EntertainmentNews (06/30/23)

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TV5 hosts nationwide viewing party for TVJ return to TV

AFTER their recent parting of ways with the production company behind the noontime show Eat Bulaga!, the comedy trio Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon (TVJ) and their co-hosts (known as the Legit Dabarkads) will return to TV at their new home starting July 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. To celebrate the occasion, TV5, in partnership with Cignal TV, Inc., is organizing a nationwide viewing party for fans to watch the premiere episode together. The nationwide viewing party will be held in more than 20 venues — in Cignal TV, Inc. Experience and Kiosks, mall activity centers and barangays in different regions. Venues include the Basco Gym Batanes; Robinson’s Mall Tuguegarao; Robinsons’ Mall Laoag; Brgy. Sapang Bato Covered Court, Pampanga; Brgy. Mojon, Malolos, Bulacan; SM Sangandaan; Brgy. Western Bicutan, Taguig; Sta. Lucia Mall, Cainta; Brgy. 201, Pasay; Robinsons’ Gentri, Cavite; Pavillon Mall at Binan, Laguna; Robinson’s Lipa, Batangas; Nuciti Mall at Mindoro; Ayala Mall Legazpi; Bgy. Magapo, San Antonio Evacuation Center, Legazpi; SM Mabolo Cebu; Robinsons’ Mall Iloilo; SM Bacolod; SM Roxas; Robinsons’ Tacloban North, Leyte; GMall Tagum, Davao del Norte; SM Butuan; and Southway Mall, Zamboanga. In addition to the live event, TV5 and Cignal TV will hold interactive activities for all attendees. These will be hosted by Denise Tan in Robinson’s Mall Laoag, Lyn Olavario in SM Sangandaan in Manila, Eileen Shi in SM Mabolo, Cebu, and Andre Co in Southway Mall, Zamboanga. The event kicks off with a motorcade followed by games and treats. The show will air on TV5 on free TV and Sulit TV; TV5HD on Cignal ch. 15; and simulcast on One PH (Ch. 1 on Cignal, Satlite, and all Digital TV Boxes). There will be reruns the next day at 4 p.m. on Buko, Ch. 2 on Cignal and Satlite and the Cignal Play App. It will also be available online via the TVJ Official and TV5 Facebook page. Filipinos overseas can watch the show on Kapatid Channel in the US, Canada, Middle East, Guam and Papua New Guinea.

ABS-CBN, GMA ink deal for It’s Showtime’s airing on GTV

ABS-CBN and GMA Network have announced their co-production agreement to bring It’s Showtime to viewers on GMA’s free-to-air channel GTV on noontime starting July 1. The contract signing was held at the Seda Hotel Vertis, where top executives from both companies and the hosts of It’s Showtime were present. ABS-CBN’s noontime variety show will now be available on GTV, which can be accessed on various platforms, such as channel 27 on free TV, channel 15 on TVplus, channel 2 on GMA Affordabox, channel 24 on SKYcable, channel 11 on Cignal, channel 6 on GSat, and channel 24 on Destiny Cable. “Sa pirmahan natin ngayong hapon with ABS-CBN, sa paglipat ng noontime program na very popular na It’s Showtime [sa GTV], na mag-uumpisa sa July 1, at iyung mga nakaraan naming mga [partnership ng] ABS-CBN, siguro puwede na natin sabihin ngayon without any fear of contradiction na iyung kompetisyon o ‘TV war’ is finally over (With this afternoon’s contract signing with ABS-CBN, with the transfer of the very popular It’s Showtime, which will start on July, and with the previous partnerships we have had with ABS-CBN, I think it is safe to say now without fear of contradiction that the competition or ‘TV war’ [between us] is finally over),” said GMA chairman and CEO Felipe L. Gozon. ABS-CBN was also represented by chairman Mark L. Lopez, COO for broadcast Cory V. Vidanes, and OIC for finance group Vincent Paul Piedad, while GMA was represented by president and COO Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr., executive vice-president and CFO Felipe S. Yalong, and GMA Network Films Inc. president and programming consultant to the chairman and CEO Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes. Also in attendance were It’s Showtime hosts Vice Ganda, Ogie Alcasid, Anne Curtis, Kim Chiu, Jhong Hilario, Ryan Bang, Ion Perez, Jackie Gonzaga, Amy Perez, Jugs Jugueta, Cianne Dominguez, MC, Lassy, and Teddy Corpuz.  In addition to GTV, the 14-year-old It’s Showtime will continue to be seen on the Kapamilya channel, A2Z, Kapamilya Online Live, iWantTFC, and TFC from Monday to Saturday at noon.

Kpop at Robinsons Galleria

THE KOREAN Cultural Center in the Philippines will be holding the Everyone’s Kpop: Manila event at Robinsons Galleria on July 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The two-part event will have a Kpop Playground in the morning until early afternoon which offers games from K-variety shows. Admission is free and participants can win Kpop albums and merchandise. In the afternoon, the 2023 K-pop Cover Dance Festival will showcase different dance groups in the country. The winner of the competition will get a chance to represent the Philippines in Korea for the final round.

Ben&Ben drops new single

FILIPINO folk pop band Ben&Ben’s latest single, “Could Be Something,” marks the start of a new era with a new sonic direction for the band. The electronic-influenced track is Ben&Ben at their most experimental. Despite being a departure from their typical sound, the nine-piece collective said that “people grappling with doubt” may relate to the song and find comfort in its message to “believe, surrender, and let go during challenging seasons,” according to a Facebook post. The single will be out on digital music platforms starting June 30.

The Final Pitch Season 9 to premiere on July 9

THE FINAL PITCH, the Philippines’ business reality TV show, is set to premiere its ninth season exclusively on CNN Philippines starting July 9, and will air every Sunday at 8:30 p.m., with replays every Friday at 10 p.m. and Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Hosted by the show creator John Aguilar, the 10-episode series, themed “Open Edition,” will feature aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, and tech start-ups across all industries who will share their creative and unconventional business concepts and vie to secure funding and mentorship from the investor-judges. In its new season, the show goes beyond tech start-ups, allowing non-technology entrepreneurs to take their businesses to the next level. This season’s investor-judges are Rico Bautista, President and CEO of Etiqa Life & General Assurance Philippines; Brian Poe Llamanzares, President of Pantheon Holdings; Henry Aguda, President and CEO of UnionDigital Bank and Convenor of GoDigital Pilipinas; Robert Scott, Vice President-Hotel Operations of Okada Manila; the Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss; and the British Ambassador Laure Beaufils. This season will also showcase an episode of “Open House Mentorship Sessions” on Aug. 6, featuring Joel Santos, the founder of Thames International Business School; Vince Golangco of When in Manila; Dean Bernales of Uniquecorn Strategies; Paolo Rentero of TechShake; Marlon Valderama of LexMeet; and Chris Peralta of Silicon Valley HQ.

APO kicks-off 50th year celebration with concert

THE APO Hiking Society, proponents of Original Pilipino Music (OPM), kick-off their year-long 50th anniversary celebration with a concert entitled Apo Hiking Society 50 Years, The Concert. The show will be held on July 15 and 16 at the Hyundai Hall proscenium theater of Areté in Ateneo de Manila University. The concert is a homecoming as the Apo trace their roots to the Ateneo de Manila where the musical group was formed and initially performed at school events. Upon the members’ graduation from college, three of them — Jim Paredes, Danny Javier, and Boboy Garrovillo — continued to perform and left their mark on Philippine music. Apo’s career has spanned recording, television, concerts and film. They have produced 27 albums and have become instrumental in inspiring the next generation of Filipino singers and bands. Apo as a trio retired in 2010 but continued to be active in the entertainment scene individually. Javier passed away in October 2022, two months before Paredes and Garovillo sang before an SRO crowd at 19 East which signaled another chapter in the Apo’s continuing musical journey. For APO Hiking Society 50 years, Paredes said they promise “surprise and delight and originality with musical memories, spiels, show stopping numbers and new cool stuff.” Joining them on stage will be Hangad, the Company of Ateneo Dancers (CAD), and special guests. For tickets, log on to ticket2me.net

Seasons premieres on Netflix

SEASONS, a Regal Entertainment film starring Lovi Poe and Carlo Aquino, premieres on Netflix on July 7. Ms. Poe and Mr. Aquino play two best friends who, after a string of failed relationships, make a deal to take risks and look for love again — but they might just find it in each other. The film is directed by Easy Ferrer and written by Dwein Baltazar.

Disney on display at Newport World Resorts

AN EXHIBIT of the works of the only Filipino artist licensed by Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars to use their IPO, Rodel Gonzalez, is ongoing until July 2 at The Grove, 2F Newport Mall. Mr. Gonzalez brings fairy tales and superheroes to life with oil and giclee paintings. His works feature popular figures and symbolic moments from the universes of Marvel and Star Wars to Disney royalty as well as portraits and highly detailed natural landscapes. All artworks at The Rodel Gonzalez Art Exhibit are available for purchase with Epic Rewards points or cash. For more information, visit www.newportworldresorts.com.