MVP Group Launches Gabay Advocacies for a Sustainable Philippines

In celebration of Chairman Manuel V Panglinan’s 75th birthday, the MVP Group of Companies will be launching its six GABAY Advocacies for a Sustainable Philippines through a digital concert on July 14, 8:00 PM. The event will feature the brightest stars of the Philippine entertainment industry coming together for the various causes that the group is supporting.

Through the years, MVP has inculcated the culture of “malasakit” within his organization.  He believes that with proper guidance and support, anyone can have the power to change their lives and rise above any crisis or setback.   It is for this reason that the group’s advocacies carry the word “Gabay” – because it embodies who MVP is to many – an inspiration, a true leader, and a guiding light.  

Broadcasted through Gabay Guro Facebook and YouTube accounts, the Virtual Concert will be hosted by Ogie Alacasid, Iza Calzado alongside Augie Palisoc Jr., President of the Metro Pacific Hospitals Holdings Inc., and Bong Sta. Maria, President and CEO of Pilipinas Global Network.

Bb. Pilipinas crowns new title-holders to represent the PHL

Newly crowned Queens to vie for international titles

Four beautiful, intelligent, and eloquent Filipinas were crowned at the Grand Coronation Night of the Binibining Pilipinas pageant held last night, July 11 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

Hannah Arnold took home the Bb. Pilipinas International title, Samantha Panlilio was crowned Bb. Pilipinas Grand International, Cinderella Faye Obeñita won the title of Bb. Pilipinas Intercontinental, and Maureen Montagne earned the Bb. Pilipinas Globe crown. 

Meanwhile, Gabrielle Camille Basiano and Meiji Cruz were named Bb. Pilipinas 2021 1st Runner-up and Bb. Pilipinas 2021 2nd Runner-up, respectively. 

TFC Middle East furthers reach in UAE through eLife and Switch TV partnership

As the biggest Filipino-owned media and entertainment company, ABS-CBN, continues to innovate and serve more Filipinos worldwide, TFC Middle East, its international arm in the region, strengthens its partnership with Etisalat, one of the world’s leading telecom groups in emerging markets, as more TFC content offerings will be seen on its eLife, IPTV and SwitchTV, OTT platforms starting this July.

Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, Etisalat provides innovative solutions and services to 154 million subscribers in 16 countries across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. 

Yong Chavez of ABS-CBN TFC News North America selected to join Hollywood's new Critics Association

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) will introduce a major new awards event in 2022 – The World Movie Awards – which will honor the finest in non-English language films.  This global event has been in the planning stages for several years and has gained fresh impetus thanks to the recent formation of an International Branch of the CCA, which began enlisting new members this spring. 

“It has been clear for some time that many, if not most, of the leading critics and entertainment journalists reporting for foreign audiences were not welcome in the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, so the CCA has opened its big tent and welcomed in dozens of them,” announced Critics Choice Association CEO Joey Berlin yesterday.

Best Sisters Forever, the new short from the director of Your Name Engraved Herein, gives "lip-syncing for your life" a new meaning

Best Sisters Forever, the latest title by Patrick Liu, the creator behind Taiwan's highest-grossing LGBT film of all time, Your Name Engraved Herein, will be making its exclusive premiere via GagaOOLala, globally on 2 July 2021. A first for both Liu and GagaOOLala, the partnership between the Taiwanese director and the platform explores the rising ‘drag’ culture within the queer landscape of Asia with Taiwan at the forefront of the LGBT rights and movement in the region. The film offers an authentic glimpse into the drag sisterhood in Taiwan and contains real-life performances by Taiwanese drag queens in the nation’s most famous gay destination, the Ximending district of Taipei.

The plot of the film centers on the graceful Xuerong (Heng-Chi Kuo) and the fun and frivolous Yihong (Ta SU), two gay best friends ‘sisters’, who get into a heated argument over questions concerning promiscuity and eventually decide to go their separate ways. A terrible misunderstanding leaves the once inseparable ‘sisters’ estranged for several years. However, a tragic turn of events suddenly reunites the two. Knowing their days together are numbered, the pair, then, set out on an adventure hoping to gain lost opportunities and make fond memories. Along the way, they gradually make important discoveries about life, love, friendship, and family, with a long-lost dream ultimately coming true for the life-long duo.

Darren Espanto Shares His Routines and Rituals as He Rehearses for His Comeback Concert: “Home Run”

Virtual Concert is Available to Audiences Worldwide via iWantTFC

In a one-on-one interview with Asia’s Pop Heartthrob, Darren Espanto, he reveals that doing jumping jacks is one of the secrets to his vocal stamina.

“I try to train my voice so that its endurance is there by the time of the concert,” Darren shares. He claims that “it also helps to do jumping jacks or to do jump rope while vocalizing just for the stamina while dancing.”

He also owns to taking care of his overall health and says, “I try not to get sick, so I take vitamins daily.” Darren also adds that “My mom also makes me take salabat (ginger tea),” even if he was not a big fan of the spicy health drink but has gotten used to it after he discovered that “it really helps to loosen up the vocal cords.”

Darren also admits that no matter how many times he has performed onstage, he still gets the jitters. “It's just something that has always been there before every show big or small,” and he tries to get rid of it by praying. “Prayer always helps. It calms me down,” says the singer.

In a fun “Express Q&A,” Darren also reveals more personal sentiments and shares some of his “D” favorites. Read on to find out more. 

ABS-CBN Global Head of Anti-Piracy Elisha Lawrence named among World IP Forum's Powerful Women in IP 2021, to speak at The StreamTV Conference tomorrow

The World IP Forum (WIPF), one of the best Global IP events organized annually that highlights emerging developments in the Global IP Market, has named ABS-CBN Global Head of Anti-Piracy & Content Security Elisha Lawrence as one of its 2021 Powerful Women in IP.  The full list will be announced in a ceremony in August this year.

WIPF Powerful Women in IP recognizes leading female intellectual property professionals in creating, protecting, and securing intellectual property.  An independent jury oversees the review and selection for the list, choosing those who are highly qualified for their expertise, knowledge, and years of experience. 

Lawrence has been invited to speak at many intellectual property conferences because of her successful record in managing global brand protection and enforcement programs for various multinational companies.  Tomorrow, she will be one of the speakers at the ongoing The StreamTV conference, the world's largest streaming video event scheduled for June 15-17.  Lawrence will be on the panel, "Assessing and Combatting Threats in the New World of Streaming". Joining Lawrence in the panel are Verimatrix SVP of Product Martin Bergenwall from Helsinki, Finland and Akamai Senior Technical Solution Specialist Ilker Ürgenc from Munich, Germany. The panel will be moderated by Ben Munson, editor at Fierce Video.