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For the past 21 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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To tell us what you think about Filipino Express Online or to comment on the stories published here, E-mail us at Filexpress@aol.com
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(Ted Reyes is a musician, composer, record producer and journalist based in NYC. If you have any comments you can visit his website at www.tedreyes.com or email him at tedreyes@mac.com)
THE first time I heard Alfa play was about three years ago at Five Points in Mott Street. Back then it was still carrying the name Teabag, and it was being staged in the basement of Silk Road place.
Two things struck me the first time I heard her play: Brilliant songwriting and guitar skills. Her songs even back then were mature–devoid of bubblegum and sugar coating. There were no pretentious attempts to be cool, angry and cute– just real and honest songs.
She sang about airplanes, meaningless conversations and being un-Filipino. She played her meticulously crafted songs with above average guitar skills that reminded me of the Indigo Girls and Joni Mitchell. Right then I could tell she is special.
Last Friday, I caught Alfa at Five Points – this time, she played with a band– a trio that goes by the temporary name of “Alfa and the F-Words.”
Alfa plays guitar and piano, and she has a bassist that plays an upright and a drummer that swings with a brush. The trio played Alfa’s new songs and they sounded good.
Alfa is now incorporating cool rhythm changes and more intricate chord progressions in her songs: some elements of Jazz and Dixie, as well as tinges of Vaudeville.
She has further matured as a tunesmith and arranger that I could hardly believe the songs are all coming out of the creative mind of a young artist below 25 years of age. Her songs sound like an industry veteran does them. The complexity of her new music is compelling.
Among the new songs that I totally admire are “Wear Your Shoes,” “Home To Me,” “Goodnight Romeo,” and “I Won’t.”
Too bad, she does not have a CD yet containing these gems; it is on her Myspace page, though.
Alfa is perhaps the most famous Filipina– American singer-songwriter here in New York. She is well-known in the college circuit all over the US as well as the singer-songwriter circuit from Boston to California.
A friend of mine from LA even asked me if I am fortunate enough to know Alfa personally. Of course, I said yes and even managed to up my ante by stating I shared the stage with her a couple of times. My friend from LA just smiled and uttered the familiar: “Yeah, right.”
*Alfa Garcia will play alongside 28 other Filipino artists from all over North America for the Rock in the Box Weekend shows on August 29 and 30 at Rehab, NYC and Crash Mansion, respectively.
*Alfa will play on the 30th at Crash Mansion.
*Visit www.soulworksrecords.com for ticket info.
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Marian Rivera's fans have a reason to celebrate. The Dyesebel star is the first noncover girl to be hailed as the Philippines' Finest by FHM, the biggest-selling men's magazine in the country.
The final results, sent to PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) by the FHM group at exactly 6:36 p.m., indicated that Marian won with a total of 316, 135 votes, while Katrina Halili, two-time winner of FHM 100 Sexiest, landed the second spot with 123, 239 votes. Angel Locsin, who won as sexiest Pinay in 2005, came in third with 121, 388 votes.
FHM Philippines editor- in-chief Alan Madrilejos revealed to PEP that Marian Rivera enjoyed a considerably large lead in terms of online and text votes, while Katrina Halili topped the ballot-voting category. Meanwhile, this year's global winner is Megan Fox.
The July issue of FHM will reveal the complete and official list of FHM 100 Sexiest, so buy your copy now.
MARIAN VERSUS ANGEL
One interesting twist to this year's poll is the rivalry between Marian and Angel.
Fans of the two beautiful ladies united to give 100 percent support to their respective idols. Angel's fans abroad claimed that they spent money on text just so they can send their votes. Marian's fans, on the other hand, spent so many hours in front of the Internet to make sure that their Kapuso bet would reign supreme in the online-voting category.
Fans of the two women have been rooting and ranting in PEP's FHM-related articles in the closing weeks of the tally, while waiting for the FHM Sexiest vote results. Their aggressiveness showed through the comments and the consistent arguments between the two escalated, even to the point of questioning FHM's voting system.
Even PEP's own conducted poll, "Sino sa tingin mo ang tatanghaling sexiest Pinay ng ‘FHM'?" drew fire from the fans as they carefully monitored and analyzed the results nearly every day. For them, percentage matters and .01 percent lead is a great deal especially if it means victory for their idol.
Now that the results are finally revealed, will this clash between the Marian and Angel fans also come to an end?
This is only one issue, of course, and many more will arise for the fans to rally again in support their most loved idols. (Elyas Isabelo Salanga, PEP)
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MANILA -- Young actress Claudine Barretto talked about her latest television series on ABS-CBN entitled "Iisa Pa Lamang" where she stars with two leading men, comeback actor Gabby Concepcion and her showbiz best friend actor Diether Ocampo.
"Ito na po, binabalik namin 'yung drama sa primetime. Pinaka-comeback ko sa teleserye sa primetime after I gave birth," Barretto said.
She said that aside from the good script, the way they tackled the story makes the project more special.
"Ang pinakaiba sa teleserye na ito ay 'yung atake namin sa istorya at kapag pinanood mo parang pelikula," she said.
"Unang una, sa lahat ng pelikula at soap na ginawa ko hindi ko pa nakakatrabaho si Gabby Concepcion," Barretto added.
In the series, she will fall in love with Concepcion. She even shared that she has a kissing scene with the actor that lasted almost 10 minutes.
"Iba-ibang angle, at hindi ko alam na umabot ng ganoon," the actress said.
When asked to describe Concepcion, Barretto said, "He's sobrang gwapo, sobrang mabango at palaging naliligo sa set -- mga four times.
In "Iisa Pa Lamang" Barretto will be working again with "Queen of Philippine Movies", Ms. Susan Roces.
“Ako I was so excited and so happy that's why I did ‘Maligno', also because it was Susan Roces Collection, sobrang full of wisdom I learned so many things (from her)," Barretto said.
The actress said that for all the shows she works on, she gives her best and studies her character.
"You have to really fall in love with your character. You have to know your characters ang tagal ng proseso ang matuto sa pag-aartista sinasabi ko matagal na proseso, you always have to learn," she said.
"We have our responsibility to the audience to give something new all the time because we owe them that," Barretto added.
Finally, Barretto invited the viewers to watch the series.
"Ito na po ang ‘Iisa Pa Lamang’ iniimbitahan ko kayong lahat sa July 14 sana buksan niyo ang puso niyo sana ay tanggapin niyo kami. Pinaganda namin at pinaghirapan namin para sa inyo." (MNS)
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MANILA -- "I’ll always love him (Yilmaz Bektas)."
This was what Ruffa Gutierrez confessed about her June 24 conversation with ex-husband Yilmaz during her 34th birthday.
"Parang akong isang widow. ‘Di ba, pag namatayan ka, matagal bago ka mag-heal? Iiyak ka, parang magiging galit ka minsan, madi-depress ka… Mahaba yung process. Ang sabi ko nga kay Yilmaz, let’s just pretend that I’m one widow. Mahal kita pero hindi kita pwedeng makasama," she said.
The Buzz host admitted that she got emotional during their chat because she still feels pain from the breakup.
"Kapag nandyan pa rin yung pain, there is still something. Wala naman sigurong masama kapag naalala mo na yung nakaraan niyo. We have two kids, at eight years kaming nagsama. It’s normal naman," she justified.
According to Ruffa, what made her cry more was her daughters’ wish to see her and Yilmaz hug each other and be together again. (MNS)
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MANILA -- Singer-actress Sarah Geronimo has told champion singer Mark Bautista to stop courting her.
"Hindi ko na masyadong ie-elaborate. Straightforward naman ako sa kanya. Ang sabi ko itigil natin ito kasi alam mo kuya kita," Sarah said.
"Mahirap 'yung kuya kita tapos binibigyan mo pala ng malisya," explained Geronimo.
Dubbed as the "Pop Star Princess," Geronimo was also surprised by reports that Philippine Dream Academy Season 1 finalist Ronnie Liang is also wooing her.
"Nagulat ako kay Ronnie Liang. Wala naman kong napapansin," she said.
When asked if Liang has a chance to win her heart if ever he will continue to court her, Geronimo said: "Naku, naku hindi ko po alam."
Liang admitted that he's the secret admirer of Geronimo and he's willing to wait until the singer-turned-actress is ready for a relationship.
"Syempre maghihintay pa rin. Hindi ko rin alam kung may ibang manliligaw sa kanya, pero I’m just here as a secret admirer," Liang said.
A special love
Geronimo aside from being busy as a regular performer on ABS-CBN's weekly variety show ASAP '08 is also busy promoting her movie entitled "A Special Love" with actor John Lloyd Cruz.
This is her second project with Cruz after their successful episode for ABS-CBN's "Maalaala Mo Kaya." So when asked if she will fall for Cruz if ever the latter has no commitment, Geronimo carefully said: "Hindi ko po 'yan masasabi pero katulad ng sinabi ko sa press conference namin kasi napakabait niyang tao at saka akala ko noong una napaka-seryoso niya mahirap kausapin pero hindi (pala dahil) kenkoy (s'ya), mapo-fall ka sa kanya kung hindi ka marunong mag-control."
Geronimo admitted that right now she's really close with her new on screen partner -- a closeness with limitations.
"Tama lang po basta ako alam ko ang limitation ko," she said.
Geronimo said that reports are true that she's now ready to accept suitors. "Opo naman, siguro handa ng magpaligaw pero sa commitment hindi pa po," she ended.
"A Very Special Love" will be shown this coming July 30 with premiere night on July 29 at SM Megamall Cinemas 9 and 10. (MNS)
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JOHN LLOYD CRUZ just won a best actor award from Golden Screen for his performance in “One More Chance,” but he’s not resting on his laurels. He seriously wants to study acting.
“Ang feeling ko kasi, there’s still so much to improve,” he says. I already told ABS na gusto ko sana, after ‘A Very Special Love’ with Sarah Geronimo, mag-aral muna ako ng acting, preferably sa abroad. Pero kung imposibleng magabroad, puedeng dito rin lang basta magaling ’yung nagkoconduct ng acting class.”
Isn’t he satisfied with his skills now?
“I just want to broaden my knowledge about my profession. Kasi, mas mabuti ’yung learn non-stop, kaysa kampante ka na lang na magaling ka na and without your knowing, you have become so mannered. In my case, mas gusto kong lumawak ang kaalaman ko in the line of work that I do. Noon pa, gusto ko talaga mag-enroll in an acting class in the U.S.”
Does he intend to try out in Hollywood also?
“Hindi naman. I’ll be scared. Masaya naman ako bilang isang John Lloyd here, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting to refine and polish whatever it is that you’ve got.”
He said he can easily fall in love with Sarah Geronimo if he didn’t have a girlfriend. Why?
“Because Sarah is lovable and so pleasant on and off camera. I can sense na mabuti siyang tao. Pareho kaming devoted to our respective families. Hindi siya makasarili and that, for me, is admirable in a person.”
But of course, as of now, he’s still very much committed to fashion editor Liz Uy his girlfriend for two years now.
“She brings out the best in me and I hope ganun din ang effect ko sa kanya,” he says. (MNS)
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A Filipino has won the People’s Choice award in the vocalist category in a classical music competition in Los Angeles. Rodell Rosel, 32, a native of the Philippines who has studied at Sta. Monica College and the University of California at Los Angeles, won $3,000 for being the people’s choice in the vocal competition of the weeklong Jose Iturbi International Music Competition for classical pianists and vocalists.
More than $250,000 in prizes were awarded Sunday at the conclusion of the second annual contest, held at UCLA and featuring musicians from around the globe. Top prizes of $50,000 went to soprano Angela Meade, 30, a resident artist at Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts, and pianist Mariya Kim, 26, of Ukraine and Germany. Kim also shared the $3,000 Spanish Prize.
The competition’s sponsor, the Jose Iturbi Foundation, is named for the renowned concert pianist who appeared in several MGM musicals in the 1940s. It is dedicated to preserving Iturbi’s legacy and to fulfilling his desire to bring emerging classical pianists and vocalists to the public’s attention.
“The talent of this year’s competitors was staggering,” said Donelle Dadigan, the foundation’s president. “Interest in the final rounds was so intense that hundreds of people lined up in hope there would be last minute cancellations.”
The $3,000 People’s Choice award for piano was given to Chetan Tierra, 24, a student at the Cleveland Institute of Music.
In addition to their $50,000 in first-place prize money, Meade and Kim will perform during a cruise aboard the Queen Mary 2 next April.
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Last July 29, Annabelle Rama officially made her movie comeback via GMA Films’ “My Monster Mom" during its grand premiere at SM Megamall. For everyone who has ever doubted the power of this vivacious Bisaya, this flick proves that neither age nor lack of practice can tarnish her spunk.
Esme’s “bebi gel"
In the story, young Cebuana Esmeralda “Esme" Fajardo (Rhian Ramos) goes to Manila to study, only to fall in love with Waldo, a beguiling gentleman played by Richard Gutierrez. Her secret stars rendezvous with him lead to her getting pregnant and eventually stopping school. Left with no choice, she lives with him only to find out that he is seeing another woman behind her back. After a violent confrontation, she flees and resorts to odd jobs to finance her survival, especially in her delicate condition.
She soon gives birth to a beautiful baby girl whom she names Abigail. Unfortunately, life is so hard that she has to give her child to some relatives who are migrating abroad, in the hopes that someday, she’ll be reunited with her baby girl when life is better.
Twenty-seven years later, her wish comes true. Abigail (Ruffa Gutierrez) returns to the Philippines as a liberal New Yorker, and Esme, who now has two sons (JC De Vera and Mart Escudero) from different lovers, must help her daughter adjust to her new family. But how can Abigail learn to adjust to her biological mom’s impossibly annoying ways?
Esme and Abigail’s journey to acceptance, especially their misadventures in between, is what makes Monster Mom a must-see. Watch out for these scenes!
Monster Mom is made up of crazy-funny scenes and dialogues that stay with you even after the closing credits. Here are some of them:
1) When one of Esme’s relatives who adopts Abigail comes home from abroad to report that Esme’s kuya Toto is dead (Abigail’s adoptive father), she explains that Toto died during a trip to Disneyland. Esme’s reply? “Bakit? Pinatay ni Mickey Mouse?"
2) When Esme is explaining to her pals (Eugene Domingo and Khryss Adalla) that her long-lost daughter is coming home, they ask about Abigail’s reaction to the news that her biological mom is in the Philippines. Esme replies in Ruffa’s signature voice, “Ang sabi raw niya, ‘Oh yeah?’"
3) While Esme lectures Abigail on the value of her virginity, she explains, “Ang kotse, pag second hand na, mababa ang resale value."
4) Watch out for Esme’s garden—it’s sarcastically and undeniably Pinoy, with the seven dwarfs, the Ten Commandments, and even a Snow White sculpture! One of the funniest scenes is when Esme’s neighbor accidentally destroys her Snow White display—the scene that ensues is pure Annabelle Rama!
5) And of course, there are the cameo appearances of Richard Gutierrez and Eddie Gutierrez. The real-life family is reunited onscreen, although you won’t see them all together in one scene. It’s just curious how it must’ve felt like for Ruffa to be acting alongside her real father and mother, especially in dramatic sequences.
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