Barbie Forteza turns 18, does not want an extravagant party

Barbie Forteza

Barbie Forteza

Barbie Forteza

Barbie Forteza

“Like every girl, excited ako at the thought of turning 18. Pero pwede bang magwish? Pwede po bang wala ng party?,” says Kapuso teen actress Barbie Forteza, who is looking forward to celebrating this important milestone in her life on July 31.

Barbie emphasized that instead of spending so much on a grand debut, she would rather use the money for other more meaningful things.

Children have always had special place in Barbie’s sweet heart, thus, in celebration of her debut, Barbie adopted a room at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) in Diliman, Quezon City. She has been helping PCMC in the past 4 years and plans to continue sharing her blessings to the kids in the hospital.

The “Adopt-A-Room” program of PCMC enables entities or individuals to choose and adopt a private room which they want to renovate and convert into a special private room. Once renovated and occupied, the proceeds of the room will go to “charity rooms”.

Other private institutions and brand giants have already adopted rooms from PCMC, but Barbie is the first ever celebrity to participate in this worthy cause.

The renovation for Barbie’s adopted room is currently on-going with the talented young actress actively participating in the process with the help of GMA Artist Center and Architects Jose Ricky Martinez and Richie Ongteco.

Barbie’s partners in making her dreams come to life include her generous sponsors BNY, Unisilver Time, Posh Nails, BS Mobile, Fruitas, Belladona Bags, Megawide, Happy Haus Donuts, Pizza Pedricos, Cris-Carl Stuffed Toys, Megasoft Diapers, Muebles De Cristina Furniture, Fernando’s Bakeshop, Chocovron, Ritz Biscuits, Jao Ming Glutathione, Rotary Club of Makati and Flawless.

Barbie stars as the other half in the highly successful GMA drama The Half Sisters, which airs worldwide on GMA Pinoy TV. She will also be part of the new Sunday noontime show, PinaSaya.

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Janine Gutierrez thankful for a dream come true

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

Janine Gutierrez for Preview

With a growing number of covers in some of the Philippines’ most prestigious fashion and lifestyle magazines, Janine Gutierrez, whose parents are actors Ramon Christopher and Lotlot de Leon, has definitely set her mind on making a name for herself.

 

The name Janine Gutierrez has been evident all over magazine spreads and online publications, and after successfully concluding her primetime soap last March, she continues to prove that she is more than just an actress and a pretty face.

 

She has impressed the publications that she worked with and received remarks for being unique, classy, and professional. She delivered mesmerizing photos in magazines and answered interview questions with downright brilliance.

 

At a recent thanksgiving event, Janine received her guests with a warm smile and took the opportunity to give thanks to the people who have been supporting her since the beginning of her career. As the country’s newest fashion muse, she expressed her excitement on being the cover girl of Preview magazine’s May issue.

 

“Preview is my first solo cover for a fashion magazine. And super saya nito kasi dream ko talagang mag-cover sa Preview. Siguro parang isa siya doon sa mga bagay na dream lang ng lahat ng babae or like when you were a little girl, ‘di ba?”

 

Despite this achievement, the GMA Artist Center star remained humble and acknowledged the team that worked hard in supporting her during the photo shoot.

 

Janine reveals, “Maswerte ako kasi yung team na kasama ko kapag pictorial, sila-sila palagi. Sobrang gaan nila katrabaho, at kilalang-kilala na nila ako. Sila talaga yung reason kung bakit lumalabas na maganda yung mga shoot. I really can’t take any credit for it kasi ‘di ba, kapag shoot maraming pre-prod. May concept, maystyling, eh dadating ka lang naman, so parang ako na yung least na pwedeng mag-take credit para doon.”

 

Meanwhile, Janine is currently part of GMA Network’s musical variety program, Sunday All Stars. It airs worldwide via GMA’s flagship international channel, GMA Pinoy TV.

Kapuso Primetime King Dingdong Dantes exudes charisma as clergyman in Pari Koy

Carlo Gonzales

Chanda Romero

David Remo

David Remo

Dexter Doria

Dingdong Dantes

Dingdong Dantes

Gabby Eigenmann

Hiro Peralta

JC Tiuseco

Jeric Gonzales

Jillian Ward

Jojit Lorenzo

Lindsay De Vera

Rap Fernandez

Sunshine Dizon

Kapuso Primetime King Dingdong Dantes takes on a role he has never done before in GMA’s newest inspirational drama series entitled Pari Koy.

 

Dingdong, one of the country’s most sought-after leading men who is blessed not just with bountiful talents but also with the heart for pursuing his many advocacies, will portray the role of Father Kokoy Evangelista.

 

Aside from having the complete package of good looks, humor, warmth, and wisdom, Father Kokoy is also admired for his virtuous principles in life. A go-to person in times of problems, Kokoy is the kind of friend who unconditionally offers a shoulder to lean on. He is the ideal guy, a Mr. Right, and the man any woman would like to introduce to her parents. But here’s the catch: Kokoy is a priest.

 

Father Kokoy, better known as Pari Koy, is a priest who is known for his non-traditional and non-conformist ways of bringing people closer to God, doing whatever it takes to show that it is cool to believe. But his own faith will be put to the test when he is assigned in the parish of Barangay Pinagpala and starts to deal with the people of the community.

 

Set in a contemporary barangay, stellar performances will be delivered by some of the country’s respected and talented artists including Sunshine Dizon as Noemi, the secretary of the parish in Pinagpala who remains to be optimistic despite being maltreated by her husband; Chanda Romero as Martha, the self-righteous leader of the lay workers in the parish of Pinagpala who is against the unconventional ways of Father Kokoy; Luz Valdez as Esther, one of the lay workers in the parish who loves to talk about gossips and rumors; and Dexter Doria as Salome, also a lay worker who loyally serves in the parish despite being teased by Martha and Esther.

 

Father Kokoy will also be challenged to put his faith into action as he meets the people of Barangay Pinagpala – with Gabby Eigenmann as Jude, the influential and corrupt chairman of Barangay Pinagpala; Rap Fernandez as Sol, the right-hand person of Jude, who helps him with his illegal schemes; JC Tiuseco as Timo, the irresponsible brother of Noemi; and Carlo Gonzales as Simon, the abusive husband of Noemi who fails to provide for his family.

 

Completing the cast are GMA Artist Center’s homegrown talents led by Jillian Ward as Sarah, the loving daughter of Noemi; Jeric Gonzales as Eli, the son of Salome who thinks that going to the parish is uncool; Lindsay De Vera as Ava, the charming grandchild of Martha who will fall in love with Eli; Hiro Peralta as Sam, the closet homosexual brother of Father Kokoy; and David Remo as Pinggoy, the high-spirited “village’s son” of Barangay Pinagpala.

 

How will Father Kokoy bring the people of Barangay Pinagpala closer to God? Will he be successful in instigating change in the community? Or will his faith and perspectives in life be moved by the people around him?

 

At the helm of this primetime series is the award-winning director Maryo J. Delos Reyes. After the successful run of the primetime series Niño, GMA takes pride in having him as the director of Pari Koy as he is known not only for tackling social relevance but for uplifting the human spirit and evoking hope through his masterpieces.

 

Pari Koy begins airing on March 10 on GMA Network’s flagship international channel, GMA Pinoy TV.

 

To see your favourite Kapuso shows on GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV and GMA News TV International, check the airing schedules in your territory through the website www.gmanetwork.com/international/programguide.

Donations from the heart GMA Network turns over 1,783 blood bags to the Philippine Red Cross

Award winning GMA News personality Kara David

GMA Artist Center star Phytos Ramirez

GMA’s resident meteorologist Mang Tani

Kapuso bloodletting turnover

Regional bloodletting in Cagayan de Oro

Regional bloodletting in Ilocos

Regional bloodletting in Iloilo

This February, the station with a heart continues to make a difference in the lives of Filipinos with the annual Kapuso Bloodletting Day held in key areas across the Philippines.

 

Now on its 7^th year, the Kapuso Bloodletting Day is a project of GMA Network’s Corporate Affairs Division in cooperation with the Network’s socio-civic arm, GMA Kapuso Foundation and GMA Regional TV, in partnership with the Philippine Red Cross.

 

The event, which encouraged the entire Kapuso workforce to take part in saving lives by donating blood, was held last February 11 at GMA Network Center in Quezon City. The whole day affair saw employees, officers, artists and even their family and friends taking time out from their daily work activities to participate in the worthy cause.

 

The initiative was also extended nationwide with bloodletting drives held in the regions, namely, Ilocos, Dagupan, Bicol, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and GenSan, on February 14.

 

The Kapuso Bloodletting Day yielded a total of 1, 783 blood bags (799, 550 cc) with the event in Quezon City producing 333 blood bags (147, 050 cc) and the regional bloodletting drives producing 1, 450 blood bags (652, 500 cc).

 

“This event was a success, not only because the donations this year surpassed the prior year but also because this huge turnout and continued support is a testament to our solidarity with the Network’s commitment to uplift the lives of our fellow Filipinos,” says GMA Kapuso Foundation EVP and COO Mel C. Tiangco.

 

“None of this would be possible without the generosity and bravery of each Kapuso donor who believe in and donated to our cause,” she furthers.

 

GMA Corporate Affairs AVP Teresa L. Pacis, meanwhile, says this activity is a concrete means by which employees can engage in the Network’s corporate social responsibility efforts. “The annual bloodletting program is an integral part of our CSR platform. We look after the welfare of our employees by encouraging them to mine the health benefits of donating blood. At the same time, we get our employees to actively take part in enriching the lives of our fellow Filipinos.”

Kapuso artists take acting course under the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA)

Benjamin Alves

Glaiza de Castro

Louise delos Reyes

Mike Tan

GMA Artist Center teamed up with the Royal Academy for Dramatic Arts (RADA), through the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), and supported Louise delos Reyes, Benjamin Alves, Mike Tan and Glaiza de Castro in undergoing a six-day short course on Acting Techniques which ended last Saturday under esteemed RADA facilitators.

 

Royal Academy for Dramatic Arts is one of the foremost drama academies in the world and has forged a reputation as a world leader and the centre of excellence in drama and theatre.

 

Notable RADA alumni includes Alan Rickman (Severus Snape in Harry Potter), Sean Bean (Boromir in Lord of The Rings), Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives), Ralph Fiennes, Allison Janney and Anthony Hopkins.

 

Respected director and GMA Network’s Talent Development consultant Maryo J. Delos Reyes believes that education in an artist’s craft is a continuous process. He poses a challenge to the artists to always develop their skills and techniques as performers.

 

“The time to learn new knowledge and expand one’s horizon, the quest for new technique to update oneself with fresh approaches is never ending. I do greatly encourage enhancing their craftsmanship. I would like to congratulate the participants from GMA Artist Center, ” he shares.

 

Through this educational venture, GMA Artist Center only proves that though talent is innate, consistency and permanence on a chosen career can be achieved by thorough training and continuous learning.

Save the Children names Mikael Daez and Kylie Padilla as official Filipino ambassadors

Mikael Daez and Kylie Padilla for Save the Children

GMA Artist Center stars Mikael Daez and Kylie Padilla are the first Filipino representatives of Save the Children.  They join international ambassadors Hollywood A-listers Jennifer Garner and Julianne Moore, football star Cristiano Ronaldo and distinguished stylist/editor/fashion designer Rachel Zoe in promoting the advocacy that aims to provide both emergency and long-term support to improve the quality of life for children.

Mikael shares that being chosen as one of the first Pinoy ambassadors of Save the Children is such an honor and fulfils his dream to help an advocacy close to his heart. “I’ve always wanted to help children. All children should be able to dream about what they want to be when they grow up. Save the Children’s work means that more children can have those dreams. I am excited about the opportunity to work alongside this amazing charity and am privileged to be able to use my work for this excellent cause.”

Meanwhile, Kylie is eager to take on her new role as ambassador of a children’s organization. “It is a privilege to be a representative of Save the Children and be given the opportunity to help children in need, especially typhoon Yolanda survivors. I want to do whatever I can to help provide them everything they need so they can recover from their experiences and reach their full potential.” 

In the coming days, Mikael and Kylie together with some of the staff of Save the Children will visit Yolanda-affected communities in Tacloban to meet some of the survivors of the typhoon. Save the Children has already reached nearly 800,000 people in some of the ‘Yolanda’ hit areas providing them with emergency life-saving aid and long-term support for livelihood programs that will sustain their everyday living.

Save the Children’s Country Director, Ned Olney, shares that they are happy to be working with passionate Kapuso stars. “Save the Children is delighted to have such passionate engaged young people working with us as we strive to give every child in the Philippines the best start in life. We hope that our relationship with Kylie and Mikael will give us the opportunity to reach many more children and save even more lives.”

Kapuso young actor Miguel Tanfelix gives back

Miguel Tanfelix Birthday

Miguel Tanfelix, who played the lead character of the recently concluded top-rating family drama series Niño, continues to inspire and bring joy to his supporters. Last September 18, the GMA Artist Center star celebrated his birthday in advance with persons with disabilities of Dr. Jose P. Rizal Elementary School in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

 

Loud cheers and applause welcomed Miguel, who brought along his Niño co-star and good friend Renz Valerio. The special event got even livelier with Tess Bomb as the host. Also present was Miguel’s family who came in full force.

 

Miguel made every moment count, making sure his fans enjoyed the afternoon celebration. The birthday celebrant presented a dance and song number which delighted the audience. He even joined the games while being in character as Niño.

 

The 16-year-old was a darling to his fans as he approached the kids, took selfies with them, and signed autographs.

 

The kids for their part surprised Miguel with a dance number and both Miguel and Renz joined their performance.

 

Just as Miguel was about to distribute snacks, he received a phone call from Bianca Umali that brought kilig to their fans because they heard the conversation of both tween stars.

 

“Hi, Miguel! Nami-miss ko na ‘yung araw-araw kitang nakakasama. I’ll see you very soon,” said Bianca. Miguel and Bianca’s loveteam in Niño endeared them to their fans. Both Bianca and Miguel could still be seen on Ismol Family and Sunday All Stars.

 

Before Bianca said goodbye to Miguel, she took time to greet and thank the supporters of their team-up. Miguel later admitted that he was touched with Bianca’s effort to call him despite the latter’s busy schedule.

 

Miguel also shared that he couldn’t be more grateful for the chance he’d been given to bond with some of his fans. According to the StarStruck Kids alum, he personally picked to celebrate his birthday with the special kids of Dr. Jose P. Rizal Elementary School. It was made possible with the help of GMA Artist Center, his family, and sponsors.

 

“Dahil po sa ginampanan kong role ni Niño, naintindihan ko ‘yung kalagayan nila, na kailangan nila ng atensyon, na ‘yung treatment sa kanila dapat parang normal na tao din kasi mayroon din silangfeelings na pwedeng masaktan,” shared Miguel.

 

The school administrators expressed their gratitude for having been chosen by Miguel. According to them, the fun-filled celebration was a first—and will go down as one of the most memorable events held in the school.

 

Miguel will be part of the “Kapusong Pinoy sa L.A.” concert, organized by GMA Pinoy TV, the flagship international channel of GMA Network, in cooperation with Polaris Media and Marketing. It will be held on September 27 at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center in Redondo Beach, California. The show starts at 6:30 PM. For ticket reservations, the number to call is 310-989-4523.