message of peace and joy this holiday season. They used to do this 8-10 days in Orchard Road but because of restrictions, they'll be doing it differently without shortchanging in having talents like carol singers, performers spreading the message of joy, peace and love for Jesus. It's much awaited in Singapore. Last year, they have done this in social channels and had featured The Crosby Family, GENTRI among a throng of other international artists.

Gary knows CCIS shares his vision of spreading the message of hope through a global audience, they had 2.5 Million views last year and there's no way to go but up! Gary also is the first Philippine brand ambassador for US based religious app Pray.com which garnered over 1.5 Million downloads in the Philippines. Gary says "I'm very honored and excited to be part of these international events that promote unity, love and compassion, especially when you know its needed. We have so many challenges to face today but with prayer, we can still thank God for it. I pray that he continues to shower us his blessings every day."

Gary also has had miracles in his health when he had undergone a double cardiac bypass, then discovered he had kidney cancer, a knee surgery, while still battling Type 1 diabetes and other challenges. But he continues to gain victory over it, God has worked wonders for him, and for that, he is thankful!

riSing Together will be on December 11 at 4PM PST, 6PM Central and 7PM EST, that's 8AM on December 12 in the Philippines. You may register via gk-usa.org/rising-together. You may also donate via the same site to support Gawad Kaling's different projects. CCIS will have their program streamed on YouTube this coming December 19 at 8PM so make sure you're there when it happens! If you want to know more, follow Gary V's different social channels and their website garyV.com. You can also follow him on the KUMU app where he shares his music and performs too. You can also download the Pray.com app (on Google Play and App Store) and stream his music on various platforms, just search for the track "Make Us Whole Again" and feel why we're so blessed to see him perform to this day.

VICE GANDA's Vax Ganda A Dose of Laughter Concert in the US a Success!

Two whole days of fun and laughter happened at Pechanga Resort in Temecula California in the US as the unkabogable Vice Ganda held a concert entitled "VAX GANDA: A Dose of Laughter". As a matter of fact, it got sold out quite fast that even when we were writing about it a few months ago, only the second day had available seats. We couldn't blame Kapamilyas in the US because as you know, Vice Ganda is just the dose of laughter they needed after restrictions eased in their side of the world.

 Fans eagerly awaited the different designs and costumes she wore. Aside from that, they also got to listen to Vice really play around with the pandemic concept with songs, dance numbers, their guests Angeline Quinto and Vice's usual cohorts in skits MC and Lassie. Everyone was ecstatic and had so much fun during the concert and the meet and greet that happened later on in the day. I think we're going to see a repeat of this in other places in the world so stay tuned!

 This trip also marked the anniversary of Vice and Ion who's currently on their third year to forever. Make sure you also catch Vice Ganda's vlogs on YouTube because both Vice and Ion have uploaded their shopping and tour activities for everyone to see. It's also trending on YouTube too.

Vice Ganda proved once again that the Filipino is world class. With performances like these being brought to the US and elsewhere in the world, I'm sure it'll be appreciated even more in the coming years more so as businesses slowly open once again.

/*Photos on this article are not mine, all rights belong to Team Vice Ganda PH on Twitter.

Why "It's Showtime!'s Reina ng Tahanan" Works!

My family and I are have religiously watched It's Showtime's top rating segment Reina ng Tahanan. It's a part of the show that has been innovated and co-developed by the one and only unkabogable star Vice Ganda. Initially, it was the innate curiosity about the lives of other people that lead us to actually love the part of the program, but lately, things have changed. 

Instead of us just eavesdropping about their lives, it became an opportunity to learn from it. Vice took so much time to talk to contestants, mothers from different families, and made that particular segment a gold mine for invaluable lessons. All of which, are from ordinary extraordinary people. Vice makes all make sense, make it relatable because Vice knows, we all have shared feelings. It's so smart to actually think about that... then they go the extra mile and involve family, friends, loved ones, and hear the stories from them, ask questions they don't usually talk about at home and see with a silver lining (yes Catriona) how they could resolve things, or if not, learn from it and make their lives better after their stint in the contest. I've seen a lot of people cry because of the show, and in some odd way, I'm not surprised because that's probably why the show was conceptualized.

Vice also makes it a point to tackle social issues. In recent episodes, Vice mentioned his utter amazement about corrupt politicians and how their sons/daughters would be briefed if they know their forefathers were convicted and proven to have stolen money from people. Aside from that (a little over two days ago), Vice also talked about how some people have the gall to post bible verses and quotes on social media but support a thief. That's just amazing seeing how Vice is using her platform, all for the greater good. It's why we're all hooked, and why the show absolutely works!

For that, THANK YOU Vice! I can't wait to hear and see more on the show!

(Oh by the way, Vice is headed to the US on October for her concert called VAX GANDA: A Dose of Laughter. That'll be on Pechanga, Temecula on October 15 and 16, and in Mohegan Sun in Connecticut come October 24. For tickets visit Pechanga.com or StarMediaEntertainment.com and get one, I hear they're almost sold out!).

Vice Ganda's "adVICE of the Day" Stays Buzzworthy

Last night's episode of "Everybody Sing!" had me thinking. The contestants were pretty much struggling to answer one particular song in the Jackpot round and have listened to it several times, and their time was running out. All the other songs were guessed correctly instead of one which is "POP Goes the Weasel" which is an old nursery rhyme/song published in London. Everybody at home knew it (thanks to my Dad who always played the old stuff!), and hearing the stories of the factory workers who lost their livelihood during the pandemic was heartbreaking, Vice Ganda must have felt what I felt, the urgency to help these people. During the last few seconds, Vice dropped a super obvious clue, and of course... they won the Jackpot prize!

This means 25 Factory Workers won a whopping Php 500,000. If you split that among them, they'll get 20,000 pesos each which in this day and age would help a lot especially those who lost their jobs. I heard some of them even struggle to put food on the table, this won't just give them relief, but give them a second shot at making a living. What Vice said after was actually even MORE moving. Here's the clip!

Kalahating milyong piso ang paghahatian ng 25 factory workers na nanalo sa Kapamilya game show na "Everybody, Sing."

Todo pasasalamat sila sa host na si Vice Ganda, na gumawa ng paraan para makuha nila ang jackpot prize na P500,000. pic.twitter.com/pVxmnwG1U4

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) August 31, 2021

This moved me, the rest of the people watching the show. I saw a lot of the Factory Workers go off camera and ball, cried, let it all out because they knew how these all are going to be a huge blessing for them. Vice says "Of course nandiyan pa rin ang harutan at kulitan sa 'It's Showtime' at 'Everybody Sing' pero kailangan din natin magbigay ng inspirasyon at positive good vibes sa mga manonood. Madami ang nag-guide sa akin at nagbigay sa akin ng inspiration so I'm just paying it forward now that I have a platform to reach a lot of people."

Aside from that, his team came out with adVICE of the day. In the show, she also mentioned something about the upcoming 2022 elections which is very on point. It's been talked about and liked A LOT on social media.

 

The Unkabogable Vice Ganda by the way will continue her brand of entertainment in California USA. She's having a two night concert called VAX GANDA: A Dose of Laughter in Pechanga Resort C@sino on October 15 and 16. You can get information about it and tickets on Pechanga.com or StarmediaEntertainment.com. If you are in the US and in nearby states, take the trip and see her LIVE!

If you've been stressed at work, or stuck at home and can now follow health protocols to go to venues, might as well see why Vice continue to be loved by many.

VICE GANDA is 2021 Reader’s Digest as Most Trusted Entertainment and Variety Presenter

 

Readers Digest has been doing this for 23 years. They've approached ordinary consumers like you and me and ask what particular products and services matter via research companies in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world.  

Recently, they just recognized the unkabogable Vice Ganda as Reader’s Digest as Most Trusted Entertainment and Variety Presenter for the year 2021. This is her third award for the same category which she's gotten in three straight years. That's a feat in itself and Vice says "I am really thankful that you have recognized me doing my job, I feel it's my duty to make people happy. Trust is something that I hold a lot value for. It is earned, and is something that I treasure. It feels good to be able to let others experience goodness, and it should be shared."

Vice won this with thousands of Filipinos that participated in Readers Digest commissioned survey. With it, Vice is happy that she's still going to continue spreading happiness with her shows including several segments in "It's Showtime!", the repeat of her Gandemic: The VGtal Concert this coming August 13, and her upcoming concert in the US in October called VAX GANDA: A Dose of Laughter (details soon) under Star Media Entertainment. She's also happily celebrating her 3rd Anniversary with the love of her life Ion Perez on the same month.

She's continued to be blessed because she never hesitates to share what she has for others. I think that's a trait on why she's won in the first place.

Time for LOVE in Guam this 2017!

Do you still need more reasons why you should go? Well here's 10 more!

It's a US Territory. There's 170,000 people out there and 30% are actually Pinoys.

Shop at Guam, it's only 3.5 hours away! Better than spending the same amount of time in EDSA.

It's a shoppers paradise, tons of brands, your girlfriend would want to do this eveb in one day! Like Amazing Race! Legit, none of those fake ones! Tax free!

Beauty and Beach, tons of shoreline, tons of water sports, expansive marine life!

History and Culture, they're also a melting pot and the nearby islands are real!

Golf. It's a mecca for the sport and you can do this as long as there is sun light! Pretty cool!

It's a MICE destination, do business trips like clockwork. It's easy and they have all the facilities.

Two worlds, World War 1 and World War 2 happened here so you'll see memorabilia plus real sunken ships in one place.

Run. There's an event every week, you can't escape it!

Shop Guam App. Yes they put it in one place with special deals just for you.

2017 is the year of love. Romance, dates, proposals? How about getting married? Well it's all here! #LoveGuam

Just go to Visitguam.com or check out their boot at the PTAA event this weekend in SMX Convention Center. They'll have performers ready. They have 3 airlines servicing the island, sometimes on sale. Last year they have been concentrating on getting you to experience things like the locals but this year it's about LOVE, love for shopping, love for play, love for diving, love for the beach and it's the ideal destination for the family. 

(Photo by Cristelle Torres)

You can apply for a GUAM only visa or US Visa today and get treats while you're there. It's time to fall in love again with GUAM!

KUMAGCOW

Fresh Blogs Fast!

One Fine Wine Pairing Evening with Beringer

I was a little hesitant going to this occasion because first, it was very far from where I live and second I was actually afraid of getting drunk. With all those worries, I knew better, so I went to Makati to check out Beringer Wines. Honestly, I've heard of them but never had been able to actually get to taste a bottle or two. Their reserve is located at Napa Valley, Sonoma County and Paso Robles. Fueled with passion spanning 140 years to make wines that want to rival that of other wine producing countries of Europe, they built their empire around it and now have a variety of products in their cellars. During this event, they even paired it with some of the Philippines' best dishes. They also did it with the usual steak, and even dessert!

This is the classic Zinfandel which is one of their rich, full bodied reds. It's perfect to have for those more intense savory meats. It has notes of vanilla, and pretty intense spices.

What else to pair it with but with some really good Longganiza from Lucban, Vigan and Alaminos. The intense garlic, the savory burnt bits on the Philippine sausages was a good match with this strong red.

This Beringer Pinot Noir on the other hand had some fruity notes. Probably been mixed with raspberries or something like it, with the usual spices of course.

PLDT SMART SME Nation Hold The Bozz Awards

We had the chance to cover PLDT - SMART SME Nation's The Bozz Awards a few nights ago in the spectacular pool at the Palace. I was wondering what it was for and I only learned about it when they started calling nominees. Basically, it's an awards show for the SME's who have enthusiastically embraced social media, selling online, and creating above and beyond influence in their respective channels, then provide superior customer service. I think it's but a good thing to do that because these entrepreneurs not only give themselves a good name, but the country as well.

Aside from spectacular Smart business packages including laptops and stuff, they're also going to win a one of a kind Kenneth Cobunpue designed trophy to go with that. They also won trips to Silicon Valley just by being one of the finalists which was announced later on in the show.

My idol in anything videography related is Mr. Jason Magbanua (who I think is also my compadre) and he won the category or Social Media. Another winner was Kim of the popular Kimstore. So just imagine the level of nominees in this event right?

To cap it off, they also surprised us with the presence of my rock god Ely Buendia who sang some of his Eraserhead hits and his own compositions. I loved this night, thanks PLDT and SMART for having me! :) Visit https://www.facebook.com/SMENation for more details about the event!

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Visit the Guam Booth at the 22nd PTAA Expo Today!

It felt like home, a bit more festive when we got the chance to experience Guam last night at the Ascott Hotel during the Online Media Night. I havent't been there but I'm so much considering it as a destination of choice in the next few months. Guam is a US territory, you would need a Visa for it but I heard they've got relaxed terms for it now. It's an island paradise so you get the chance to enjoy the best of the tropics, but it's got rich culture, natural wonders, luxurious resorts, shopping, sports and spas. They've also got people at the PTAA Travel and Tour Expo in SMX Convention Center to showcase untapped wonders that Pinoys might not have seen yet! Guam is a destination and if you would like to see this island up close, please visit them now at the 22nd PTAA convention and find the best deals on how to go there!

They'll be in the PTAA fair this weekend so if you would like to check out things to do and special rates from travel agencies, they are only going to be exclusively offering them in this event. If I were you, I'd go through the lines just to see them perform. You've seen it on the video, you've got to see it live!

Visit https://www.guamvisitorsbureau.com for more details! Hafa Adai!

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GVB Set To Showcase Guam at the 2014 PTAA Travel Tour Expo

Just a few hours away from the Philippines is GUAM - they're also set to reveal great packages this coming February 14 - 16, 2014 at the PTTA Travel and Tour Expo at the Mall of Asia SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. 

If you haven't seen the island yet, this is a great time to get in touch with the representatives from GUAM Visitors Bureau and get a taste of what its like to be in their pristine beaches, rich culture and flavorful cuisine; all of which you can do on a whim even on weekends. 

This place is also a shopping haven for tourists since they enjoy tax free privileges. There's even more discounts from November to January where the SHOP GUAM FESTIVAL happens each year. It's the biggest one in the Western Pacific and thousands of shopaholics use this as an excuse to stay longer in Guam, I couldn't blame them though :)

On April 13, they will hold the Guam International Marathon then the annual Ko Ko Road Race in October. You can also stay there for the Guam Music Festival which happens in June. These are just the recommended dates but you can always go there all the time so you can see for yourself what Guam + its Chamorro people are all about. 

Make sure you check out the official Guam Visitors Bureau booth at the PTTA Travel and Tour Expo (booth 386-389) at the 3rd Hall of the SMX Convention Center at the dates mentioned above. There will be special shows performed by Guam's very own Cultural Chamorro Dancers to give you a glimpse of what it feels like to visit GUAM!

See you there! :)

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The LEE Style Army DIY Denim Workshop

I didn't know how to make a pair of jeans til I got to this awesome event last week with LEE the jeans company. They held a DIY denim workshop for online media and celebrities at the fab URBN Bar at Fort Bonifacio.

I'm not a pro at this but the people from LEE basically didn't hold you back in interpreting your own style in creating a one of a kind, original pair of jeans. The dry treatments of making crevice like things on the fabric plus cuts and slashes from real deal tools from the manufacturer would tell you OH so this is how they made it.

Honestly at first I felt so bad because they were damaging the already good pieces from LEE but when I saw the other things that the designers made, oh so that's what they wanted us to do. Maybe they want to just have you spark your creativity and that's exactly what I tried to do afterwards.

The brand wants you to STAY CURIOUS. I really appreciated that part because they don't want us to just wear plain jeans... they want us to make our own masterpieces no matter how little skill we had in making these jeans. From dry treatments of sandpapers, cutting, slashing, combing, they all had that well taken cared of. 

Then on the wet stage they asked us to suit up and use different kinds of paint. I had fun with that and got busy with whites and neon too. Then we got busy smashing those buttons and studs in. That part was a wee bit difficult together with the machine we had to line up for to get the actual LEE label sewn in. We had some help with that admittedly but we had to choose which ones we had to use.

Then in the end, we had really great masterpieces and some not so good amateur ones but really, LEE got their point across. No matter how much time we have painstakingly spent in making our new jeans, we only think of one thing... we made it on our own.. we used our curiosity to make good things happen... and this one's for keeps!

Thank you so much to LEE for spending time with us and feeding our imagination... for feeding our curiosity. Now we can go and make sure our next pair of jeans are going to be original, unique and pretty much a basic item turned special. That's how we all feel I guess, it doesn't need to be expensive. We just need to have the right tools and the right people to connect and teach us how to do it. I've got a pretty good feeling we'll also get to see some of these shown in the Philippine Fashion Week, which I'll tell you in a bit. For the mean time, please do check their official Facebook page and website for more information about their latest collection.

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