Daniel Padilla, Kathryn Bernardo win 'Face of the Year Awards' in Vietnam

MANILA, Philippines - The Kathniel fever has officially hit Vietnam after Vietnamese fans voted for Philippine television’s Teen King and Queen, Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo, as the Best Foreign Actor and Actress at the 2016 Face of the Year Awards happening tonight, January 8 in Ho Chi Minh City.

CONGRATULATIONS KathNiel! Daniel Padilla, Kathryn Bernardo won
Best Foreign Actor and Actress Award in Vietnam

The two got the highest number of public votes in the said categories for their portrayals in the series “Got to Believe,” which aired last year on Vietnamese television via IMC’s Today TV. The show proved to be a big hit among viewers and rated very well on its 7 PM to 8 PM daily primetime slot.

Kathryn and Daniel will personally receive their respective awards at the gala night to be held in Ho Chi Minh City’s Opera House.

'#KathNielFaceOfTheYearVietnam' trended on top spot Friday morning as fans and supporters send congratulatory messages to the loveteam.
Last year, Richard Yap and Jodi Sta. Maria also won the same awards for their series “Be Careful with My Heart,” which was also phenomenal in the said country.

Other dramas that aired in Vietnam in recent years include “Mara Clara,” “The Legal Wife,” Sana Bukas Pa ang Kahapon,” and “Ikaw Lamang.”

Master Showman German Moreno passes away at 82

MANILA, Philippins - Veteran TV host German Moreno died of cardiac arrest at around 3:20 am on Friday, January 8, his nephew John Nite confirmed.

The showbiz icon suffered a mild stroke in January last year.  German Moreno’s legacy in the Philippine entertainment industry lives on. PHOTO CREDIT: Facebook/Anne Curtis

More popularly known as “Kuya Germs”, the popular 82-year-old TV personality hosted the then long-running youth-oriented show That's Entertainment and the late-night variety show Walang Tulugan with the Master Showman.

Prior to becoming an actor, Moreno worked as a janitor and a curtain raiser at the Clover Theater. Since he started his career in showbiz in the 1960’s, Moreno worked as a host, actor, comedian as well as talent manager.

In the 1980’s, Moreno was given his biggest break when he hosted the GMA Supershow.

Celebrities express their grief over Master Showman’s passing.

(READ: Celebrities, netizens mourn death of Kuya Germs)

One of Moreno’s showbiz protégés Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno issued a statement over Moreno’s unfortunate passing.

"He opened the doors for me and to be honest, wala ho sigurong Isko Moreno ngayon kung walang Kuya Germs. Wala akong ka talent talent noon sa pagkanta o pagsayaw but he took a risk on me, at yun ang naging susi ko upang maiahon ko ang sarili at pamilya ko sa kahirapan.”

(There would be no Isko Moreno today if there was no Kuya Germs. I had no talent in singing and dancing but he took a risk on me. He was the reason why I was able to get out of poverty.)

TV host-actor Billy Crawford, a former regular at the now-defunct show That’s Entertainment, shared a message for Moreno, a man he considers a father figure, on his Instagram page. Crawford and his girlfriend Colleen Garcia are currently in Africa for a holiday break.

"I’m sad that I'm not there next to you to say my goodbyes. You will be missed tremendously. We fought, we laughed, we cried, we sang, we danced and we shared the same stage for so many years! And I want to just thank you for teaching me and guiding me through everything. It hurts to see you leave us, but God is right there to make you rest and enjoy eternity with Him. I also pray for your family to be strong and to carry a smile like you always did. You will always be our MASTER SHOWMAN! Most importantly you will always be my father and I will always be your makulit na adopted son! RIP, Pa. I love you,” Crawford wrote.

-Mini/TheSummitExpress

Celebrities, netizens mourn death of Kuya Germs

MANILA, Philippines - The death of the Master Showman of local showbiz German "Kuya Germs" Moreno, sent shockwaves through the Twitter world Friday morning.

German "Kuya Germs" Moreno died Friday morning due to cardiac arrest.
Photo Credit: GMA News

Kuya Germs, 82, died past 3 a.m. this morning due to cardiac arrest, according to a report in the GMA morning news program "Unang Hirit."

In a statement by nephew John Nite, it says: ”He passed on in the company of his family and friends. He lived a full life, touched so many hearts through the years, and helped make dreams come true for most of the biggest stars in the Philippine entertainment industry.”

The name 'Kuya Germs' was at the top spot in Twitter's Philippine trends as the netizens heard the sad news.

Celebrities also took to Twitter to mourn the death of the pillar in the Philippine entertainment industry and posted their message of support to the Moreno family.

Thank you Kuya Germs we will miss you 💔 ““You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill… https://t.co/RH3D6Fwc5i

— regine alcasid (@reginevalcasid) January 7, 2016

My dearest compadre and Gary's "friend," passed away at 3:20am. We will never forget you Kuya Germs.The most loyal friend anyone could have.

— Angeli P Valenciano (@AngeliPV) January 7, 2016

RIP, Kuya Germs. And thank you. #ThursdayGroup

— Lea Salonga (@MsLeaSalonga) January 7, 2016

It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving, that's Kuya Germs. Rest in peace Tay.

— Alden Richards (@aldenrichards02) January 7, 2016

RIP Mr German "Kuya Germs Moreno! Thank you for all the entertainment and ur contributions to showbiz industry!! #ALDUBTrust

— shena (@shens07) January 8, 2016

Kuya Germs, Tulog ka na po. Isa ka sa mga nagbigay ng pangalan sa mga hinahangaan namin ngayon. Isa kang alamat. RIP Kuya Germs :(

— Christine Miro (@tine_jlmd) January 8, 2016

Smartphone company celebrates BenCab’s 50 creative years

MANILA, Philippines – National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera is celebrating his 50th year as one of the country’s most renowned artists. As part of the brand’s movement to support the arts, smartphone company Samsung recently opened an interactive exhibit at the Yuchengco Museum to celebrate the National Artist’s creative milestone.

National Artist Benedicto Reyes Cabrera.
Photo Credit: alchetron.com and Samsung Philippines

To coincide with the event, Samsung also unveiled the Galaxy Note5 BenCab Limited Edition, of which only 1,000 units will be made available in the market.

“BenCab in Two Movements” captures the National Artist’s transformational, collaborative spirit and his great willingness to push his craft to the next frontier. The one-of-a-kind exhibit captures how art and technology are intertwined. The show allows visitors to Yuchengco Museum to dance along to BenCab’s collaborator, Polish choreographer Paulina Wycichowska, whose movements are captured in 40 sketches in the 2006 work Studies of Dance Movements. The exhibit uses customized Samsung Smart TV and mobile apps to enhance the visitors’ interactive experience.

Samsung also unveiled the Galaxy Note5 BenCab Limited Edition—a fine marriage between art and technology. Only 1,000 units will be made available in the market. The limited-edition phablet comes in the Gold Platinum Galaxy Note5 variant with three pre-loaded Samsung art applications, exclusive BenCab artwork wallpapers, a commemorative BenCab in Two Movements micro art book, a special protective case featuring BenCab’s 2007 work Dance Interpretation, a certificate of authenticity, and unique serial number engraving at the back of the device.

The launch of the limited-edition Galaxy Note5 captures BenCab’s belief that technology can bring the arts and culture closer to the hearts and minds of Filipinos, a cause embraced by Samsung.

“As an artist, I have always dreamt of one day putting up a museum that would show not only my own work, but Philippine tribal art and contemporary works as well. In the end, all that you leave behind is your work, and I believe that the museum will be my legacy, and also my little contribution to the environment. I also recognize that this legacy would be far more meaningful if it can also be experienced, not just seen. So making my work interactive to the audience is like bringing these museums into people’s lives; with the case of the Galaxy Note5, bringing it to them via their smartphones. It is also one way of making the arts more immersive for people who are used to multimedia,” says the National Artist.

His choice of a device on which to showcase his works also reflects his appreciation of how technology can enhance art. The Galaxy Note5 offers a large 5.7” Quad HD Super AMOLED display, making it the optimal device on which to view his various works. It also comes with the powerfully-enhanced S-Pen that revolutionizes the digital handwriting & drawing experience on mobile devices, and a professional grade 16MP camera, among others.

BenCab’s artistic spirit takes flight with this initiative by Samsung Electronics Philippines, which articulates the technology leader’s commitment to the promotion of artistic expression and cultural development. By leveraging its strengths in technology, Samsung provides an ecosystem for digital art creation and presentation—something that BenCab hopes to fully explore in the future.

Visit ZALORA Philippines website (zlrph.com/samsung-bencab) or go to the select Samsung Experience Store to buy the Galaxy Note5 BenCab Limited Edition smartphone.

OPPO announces new mid-range, photography-focused F Series

MANILA, Philippines - Chinese smartphone company OPPO announced recently its plans to introduce a new product series that will make photography its central focus.

The F series, the core product series for OPPO in 2016, is rooted in a growing global demand for premium-quality mobile photography experiences, and in research that has indicated a strong consumer recognition that “OPPO shoots great photos”.

According to Mr. Sky Li, OPPO Vice President and Managing Director of International Mobile Business, the F series will inherit the excellent camera performance and exquisite design tradition that have earned accolades for OPPO’s flagship series.

The series is expected to bring devices with impressive specs, eye-catching style and amazing prices that will have consumers doing double takes on the excellent specs and build quality.

“We are very excited to introduce the F series, which will allow an even wider range of users from all around the world to experience OPPO’s outstanding photography technology,” said Li.

Meanwhile, OPPO will keep innovating its unique flagship devices to satisfy the continued demand for devices on the vanguard of technology.

OPPO is a global technology brand dedicated to providing consumers across the Americas, Africa, Europe, Oceania, and Asia.

OPPO mobile phones are currently available in over 20 markets and offered for online purchase in over 50 additional countries, with the brand already registered in 116 countries as of April 2015.

Box office update: MMFF 2015 hits P 1.002B-mark on Day 13

MANILA, Philippines - The 8 official entries in the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) have earned a total of P1.002 billion at the box office as of January 6, 2016.

MMFF 2015 TOPGROSSERS. 'Beauty and the Bestie' and 'My Bebe Love'

The MMFF made the confirmation on its Facebook and Twitter pages Thursday night, January 7.

MMFF box-office update as of January 7.

The MMFF 2015 13-day gross (December 25 to January 6) is close with the P1.014 billion earnings as compared to last year which was achieved on January 7.

Meanwhile, the committe did not announce the ranking and earnings of the top 4 films of the festival. Still in no particular order are Vic Sotto and Ai Ai delas Alas starrer "My Bebe Love," Vice Ganda's "Beauty and the Bestie," Janella Salvador's "Haunted Mansion," and MMFF Best Picture "#‎WalangForever‬."

Reports said that 'Beauty and the Bestie' reached P 400 million mark as of Wednesday and now the the leading MMFF entry beating 'My Bebe Love' in box office.

400Million THANK YOUs mga Kapamilya! #BeautyAndTheBestie

— jose marie viceral (@vicegandako) January 6, 2016

Other MMFF entries are 'All You Need Is Pag-Ibig,' 'Buy Now, Die Later,' 'Honor Thy Father' and 'Nilalang.'

Total gross of MMFF 2015 movies is expected to hit P 1.1 billion before its final run on theaters.

‘Global TV network’ Netflix is now available in the Philippines

MANILA - Time for Pinoy movie enthusiasts to rejoice, Netflix is now available in the Philippines!

Netflix’s streaming services is now available in the Philippines. Photo credit: @Netflixhelps

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings announced the good news at the recent Consumer Electronic Show (CES) held on Wednesday, January 7 in Las Vegas. As part of its expansion, the phenomenal 'global TV network' just brought the convenient access to a wide array of films and popular television series to an additional 130 countries including the Philippines.

“With this launch, consumers around the world -- from Singapore to St. Petersburg, from San Francisco to Sao Paulo -- will be able to enjoy TV shows and movies simultaneously -- no more waiting. With the help of the Internet, we are putting power in consumers’ hands to watch whenever, wherever and on whatever device” said Hastings as his group solidifies its stand as the premier digital platform to gain instant access to entertainment.


Pinoys can enjoy Netflix access for only 370 pesos a month

One of the biggest assets of Netflix is that it offers a drastically low rate to its potential users.

In Japan which is one of the first countries being served by Netflix, the basic plan rate is roughly about PHP260 per month while in the United States the rate stands at the same price of PHP370 as in the Philippines.

Aside from the very economical rate, Netflix can be enjoyed free for the first month of subscription by interested users. The Philippine subscription to Netflix ranges from: PHP370 for basic (one device at a time), PHP460 for standard (two devices at a time), PHP550 for premium (four devices at a time)

Streaming services offered by Netflix can be enjoyed on any smart devices. Photo credit: Netflix.com

Not yet in China

While the number of new countries added by Netflix to its service has been overwelming, Asian superpower China is yet to experience it as the company is still trying to find other avenues to penetrate on it. Moreover, North Korea, Crimea and Syria aren't on the list too due to some U.S. government restrictions on American companies.


Death of piracy?

In 2014, the Philippine government though its agencies namely Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), Bureau of Customs and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) seized PHP9.34 billion worth of pirated items. Although the country is now out of the list of the U.S. Trade Representative Special 301 Watchlist, the image of the Philippines as one of the notorious places in Southeast Asia before in terms of producing and patronizing pirated versions of various multimedia products either through hard copies in the form of discs or online through illegal downloading is still there, but is the entry of Netflix signals the end of a ‘pirated’ era?

#NetflixPHShows trends online

personal favorite: Unkabogable Kimmy Schmidt 21 hilarious #NetflixPHShows that should ACTUALLY exist https://t.co/O6PCQK6obY

— Matt Ortile (@ortile) January 7, 2016

Lotlot and F.R.I.E.N.D.S #NetflixPHShows

— Malaysia Soberano (@Cinephilliacy) January 7, 2016

Arrow -- Starring Kris Aquino #NetflixPHShows pic.twitter.com/Jf5U4rKsa4

— John Gilverson (@OhEmGIL) January 7, 2016

Even the ‘Queen of All Media” became a subject of humor of netizens over the Netflix craze!

Will you join the Netflix fad? - Michael Santiago/TheSummitExpress