POP NEWS PHILIPPINES

  Heard the story of a young mother who brought her baby to school while she attended classes? She caught the attention of many on social media that eventually landed her an episode on "Ma-aalala Mo Kaya."    The episode, titled "Mother Graduate," gets a replay on Saturday, May 2, on MMK over ABS-CBN. It was directed by Raz dela Torre.     The cast is led by Erich Gonzales, Geoff Eigenmann, Andrea del Rosario, Michael Flores, Eda Nolan, and Alyana Asistio.     Growing up in a low-income family, smart and beautiful Vin-zl (Erich) has always strived to excel at school in order to support her family someday. When her sister becomes pregnant at 17 and had to stop schooling, Vin-zl is confident that she would not end up like sister.      She even graduates from high school as valedictorian and makes it to college, where she meets her boyfriend, Victor. They fall in love.      Vin-zl (17) unexpectedly gets pregn...

Bashers, posers, scammers, impersonators, and fakers please be warned! Mayward Flyers (the moniker for the fans of the popular loveteam MayWard)  have transformed into "jet fighters" to defend Edward Barber, the Captain of their ship, from all attacks. A horde of fans on Friday exposed that an alleged revealing Facebook post by Edward, was in reality, a message of another guy to his ex-girlfriend. The evil scammer copied and pasted the message and put in Maymay Entrata's name to replace that of the girl. The undisturbed Edward, posted on Twitter, a cool and brief explanation of him not having an active FB account thus in not so many words dismissed the rumor. However, the fans were not as unaffected like their Captain, as the scammer returned the following day,  this time impersonating Edward by using his old FB account picture. But the Flyers immediately swooped over the enemy's territory and bombarded the fake account with their scathing comments ...

Senator Cynthia Villar has expressed concern that the ongoing enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in various parts of the country, which has been extended until May 15, is already taking its toll in the employment situation of the poor in the country. And more realistic and sustainable measures should be put in place. Villar recommends the opening of the labor intensive sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and construction for the poor and lower middle class. The agriculture sector is in full swing but some allied industries have limited operations or have ceased operations already. This has displaced food manufacturing workers and limited the supply of food in the market. “With the extension of the ECQ for another half a month, we need to intensify food production as well as ensured the unimpeded flow of fresh produce and food products all over the country,” said Villar. As widely reported in media, those employed in the construction and manufacturing sectors are adver...

Sen. Cynthia Villar sent sacks of rice to provide relief to fire victims of Bgy. 105, Tondo. More than 200 families were affected by the fire and are now staying in evacuation areas. Villar said the victims should be provided assistance as they also struggle to cope with extended community quarantine (ECQ) measures.

Netizens are up for a mobile musical treat as Smart Araneta Coliseum brings JAM Sessions, an online music performance on April 24, 8 p.m., via the Big Dome’s official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/thearanetacoliseum/). In partnership with Ivory Music & Video, the Smart Araneta Coliseum gives its online fans and followers the performances of singers/songwriters ABY, daughter of OPM icon Chad Borja, and Chris Sta. Romana, an up and uprising star in the music scene. The two singers will perform both covers of popular songs and original numbers. The JAM Sessions was organized to support the #TogetherWeHeal donation drive of Araneta City, which will benefit indigent families affected by the enhanced community quarantine. Check out more details about Araneta City’s campaign at http://bit.ly/AranetaDonationDrive. Catch these performances by following the official social media pages of the Smart Araneta Coliseum!

Aside from vegetable seeds, Sen. Cynthia Villar also distributed compost to help home gardeners grow healthy plants. Buoyed by the popularity of planting projects while on quarantine, Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, initiated the distribution of compost, an organic material that can be added to soil to help plants grow. “While we have already convinced people to start planting, we might as well teach them how to plant the organic way,” Villar said. Villar noted that the use of compost reduces the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides as it enriches and conditions the soil. In Las Pinas and the Villar SIPAG farm schools, Villar’s composting projects continue to operate. It involved the collection of kitchen and garden waste. In Las Pinas, about 70 tons of compost are produced and given out to farmers in nearby localities. In addition to providing help to frontliners by donating food and protective equipments, Villar has included in her ...

Anderson Cooper was not willing to cede any ground when it came to an interview with Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman on Wednesday, and the confrontational interview has drawn a lot of attention. Mayor Goodman joined Anderson Cooper 360 via video chat, and spoke with the newsman about her recent call to reopen Las Vegas, despite the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Goodman -- who has been vocal about her opposition to the stay-at-home order issued by Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak -- said her concerns revolved around the economic impact of the social distancing mandates, which included the closure of all non-essential businesses. "I want our restaurants open, I want our small businesses open, I want our people back in employment,” Goodman said on CNN Wednesday. “We have so many families that can’t even afford to get the groceries for their family because they’ve been out of work for six weeks." Goodman and Cooper exchanged pointed comments as the Mayor made arguments aga...

Residents of Palo, Leyte are among the latest beneficiaries of the help extended by Sen. Cynthia Villar to areas affected by the COVID-19 health crisis. In solidarity with Mayor Ann Petilla's efforts to cushion the municipality from the adverse effects of the implementation of community quarantine, Villar sent rice for distribution to residents.

Experts said we need a daily quota of eight hugs a day for that feel-good energy to grow as a human being. But due to ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the human touch is now quite scary and risky. MYX VJ Edward Barber, the other half of the popular love team MayWard, experienced that COVID-19 blues. Edward was deprived of his daily ration of hugs from the woman closest to his heart: his Mommy Cathy, for two weeks. In one of their recent online MYXitUP episodes, Edward narrated that his mom came back from Germany a few days before the community quarantine kicked off but instead of being able to hug and kiss her, his mom literally pushed him away as she came from a country hit hard by the virus. Edward, a confessed Mama’s boy, said his mom distanced herself from him and his sister for 14 days, no hugs and kisses for her two kids, to ensure their health would not be endangered. (Photo of  Edward Barber in red hoodie courtesy of Twitter)

Knowing full well that help should be given to those who need it more, Sen. Cynthia Villar asked the cooperatives to lead the distribution of relief goods to members who are severely affected by the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine. Photo shows members of the Mother Rita Multipurpose Cooperative in Candelaria, Zambales, receiving sacks of rice from Villar.

The J. Amado Araneta Foundation (JAAF), the social responsibility arm of the Araneta Group, has been providing support to various COVID-19 related efforts on a nationwide scale. Since the ECQ was imposed in Metro Manila last March 17, JAAF has been actively working on several efforts.   As of April 17, the breakdown of undertaking includes: • P665,280 has been appropriated for COVD-19 testing kits • P274,500 worth of medical supplies have been donated to LGUS • More than 8,000 meals have been made for front liners • 1,150 food packs have been distributed • P141,050 have been raised for the #TogetherWeHeal donation drive • 650 #TogetherWeHeal food packs have been procured, with additional funds from the Foundation • 1,000 seed packets received from Department of Agriculture for the #TogetherWeHeal food packs #TogetherWeHeal, the campaign for COVID-19 relief efforts, was launched last March 31.  The major undertaking is a donation drive which aims to ...

In a moving tribute, pageant guru Jonas Antonio Gaffud, creative director of Miss Universe Philippines, offered a salute to his father whose covered body was being carried out of the hospital on a stretcher on the way to a vehicle. Gaffud gave the salute to his dad in a video he uploaded on Facebook, April 20. His father passed away on April 19. "He was a soldier. He was a farmer. He served his family, he served his country. In this time of pandemic, there is no 21 gun salute for a Retired Soldier. But if he were younger, he would have been a Frontliner. I know, that my salute is the best gift I can honor him with. I was hesitant to go to the hospital because of Covid 19. But in this time of chaos and loss, there is nothing braver than to bury a loved one. I love you forever Dad," said Gaffud on his video caption. Gaffud, whose team groomed some of the country's successful beauty queens, including 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, earlier said that there would b...

Sen. Cynthia Villar has expanded her family's relief efforts to include other provinces severely affected by the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine. Barangay officials of Suyo, Ilocos Sur and officials of Santa Cruz Savings and Development Cooperative receiving sacks of rice from Villar.

In line with its #TogetherWeHeal slogan, Araneta City has arranged a series of live online activities via its official Facebook page on April 16 to 18, 2020 to help Filipinos attain healing and fight fatigue brought by the extended enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). On Thursday, April 16, 10 am, the City of Firsts teams up with Slimmer’s World for the Zumba Fitness online session with instructor Lara Delariman to keep the online community moving amidst the ECQ. This activity will provide netizens a dose of slimming and toning exercises with Zumba exercises that are effective calorie burner, cardiovascular system enhancer and stress reliever. On April 17, 4 pm, Araneta City partners with Addlib Dance Studio for Connect to Fitness, an online dance workout that will leave the viewers fit and healthy. This online workshop, to be headed by Addlib’s Dance Master Macki Pineda is set to get the Araneta City-zens on the groove defying the staleness of being confined at home. On S...

Binibining Pilipinas 2020 front-runner Samantha Bernardo of Palawan City went live on Facebook Monday afternoon, April 13, to cheer her fans and friends as she reminded them to stay home during these grim times. "Just stay at home and don't forget to stay healthy. Wash your hands all the time. I hope to see you soon in the activities of Binibining Pilipinas," said Bernardo who chatted with her fans from the comfort of her room. Bernardo, who is competing in Binibining Pilipinas for the third time, also paid tribute to the frontliners engaged in the fight against COVID-19. During the FB chat, this Binibini beauty invited her fans to ask questions about her journey to the most prestigious national pageant. She is also pushing for a malaria-free Philippines in 2030 as her advocacy. Towards the end of her Facebook Live chat, Bernardo gave away mobile load to winners of the game portion. Bernardo also picked her top 6 Binibini queens past and and present wh...

Sen. Cynthia Villar has included in her relief efforts to help communities under the enhanced community quarantine the distribution of vegetable seeds to encourage home gardening and growing of own food. Villar, chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, started the distribution of packed seeds of tomato, eggplant, pumpkin, ampalaya, sweet pepper, hot pepper, corn, sitaw, and mungbean to 61 different barangays in Las Pinas, Cavite and Bulacan. “I’ve always advocated for home gardening as a strategy for food security and for the alleviation of nutrient deficiency. It will be a big help for families to have direct access to nutritious foods that they don’t have to buy,” Villar said. The lady senator also said home gardening can be practiced by anybody in small patches of land, vacant lots or in containers, making it appealing to families living in urban areas. She added that the importance of home gardens are also stressed in times of emergencies like typhoon, volcanic ...

It's easy to stay home especially if you're in the company of the country's hottest celebrity hunks! In a show of star power, some of the yummylicious award-winning actors, singers and matinee idols from ALV Talent Circuit flaunt their abs and flex their muscles as they send good vibes to their fans while singing along to One Direction’s massive hit, ‘What Makes You Beautiful.’ The video features Kiko Estrada, Enzo Pineda, Martin del Rosario, Edgar Allan Guzman, Vin Abrenica, David Licauco, Jerico Ejercito, Teejay Marquez, Carl Guevara and JB Saliba. To watch the video, visit the ALV Talent Circuit Inc. Facebook. These celebrities are urging all of us to stay home and save lives, and do our rightful share in beating COVID-19! As dutiful citizens, let’s follow our government’s directive for all of us to stay home and quarantine ourselves until April 30 to prevent the spread of the corona virus. We’re all in this together. Let’s all stand united regardless of ou...

Senator Cynthia Villar is hitting two birds with one stone in her latest effort to help Filipinos amidst the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) crisis in the country. She is distributing face masks to all barangays in her home city of Las Piñas, which are sewn by a group of women in Cavite. “We are helping prevent the spread of Covid-19 in our barangays, at the same time, we are able to provide a source of income for some women in Cavite, which as the rest of the country, is in enhanced community quarantine or lockdown”, said Senator Villar. Prior to this, Senator Villar has distributed bottled drinking water, rice and other relief goods to the city’s barangays. Her family also provides the daily meals and temporary housing of frontliners of the Las Pinas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center. A total of 4,400 cloth face masks will be done and distributed to 22 barangays in Las Piñas. The women who will sew them will be paid for the face masks. They will also be sewing PPE (p...

Kapamilya star Arjo Atayde and his siblings thanked friends and fans for their overwhelming love and support for the fast recovery of their parents - award-winning actress Sylvia Sanchez and businessman Arturo Atayde - who were tested positive for COVID-19 recently. "Our parents are slowly getting better. Although it’s taking longer than their usual recovery time, we are happy to see them with their spirits still high," said Arjo on Instagram April 1. Arjo's complete post on Instagram: "Before anything else, we’d like to thank everyone for their overwhelming love and support; "Although it is difficult and anxiety-inducing knowing that both our parents are positive with COVID-19, all the well wishes and get well soon messages have definitely uplifted our family — especially them; "A week into their self-isolation and a week after having their swab tests done, our parents are slowly getting better. Although it’s taking longer than their usual...

Over 700,000 facemasks were donated to the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Department of Health, and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine through an international public private collaboration project which was spearheaded by the Senate office of the Philippines represented by Senator Manny Pacquiao. The facemasks were given by two South Korean companies KP Trading and C-So Funding and imported and handled by their local partner retailer HMR Trading Haus. “It’s at times like this that we realize there are no borders; we are all humans fighting a common enemy, as such, we must support each other to achieve a united victory,” said Diana Ji Hye Kwon representative of KP Trading and C-So Funding. Also joining Diana were Won Young Lee, Ho Bum Shim and Warren Allen Carman. With the assistance of the Department of Social Welfare and Development handled by Senator Pacquiao, the face masks were distributed to...

As part of the relief effort of the Villar family to help the people badly affected by the COVID-19 crisis, packs of bottled drinking water were donated to the Department of Health recently. Frontliners in different hospitals in Metro Manila are the target beneficiaries of said donation.