The brightest stars of ABS-CBN joined forces to send love and celebrate Christmas in Isang Pamilya Tayo: The ABS-CBN Christmas Special aired in two parts last weekend.
Deafening cheers and screams filled the Araneta Coliseum as fans witnessed the biggest Kapamilya stars giving thanks to viewers for their unwavering support.
“Christmas, just like change, is permanent in our world. This season, let us come together as one family despite the changes that have happened in our society,” ABS-CBN Chairman Gabby Lopez said.
ABS-CBN Chief Content Officer Charo Santos-Concio thanked the millions of Kapamilya followers for their love and support through the years. “I thank you all for your stories that you continue to share through MMK (Maalaala Mo Kaya) for 25 years. Your stories have inspired us to be hopeful despite life’s trials,” she said.
“With the changes, trials, and misunderstandings that we went through this 2016, we assure your that there is still hope for our country and for our families. Every Christmas is more meaningful when we celebrate it as one family,” said Carlo Katigbak, ABS-CBN’s president and CEO.
Leading the celebration were the country’s top love teams, KathNiel (Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla), JaDine (James Reid and Nadine Lustre), and LizQuen (Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil), with the hottest Kapamilya leading men, Piolo Pascual, John Lloyd Cruz, Jericho Rosales, Zanjoe Marudo, Xian Lim, Gerald Anderson, and the rest of the dashing stars of ABS-CBN, which will surely bring kilig to viewers.
Also joining the celebration were the cast of FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano led by Coco Martin with child stars Awra Briguela and Onyok Pineda. ABS-CBN comedy programs also took center stage with the cast of Banana Split, Home Sweetie Home, and Goin’ Bulilit bringing fun and laughter.
Vice Ganda, Anne Curtis, Vhong Navarro, Billy Crawford, and the rest of It’s Showtime family did a spectacular performance that sent good vibes to everyone.
Music was also a highlight of the show with “Tawag ng Tanghalan” finalists and ASAP’s Birit Queens and Soul Sessions providing world-class performances.
Aside from music, the night was also about kilig as teen idols Bailey May, Ylona Garcia, Joshua Garcia, Julia Barretto, Ronnie Alonte, Jairus Aquino, Sharlene San Pedro and other most favorite teen stars make viewers giddy in their number.
★★★★★
Superstar Duets declared Nar Cabico as the grand champion.
On his Instagram post, Nar thanked his fans that supported him during the celebrity singing competition and his home network for letting him be part of the show.
Jerald Napoles, the other finalist and one of Cabico’s closest friends in the industry was happy and proud of Nar. He shared their humble and modest beginnings as artists in his Instagram account. “Raaaaaahh!! Superstar Duets Season 1 grand winner @narcab!! It’s an honor to be your 1st runner-up. 10 yrs ago naghahati lang tayo sa kanta, para lang makapagperform sa entablado reliever pa, haha kaya ngayon… deserve mo yan!! afford na natin mag tapsilog! i also wanna thank @gmanetwork for giving opportunities to theater actors like us. Maraming salamat po sa “pagsugal”. ”
★★★★★
Comedienne Eugene Domingo returns as “Eugene Domingo” in the sequel of the most successful and box-office film, Ang Babae sa Septic Tank, simply titled Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2 (ABSST2).
The funnier, zanier, braver and more exciting sequel brings us close to one of our favorite movie genres, the Pinoy rom-com.
In the sequel, Eugene’s character prepares for her “comeback” after a long respite from acting, together with director (Kean Cipriano), line producer (Cai Cortez) and new production assistant (Khalil Ramos).
The director’s new project for her is called “The Itinerary,” an emotionally-charged story of how a couple’s marriage goes through a rocky phase so to salvage the union, they revisit Baguio City, where they spent their “honeymoon.”
Eugene liked the project but had other plans in mind. In the movie within a movie, the director’s vision collides with her idea.
Unwittingly, the director turns the supposed original script into a Pinoy rom-com material about a failed relationship/marriage.
Eugene says the Ang Babae sa Septic Tank sequel is a perfect vehicle for her big screen comeback.
“Everybody here is inspired. Ang ganda! Ang perfect ng timing! Ang perfect ng cast. Perfect ang script. It’s a perfect family movie this Christmas,” Uge states.
ABSST2 is indeed for fans of romantic comedies, which starred the likes of Bea Alonzo, John Lloyd Cruz, Sarah Geronimo and other love teams.
“Laugh trip ito. Lahat sila ay kikiligin. Mararamdaman mong lahat kami ay in love,” adds Eugene.
Playing the comedienne’s leading man in the film are multi-awarded actors Jericho Rosales and Joel Torre.
“Jericho’s funny and cooperative. ‘Yung comedy sa kanya, natural. Tribute ko naman ito kay Joel. Long-time crush ko siya at matagal na niyang alam ‘yon. Habang nagkakaedad, lalong gumuguwapo!” Eugene exclaims.
If the MMFF selection committee thought ABSST2 is worthy of a slot in the Magic 8, the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB), meanwhile, gave it Grade of A with the following comments – “The multi-layered film within a film was structurally creative if unavoidably self-referencing, then again this is not your usual slapstick. And though the novelty from the first Septic Tank has worn off a bit, there’s still the tour de force performance of the lead Domingo, who takes over the film.”
“The discourse between indie and mainstream seems never ending and Septic Tank 2 elevates the issue to sublime hilarity. Satire should not always be an acquired taste, and the Rivera-Martinez tandem continues to raise the bar for situational irony, not all alien to the masses of holiday moviegoers.”
From the day its full trailer was posted online, the MMFF entry received millions of likes, views and shares. In addition to this, its music video, “Forever’s Not Enough,” by singer Jona got favorable response as well.
Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2 opens on Christmas Day, a production of Quantum Films, MJM Productions, Tuko Film Production and Buchi Boy Entertainment, producers of the blockbuster and award-winning MMFF entries English Only, Please and #Walang Forever.