Lucky are those living in the communities within Quezon City's 5th district as they benefited from Congsi Alfred Vargas' livelihood programs these past few years. Through their efforts in several job fairs where community members have had access to employment, funding for those who would want to start businesses, also training and skills development.
Congsi Vargas has been able to work on these projects through the help of government agencies like DOLE and TESDA which so far has benefited over a thousand residents to get jobs, help 2500 individuals start their own small businesses which includes meat processing, bath soap production, even perfume and dishwashing soap.
He says "Our efforts began when we started to listen to our constituents needs. The need to have positive change is there, and we hope to have livelihood programs that would be able to directly benefit them and their families. We also have developed an effective mentorship system so that they would be able to support their needs in a more stable way. We don't want to just give them capital and not help them with managing the business. Thanks to PM Vargas for helping us out with that. We see how it brings joy in their eyes, and how it provides relief, hoping that their lives will improve as we continue these programs which we are so proud of!"
His knack for public service as a congressman in 2013-2022 and as city councilor to this date has certainly given him the gusto and experience to implement laws such as RA.11230, also called as Tulong Trabaho Act which got signed in 2019. Make sure to help if you can, by any means, and help Sir Alfred continue his successful ways here.
I'm sure you're a little afraid this summer because from several naysayers of climate change, you won't complain til you get to feel it. The winters become colder, and the summers become so hot that you wouldn't be able to go outdoors and enjoy the sun, and you could even fry an egg on top of cars, can't stay indoors because it feels like a sauna, oh boy!
Don't fret because BEKO, Europe's number 1 appliance manufacturer is going to make sure your homes would stay cool during these unbearable months. They know you need your sleep, and they've got the BEKO BPVOE Inverter Split-Type Air Conditioner line to make sure you've got the perfect air conditioning unit for your space. They've got BPVOE 909/091 1 Horsepower, BPVOE 120/121 1.5 Horsepower. BPVPE 180/181 2 Horsepower and BPVOE 240/241 2.5 Horsepower models which you can use for your bedrooms, living room, homes, to get that cold air you need when you need it. They have Super Mode to make air cold fast, Smart Mode to regulate temperature and fan sped, and filters to keep you off those harmful allergens like dust and offensive odors. Thanks to their Actifour Filter, it takes the guesswork out of the equation. If you are worried about power consumption, they have Eco Mode and 24 hour timer to regulate needed settings all throughout the day.
As with any air conditioning units, you should always make sure maintenance is done so you don't have to have headaches later on, ensuring it's on a regular basis because who wouldn't want a clean unit. If you want to have one, just get them off online shops like Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shops because you have find them there.
If it's about stars getting workshops, there's no other reliable organization to do that in the Philippines and in some parts of the world than Star Magic Workshops. This year, there's going to be a huge change because they've gone the mile, made it even BIGGER... and now call it STAR MAGIC SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE & PERFORMING ARTS. This means they'll be catering to folks, kids to adults and hone them in multiple disciplines, including acting, singing, dance and more.
What I've learned from the press conference is that they've managed to already do good in the workshops, but wanted to improve and grow. This is why they made sure to get different subject matter experts so that they wouldn't be boxed up in just the ABSCBN grounds. They wanted folks who are excellent in their fields and have them instruct in the workshops too including master classes, character building, music production, and train more directors for live events too.
The launch was graced by Star Magic and Production Head Direk Lauren Dyogi, Business Unit Head Raymund Dizon, acting coaches HB Benitez III, Alecx Lorica and Marcel David, theater coach Meann Espinosa, ABSCBN Show Director Jon Moll, Kirby Balagtas, Dale Recina, Troi Bautista who are producers from You Me Us MNL, plus veteran Voice Coach Julie Anne Reyes. They also had coaches of BGYO and BINI Anna Graham, Jerwin Nicomedes, plus dance coaches Mickey Perz, Reden Blanquera, Matthew Almodovar, Aennon Tabungar and Josh Junio. They also had the very talented Talia Concio, BGYO perform on stage so we could have a taste of what could happen if we have undergone their workshops. It was a sight for sore eyes!
If you want to be part of this, they have onsite enrollment on March 29 and 30, April 5 and 6. Just fill up the form at this website forms.abs-cbn.com/starmagicscpa and follow the directions. You may also follow their social channels at facebook.com/starmagicscpa or @starmagicscpa on IG. Come prove your talent is world class by joining one or more of their classes. Information about the courses are also there. I'm so interested in the Music Production and the Directors course.
Saying Khalil Ramos is on a roll is an understatement this first quarter of 2025. For starters, he was given the Puregold Cinepanalo Film festival's BEST ACTOR award for the film Olsen's Day, a film directed by JP Habac (who also won as the Best Director). I've had the the impression of him being an "actor's actor", someone who's been able to do it successfully.
His stellar filmography, unquestionable knack for doing acting pieces, have taken the nod of film critics. The chance to talk to him today was certainly, an opportunity to pick his brain a little. He was capable, even impressed us by the way he answered questions. It felt he was on his toes the whole time, very eloquent, albeit being a semi-introvert.
Winning this award doesn't mean he's going to be picky, he's always about the script, about the craft, and when asked, he didn't even expect this at all. He says "I don't think about it being a competition at all, even though it is a festival. This was something very personal for the Director JP Habac, and it's a big thing to be trusted with this kind of material. I felt my duties as an actor became bigger because of it. You want to tell this story the way he wanted it to. The process had to be more open when we made Olsen's Day. I was already happy that Direk JP was happy about my performance, but during the awards night, a few of us were only there. We were there to celebrate with everyone. Then I won, and even Direk JP Habac won too, so we were just ecstatic. This goes to show that when you pour your heart into the story, a lot of people would connect and relate to it."
Rest certainly is a luxury for both Khalil and Gabbi. Khalil was working on three platforms at the same time. Aside from Olsen's Day, he was doing a Neflix series called "How to Cheat Death" with Gabbi, and "One Hit Wonder" with Sue Ramirez on the same platform. He's also in the 9 Works Theatrical production of "Liwanag Sa Dilim" as Elesi, a very interesting character trying to find his roots. He felt it was 2023 all over again because yes, he did a lot tooo during those times in different mediums.
He feels energized as an artist that he could do all these roles, working with different people, saying he loves what he's doing, tired but definitely fulfilled in artistry and passion. Here's our interview with him this afternoon:
If he feels he resonates with the character and the script, he would do it no matter how big or small the production is. If he likes the story, that gets precedence over other things. His schedule is super packed for sure that he had to decline a few opportunities, that's the only time he needs to decide. He was doing three characters in one week (in January), which was crazy but did it by studying characters individually saying "At a certain point, you have to be as real as possible in your pursuit with the film. Sometimes your body doesn't know you're already doing it. You're commanding it, and your body just follows. If it's tired, then you've got to pull other tricks in the bag to finish it. I need to find another technique to be more effective. Your co actors especially in Liwanag Sa Dilim will influence your performance, and they've all been a breeze to work with."
Khalil is still in "Liwanag Sa Dilim" at the RCBC theater til April 13th, and watch out for "How to Cheat Death" on Netfilx this April 2. "One Hit Wonder" will premiere around May. Khalil is just starting, I bet he's bound for more accolades with Olsen's Day as they plan to also put it in streaming platforms soon.
