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For the past 17 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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This website includes selected articles from this week's edition of the Filipino Express. Not all the stories published in the printed version appear on this site.
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MANILA --- She’s home at last and the reception couldn’t be warmer - nor more frenzied.
“American Idol” third placer Jasmine Trias, who became an overnight sensation in the Philippines as she did in the US with her “Idol” feat, is in Manila to visit the birthplace of her parents for the first time.
Wearing denim jeans, a white blouse and blue and white jacket, Trias was accompanied by her father, Rodolfo Trias Jr. They were met by executives from telecommunications giant SMART and by officials of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) led by retired Gen. Angel Atutubo, assistant general manager for security and emergency services.
Trias and her father were surrounded by members of the Airport Police Department and private security personnel of the organizers. The two were safely led into the van of SMART Communications parked just outside the airport terminal but not after almost being crushed by a mob of reporters and fans who repeatedly asked questions and took photos and videos of Jasmine.
From the airport, Jasmine graced a press conference organized by SMART, whose international direct dialing services Jasmine is endorsing via a TV ad that celebrates the warmth and love that telephone calls foster among overseas Filipino workers (OFWs)and their families back home.
The 17-year-old Trias, a descendant of the illustrious Caviteño revolutionary Gen. Mariano Trias, attracted a horde of photographers as soon as she strode onstage and sat down at the press conference held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Makati City.
Beaming and showing nary a trace of fatigue, Trias revealed that she had not known what to expect when she came to the Philippines. Hence, she said she was overwhelmed by the “whole paparazzi experience” at the airport.
“It was crazy,” she related with a smile. “Everyone was trying to say ‘hi’ to me!”
Trias revealed that the one Filipino trait that has served her well on her road to success has been “being proud of who you are, your ethnicity, your culture.” As a Filipino growing up in Hawaii which she described as “a big melting pot of ethnicity,” Trias recalled interacting with a lot of Filipinos and thus learning a lot about her culture. “I’m proud to be Filipino,” she added, “and proud to be representing Filipinos.”
Although she said that she really does not think about her “American Idol” show anymore (“I have moved on”), Trias acknowledged that her stint on the show helped her gain confidence, become more sociable, and overcome her natural shyness.
Asked what situations make the admittedly shy Trias nervous, the singer, who will turn 18 on Nov. 3, replied, “Being in front of a lot of people I don’t know - like right now!”
Trias also graciously declined to answer a query about her private life. “(My) special someone?” she said. “I don’t know... I don’t know ... Next question!”
When asked how good a contestant one must be to make it in Idol, Trias responded that it was not so much as talent but possessing “the X-factor, how you carry yourself -- the whole package-- that matters.”
Though she admitted that she understood Filipino “very well” but was still “rusty when speaking” the language, Trias welcomed the idea of recording an all-OPM album. She revealed that among the Pilipino songs she knows are “Mula Sa Puso,” “Ako ay Pilipino,” “Mr. DJ,” “Pangako Sa ‘Yo” and “Maalala Mo Kaya.”
Sharing that she hoped to go international with her singing career, the high school graduate added that she envisioned a career flying to New York, Los Angeles, the Philippines or elsewhere for work while being based in Hawaii.
Part of Trias’ 10-day visit to the Philippines, during which she expressed hope that she could see the country’s beautiful beaches, is her Oct. 16 invitational concert organized by SMART at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City entitled “Jasmine Trias: Fil-American Idol Live in Manila.”
Jay-R, Erik Santos and Christian Bautista will also perform in the show. (MNS)
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MANILA --- Rio Diaz-Cojuangco, 45, died yesterday at the Seaton Hospital in California after suffering from cancer of the colon for six years. Rio is survived by husband Rep. Charlie Cojuangco of the 4th District of Negros Occidental, and their two children, Claudia, 9 and Jaime, 7 and Ali, a son with Hajji Alejandro. Rio was herself into politics before she got sick. She was vice mayor of Pontevedra.
One of Rio’s last requests we were told, was for people to refrain from giving flowers in her wake and instead donate bibles to be distributed to those who don’t have bibles. Rio was a devoted born-again Christian before she was diagnosed with cancer in December 1998. Rio went to the US to be treated and was pronounced ‘healed’ in April 1999. In July of the same year, she even went back to the country and told people of the miracle that happened to her. But in 2001, cancer was said to have spread to Rio’s blood cells so she went back to the States to be treated again.
Incidentally, the Rio Diaz story will be shown on “Maalaala Mo Kaya” on ABS-CBN on Thursday Oct. 7. Eula Valdez will play the role of Rio Diaz, who by the way is a sister of former Miss Universe turned actress Gloria Diaz.
Rio was a beauty queen, a Mutya ng Pilipinas-Asia title-holder, and model before she joined showbiz. When she and Hajji became a couple, they left for Los Angeles, California where they operated a small restaurant along Melrose Ave. When things went sour between them, Rio came back to the Philippines and joined showbiz once more. She co-hosted Eat Bulaga in 1991, a show she once said “brought me to fame beyond my wildest dreams.” She stayed in “Bulaga” for a couple of years before she met Charlie in 1993 and got married the following year. (MB)
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MANILA --- Three top love teams, in cluding reel and real-life tandem Diether Ocampo and Kristine Hermosa, will star in a triology to be produced by Star Cinema.
Three top directors will be at the helm of the movie, which will be in three genres: drama, comedy and suspense-horror.
Diether is now part of the top teleserye, "Marina," on ABS-CBN. He was in the cast of the just-concluded top teleserye, "Sana'y Wala Nang Wakas," which also starred Kristine and Jericho Rosales.
Diether is currently doing "Lihim" with Claudine Barretto and Jericho.
Kristine, on the other hand, is on leave from soap opera work. She was last seen in the blockbuster movie, "All My Life," pairing her with Aga Muhlach for the first time. (MNS)
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