US-based Nora Aunor gets busy with concert, film, album

Is it true that a popular couple is on the verge of a breakup (if they haven’t broken up yet) as of this writing? According to the grapevine, the guy has been drawn to his co-star in the top-rating TV series produced by a top network.

The people involved in the production of the TV series have noticed the extra special attention that the guy and her popular co-star are giving each other. The talks of a breakup between the guy and his equally popular girlfriend are fanned by rumors that the guy’s co-star in the series had also broken up with her boyfriend.

So far, no one has been talking or giving any information about the alleged breakup (if they had indeed parted ways as it is being talked about in hush-hush fashion). Our source suspects that the guy must have fallen out of love with his girlfriend, maybe, just maybe, because he has fallen for the charm of his co-star. This could be because they have been constantly together, day in and day out, and going together for out-of-town and out-of-country trips to promote their projects together.

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Joseph Bitangcol goes daring and more in his latest movie and probably his biggest role to date in “Walang Kawala.” Directed by Joel Lamangan for DMV Entertainment, the trailer of the movie can now be seen on You Tube. Playing Joseph’s gay lover in the film is Polo Ravales, who worked with Direk Joel in “Blue Moon” from Regal Entertainment and “Silip” produced by Seiko Films.

In the movie, Joaquin (Polo Ravales), an unassuming fisherman, is forced to confront his homosexuality when his sex-starved wife Cynthia (Althea Vega) returns from her overseas job eager to get pregnant. His young and impulsive lover, Waldo (Joseph Bitangcol), flees to Manila in disgust. After a month of hesitation, Joaquin follows Waldo. His search takes him on a trip through Manila's gay underbelly. He discovers Waldo's dangerous flirtation with Rufo (Emilio Garcia), a bisexual rogue cop who holds the clue to Waldo's disappearance. Rufo lures Joaquin into his home and introduces him to his submissive wife, Beng (Jean Garcia). A sadist who beats up Beng regularly, Rufo turns Joaquin into a prisoner like what he did to Waldo. When Joaquin is finally reunited with Waldo, he discovers that Rufo is about to sell them like fish to an international sex trafficking ring, along with his other captives. With Beng's help, the two plot their escape. The movie is written by Eric Ramos and is produced by Manny Valera.

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Nora Aunor is having a concert on October 24 titled “Sa Iyo Pa Rin” to be held at the Grand Theater of Los Angeles Trade Tech College in Downtown Los Angeles. The concert is the superstar’s first major solo performance in a long time and will coincide with the release of her new album. The still untitled album is produced by HIFI Productions and crafted by the award-winning composer/songwriter husband and wife team Bodjie Dasig and Odette Quesada.

The superstar will be singing at least five original songs from the new album—songs which according to her convey inspirational messages and timeless themes. The concert is for a worthy cause as it aims to raise funds for the continuous improvement of the Historic Filipinotown to make it a worthy tourist destination in the heart of Los Angeles. 

Nora said she’s mounting the concert for her fans that have never ceased to support her and she cites them as the reason why she’s still here, still very much in the entertainment scene. She said she won’t forget the support of her loyal fans. She’s doing the concert to be of help to her fellow Filipinos in Los Angeles.

Backing Dasig and Quesada are a team composed of veteran concert director Jet Montelibano as technical director, Celebrity Chronicle publisher Tony Vizmonte as concert line producer, and comedian Joseph Gelito, who will provide the entertainment and comic support to the October 24 concert. Front acts include Maaikee and Abby Hall.

Incidentally, we heard the news that famed director Mario O’Hara is flying to Los Angeles sometime this October to shoot the movie “La Loba Negra” with Nora in the lead. This will be produced by Tony Viloria, who produced the critically-acclaimed “Batang West Side,” the five-hour film directed by Lav Diaz. This will be Viloria’s comeback project as producer.

The director, who has a fear of flying, will have to conquer his fear of heights to make the trip to the United States to shoot the long-delayed project, with Nora in the lead.

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 “Mag-ingat Ka Sa…Kulam” is a certified box-office hit. According to Mother Lily Monteverde and her daughter Roselle, the movie grossed more than P31 million as of Sunday, October 5. This should warm the heart of Judy Ann Santos and Dennis Trillo who are reunited in this project after their first movie together.

So happy is Mother Lily of the box-office success of “Mag-ingat Ka Sa…Kulam” that she is throwing a blowout party for the cast of the movie today at 2 p.m. at her Imperial Palace Suites in Tomas Morato, Quezon City.