POP NEWS PHILIPPINES

Excited to see the next #IAmBinibini workshop session with Catriona Gray and Nicole Cordoves? Watch out for its premiere on Facebook and Youtube on August 1 at 3 p.m. Last July 11, for the first time, Catriona and Nicole met the 2020 contestants online. The Binibining Pilipinas thanks Cornerstone Entertainment Inc. and Equinox Manila for making the workshop sessions possible. For now, here's a sneak peek of what to expect in the session:

For the first time in 26 years, former Miss Venezuela Minorka Mercado posted photos of her homecoming after her 2nd runner-up finish at the 1994 Miss Universe beauty pageant held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on May 21. Mercado, now a mom, radio host and health coach, shared the photos on Instagram July 31. Her caption read: "My beautiful people, I don't think you have seen these photos and today I wanted to share them with all of you; "These pictures were taken during the reception that Venevision hosted for me on Sabado Sensacional (show viewed internationally throughout Latin America and USA) when I returned from the Miss Universe of 1994 in the Philippines; "I am next to Mr. Gilberto Correa (beloved and respected host of the program), and I was wearing my beautiful, elegant and super comfortable Liki Liki National Costume that I wore at the MU; "It was a very nice tribute, full of many happy memories and unforgettable momen...

It is happening, finally! Queen of All Media Kris Aquino is making a much-awaited comeback on television. On Thursday, July 30, Aquino posted a teaser of his new show entitled "Love Life With Kris" on TV5. No schedule was released for the new talk show of Aquino. In the promo video, Aquino said that she is starting a new beginning on the Kapatid network. "Maraming nag-sabi this day would never arrive. After hearing that too many times, even I started to believe it. Yet nandito na ako; "I got to know the real me. Hinarap ko ang aking mga pagkakamali. Tinanggap ko na maraming beses din akong nagkulang. Natutunan kong iwanan ang kahapon; "Pinili kong patawarin ang sarili - for being human, for seeing myself as the victim, for allowing myself to almost give up. So I wiped away my tears; "Kinaya kong mag-hintay. Nagkapatatag ako. Naghanda ako. Because this isn't the end of my story. Thanks to all of you. I am starting my new beginning, " said Aquino. -...

Former Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach is one of female celebrities who accepted the challenge of posting a black-and-white photo of oneself. She accepted, hoping she could help empower and support all innocent beautiful women. "Challenge accepted. Be the woman who fixes others crown without telling the world it was crooked," said Wurtzbach on Instagram. Wurtzbach shared to her fans about the little research she did about the latest trend on social media. "I’ve been told that the real meaning behind this movement is more somber than it may seem; "This challenge originated in Turkey in order to raise awareness about the high rates of femicide in the country; "Turkish people wake up every day to see a b&w photo of a woman who has been murdered on their IG feed, on their newspapers, on their TV; "Then this b&w photo challenge started as a way for women to raise their voice. To stand in solidarity with the women we have lost. To show that one day, it could...

Kapuso actor David Licauco lives a healthy lifestyle, and his toned, chiseled physique reflects the hard work and discipline that define this positive outlook. A cursory look through his Instagram and other social media feeds reveals his passion for sports and his constant commune with the great outdoors, which serve as his welcome respite from his backbreaking showbiz schedule. With such a self-affirming mindset, it’s not surprising that David’s latest business venture reflects his healthy lifestyle and life-changing mindset. The 25-year-old Chinito heartthrob is all smiles as he excitedly launches his very own brand, As Nature Intended (asnatureintended.ph)—an online one-stop shop for everything you need to sustain a holistic lifestyle. The online shop offers a diverse selection of various brands of guilt-free food, skincare products, nutraceuticals/sports supplements, workout/athletic gear, and even wine. David explains: “We established As Nature Intended as a one-stop shop for ever...

She is known as the country͛s Popstar Royalty with a very large and loyal fan base. Even if she is busy with her showbiz commitments, Sarah Geronimo-Guidicelli makes sure that she closely monitors her health and that she takes her Vitamin C every day. Now that Sarah has settled down and is ready to start her own family, she knows that she has to prioritize her and her family͛s immunity in these unprecedented times͘ Sarah has found a new partner in strengthening her immunity as she is the new celebrity endorser of Fern-C. "͞Inferness, Fern-C is a big help for me because most of the time, I leave the house without eating breakfast," Sarah related͘. "Fern-C is sodium ascorbate, so I can take it even on an empty stomach without having to worry about getting the acidic side effect͘." Fern-C is the number one sodium ascorbate brand that can up our immunity without the acidity caused by other Vitamin C brands. It is an immune system booster, an anti-oxidant and increases r...

Sorry guys, no Miss World beauty pageant this year! This was announced by Julia Morley, chairman and CEO of Miss World to all national licence holders, on Facebook July 29. Morley's full announcement: "The 70th Miss World Final will be held in the latter part of 2021. Host Country/Venue will be confirmed very soon; "We have made the decision to delay the 70th Miss World Final. Safety is paramount as we continue the fight against Covid 19 - We look forward to welcoming the Miss World family to our very special celebrations next year." (updated program and schedule will follow soon). The Miss World pageant is the longest-running beauty contest in history. - Robert Requintina

Bollywood star and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been discharged from hospital after recovering from Covid-19. This was announced by the Miss World Organization on Facebook July 28. "Miss World 1994 and one of Bollywood's most famous faces, left Mumbai's Nanavati hospital along with her daughter Aaradhya earlier on Monday; "Her husband Abhishek Bachchan tweeted thanking people for their "continued prayers and good wishes; "Everyone at Miss World is happy to hear this announcement" said Miss World Chairman and CEO Julia Morley - "its the best news we could have received!; "We would like to thank all the Miss World fans for their many messages of support," Morley said in a statement. - Robert Requintina

The Miss World Philippines (MWP) organization announced its acquisition of the Miss Supranational title. This latest addition makes the Miss Supranational one of the biggest and coveted titles in the Miss World Philippines organization’s roster, which currently includes: Reina Hispanoamericana, Miss Eco International, Miss Eco Teen International, Miss Multinational, and Miss Philippines Tourism. MWP National Director Arnold Vegafria is greatly excited about his new partnership with the Miss Supranational organization, represented by its president Gerhard Parzutka Von Lipinski. “Aside from strengthening our foothold in the local and global pageant scenes, the addition of the Miss Supranational title will provide our aspiring Filipina queens with another relevant platform for women empowerment,” he said. “We are thankful for the trust and confidence that the Miss Supranational organization has given us, and we assure them of our commitment and our world-class brand of production values t...

          Senator Cynthia Villar welcomed the call of President Rodrigo Duterte in his State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) to utilize the coconut levy fund “for the welfare of coconut farmers and the development of the coconut industry”.             Villar has also been pushing for the release and utilization of the coco levy since 2016. The coco levy refers to the taxes imposed on coconut farmers from 1971 to 1983. The amount collected is now estimated to be P105 billion.             “Like the President, I believe that the the urgent utilization of the coconut levy fund will help uplift the lives of coconut farmers. It is long overdue, the monies of our coconut farmers, which they rightfully own, will also benefit the coconut industry, not only the 3.5 million coconut farmers,” said Villar.             In his 5th SONA, the President also urged “both Houses of Congress to pa...

You could be the first Aliwan Fiesta Digital Queen 2020! The search is on for Aliwan Fiesta Digital Queen 2020. It is open to ladies 16-28 years old, single, with pleasing personality, and must have been born biologically female.  Candidates should be well-versed in the culture, customs, and traditions of their respective regions. Each contestant must be able to demonstrate a unique talent to a high degree of excellence, either in the visual or performing arts, craft or design, athletics, or culinary expertise. The candidate should be a natural beauty, armed with poise and confidence, and able to express herself well in either English or Pilipino. "This will be a title distinct from Reyna ng Aliwan, which will continue to be part of the mammoth festive convergence which ties together the country’s tourism efforts, but which was cancelled this year due to the pandemic. Despite the lockdown that the country is currently observing, the hopes and dreams of beauteous and talented Filip...

Filipino actress Marinella Moran couldn't be much happier these days because her good-looking son Alexander Robin Hardman, only one-year-old, is already getting the attention of print and TV commercial executives abroad. "Modesty aside, my son is good-looking but I did not expect him to get commercial offers this early," said Marinella during an exclusive online chat recently. Born on May 23, 2019 in Singapore, Alexander is 75 percent German and 25 percent Asian. But Marinella said that she has not decided on the offers for her son. "I am so thankful for these offers for my son," she said. "I still don't know if I would allow Alexander to join show business at a young age. I want him to focus on studies soon. But I am not closing his doors on showbiz opportunities."   "We stay at home most of the time and we are under home quarantine. Alexander and I bond together and he plays a lot in the house," she said. It was in the late 1990s when M...

Miss Universe Philippines strives to break pageant norms and build a new Miss Universe that promotes empowered beauty with a purpose through its new online series, Ring Light , which premieres at www.empire.ph on  Sept. 27. Going beyond preliminaries and the coronation night, Ring Light is the first of its kind in the world as it gives pageant fans a closer look at what it truly takes to become a beauty queen. From rigorous training to fascinating challenges and fun, behind-the-scenes activities, Ring Light proves that there’s more to beauty than meets the eye.   Composed of eight episodes, the series follows 50 aspiring Miss Universe Philippines candidates and takes viewers through their inspiring journey to the crown. Each episode will take the viewer through learnings, challenges, preliminaries, and finally, the coronation night.   A portion of each subscription will go to the candidates’ chosen beneficiary as well as partner organizations. Each Miss Universe...

As quarantine restrictions relax in many areas, Sen. Cynthia Villar reminded the public not to be complacent and stressed the need to continue to practice protocols prescribed by the health department to stop the spread of COVID-19. “As we begin to adjust to the new normal way of life, we should not put our guards down. Alalahanin natin na nandyan pa rin ang virus at wala pang bakuna laban sa COVID-19 kaya kailangang sumunod sa health protocols,” Villar said. Villar also said the growing body of evidence saying that face masks and cloth face coverings help prevent the spread of the virus proves that we can defend ourselves against the virus while waiting for the vaccine. Together with her daughter Camille, who sits as Representative of the lone district of Las Pinas, Villar distributed 2,000 tarpaulins in the different barangays of the city to remind residents of the needed health protocols such as the wearing of face mask, practice of physical distancing and frequent hand-washing. “We...

Paul John Dela Cruz Carlos, 24, of Capas, Tarlac, is a miracle boy. He's grateful for this wonderful blessing and enjoying the second life God has given him. When he was eight years old, Paul John was hit by a vehicle while crossing the street. His parents recalled he was bloodied and unconscious when found after the accident. "Sabi nila akala nila hindi na ako mabubuhay. Sa pagkaka-alam ng mga tao na nakatira sa lugar doon, namamatay daw lahat ng bata na nababangga ng sasakyan. Ako lang daw ang alam nilang nabuhay sa aksidente roon," said Paul John in an exclusive chat. Having survived that day, Paul John believes he has other missions in life to fulfill. In 2021, one of the things he wants to pursue is to join the prestigious male competition Misters of Filipinas, home to Neil Perez, Don McGyver Cochico, Ion Perez, and many more. "Nanood ako last year ng finals. Nag-cheer ako sa Team Tarlac. So ngayon nag-re-ready na ako. I start by keeping myself fit," said P...

Meet Jose Edwiniel C. Guilas, popularly known in corporate world and broadcast industry as Joee C. Guilas. He's a news anchor for People's Television (PTV4) and Director for Corporate Communications at Resorts World Manila. Born on July 27, 1969, just a few days after Gloria Diaz captured the first Miss Universe crown for the Philippines, Joee is success personified. This cordial and glowing guy has an eclectic taste in fashion. Yet Joee, an economics graduate from the University of the Philippines, is never afraid to wear his mood, his personality at a given time. He also loves shopping! Joee currently enjoys his stint in government service (as news anchor for PTV4). For this respected guy, working for the government means serving the people. "People who have known me for years would know that being in PTV is my very first foray into government service, having worked for some of the country’s biggest private companies in various capacities.  I’d say working as a professio...

Michael V. has tested positive with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The Kapuso comedian announced the news and documented his journey on his latest vlog post on  Monday morning. According to Bitoy, he experienced flu-like symptoms the last time he tried to vlog. "Siyempre nag-isolate na kagad ako, nag-quarantine na kagad ako. I took medicine nagpa-check up ako sa doctor online. I got better the following day," he said. Experiencing COVID-19 symptoms early on, Bitoy said he had a weird sensation on his nasal area and lost his sense of smell and taste. (GMA News) For full story, click: https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/showbiz/chikaminute/747613/michael-v-tests-positive-for-covid-19/story/

Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts have signed on to star in the family drama “Leave the World Behind,” based on the upcoming Rumaan Alam novel. Netflix has landed feature film rights to the novel, and the deal is believed to be a blockbuster payday for the two A-list stars. Sam Esmail, whose credits include “Mr. Robot” and “Homecoming” (on which he worked with Roberts), is attached to direct from his own adapted script. “Leave the World Behind” is a story about two families, strangers to each other, who are forced together on a long weekend gone terribly wrong. Roberts will play the mother of the family that rents a house and Washington will portray the homeowner. The story explores the complexities of parenthood, race, and class — along with how our closest bonds are reshaped in moments of crisis. “Leave the World Behind” will be published by Ecco this October. (Variety.com) For full story, click: https://variety.com/2020/film/news/denzel-washington-julia-roberts-leave-the-world-beh...

Queen of All Media Kris Aquino recalled that she bonded with her father the late Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. by reading books during his exile in the US. "As a child, during our 3 years in the 🇺🇸, para mas makilala namin ang isa’t isa (i was only 1 year and 7 months old nung nakulong sya, and 9 years old when we lived in exile in Boston kaya um-effort talaga ang dad ko) - every month may bonding kami, just the 2 of us. We would go to Barnes & Noble and i was allowed to choose as many books as i wanted, provided i read all, then after we’d eat ice cream... maybe now you’ll understand why i LOVE reading- because that started as our special father-daughter memory," said Kris on Instagram. Ninoy, husband of former President Corazon Aquino, was assassinated at the Manila International Airport on August 21, 1983. Cory later became the 11th President of the Philippines from 1986-1992. Kris also congratulated her friend Kevin Kwan for his latest novel "Sex...

The movie's strong performance in select Asian markets is welcome news for the film business amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis. South Korean filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho’s Peninsula — a follow-up to the 2016 cult zombie action flick Train to Busan — scored $19 million to $20 million in its international debut in a much-needed boost for the box office, according to early industry estimates. That includes more than $13 million to $14 million in South Korea despite capacity limitations and ongoing concerns amid the novel coronavirus. The film also launched over the weekend in four other Asian markets, including Taiwan. While cinemas remain shuttered in the U.S., theaters in many regions overseas are reopening, albeit it with social distancing measures in place such as staggered seating. Yoen's film helped propel Imax to its first $1 million weekend box office since the coronavirus pandemic struck earlier this year, including $750,000 from 45 screens the five Asian markets. South Korea...