Last Wednesday, November 5, marked one of the biggest days for the 64 young ladies from all over the 7,107 islands of the archipelago as they were introduced to the members of the press at The Glass Garden as official candidates of the newest and most exciting spectacle to date, known as Turismo Pilipinas 2008, The Pageant.
“This is a dream come true,” Precious Lara Quigaman (Ms. International 2005), president of Turismo Pilipina Charities, Inc. (TPCI), told the press as she was asked how she feels about her newest project. “Me and my best girlfriends (Denille Lou Valmonte, Binibining Pilipinas-International 2006 and Karen Loren Agustin-Ostrea, Binibining Pilipinas-Universe 2002, vice president and secretary of the TPCI board, respectively) dreamed about having our own pageant for years after serving our reigns as beauty queens.”
“This is the first time that we have gathered all the candidates together. I feel like crying because all our efforts did not go to naught. This is what we have been working at for all these months. We have invested not only our time but also our blood, sweat and tears. I feel like crying because I see all the girls and I am proud of what we have accomplished so far,” added Lara.
The candidates have to pass a certain criteria like height requirement. The girls were likewise given training on how to project themselves, speak, among other areas where they need to improve on. “The candidate should come out good in a whole package. If she doesn’t walk well, we can let that pass because we can improve on that through the training,” said Lara.
“I am so excited and whenever I see the girls being interviewed on TV, naiiyak talaga ako kasi feeling ko mommy ako tapos mga anak ko sila. Pinagdaanan ko kasi iyan. Ang feeling ko parang ako si Madame Stella Marquez Araneta,” she said. “After what we’ve gone through in putting up this pageant, now I already know what the stress Madame Araneta is going through, especially that she’s alone in her job.”
When asked to comment on rumors that Madame Araneta didn’t like the idea of she and her friends putting up Turismo Pilipina, thinking it was mounted to rival Binibining Pilipinas, Lara wouldn’t want to say anything. She’d rather focus on the many concerns of Turismo Pilipina since the pageant night is fast approaching.
Floy Quintos is the overall stage director, together with the best creative staff carefully chosen by the organization. Vincent de Jesus, an award-winning musical composer, arranger and scorer, wrote and arranged the theme for the pageant entitled “Ganyan ang Pilipina, Ganda ng Pilipinas.”
Turismo Pilipina, The Pageant is going to have a pre-pageant night on November 10, 2008 at the Ynares Stadium in Pasig City, where they will determine the lucky 15 semifinalists and all the special awardees. The Grand Coronation Night is going to happen on November 14 at the AFP Theater at 7 o’clock in the evening.
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GMA Films’ “One True Love” is being released on November 19. But it’s no guarantee that Dingdong Dantes will have the luxury of a grand vacation before he plunges back to work in a new series titled, “Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang.”
Aside from being busy with the promotion of “One True Love,” Dingdong Dantes is also set to do two commercials. He’s also leaving for Los Angeles for a show with Marian titled “Let’s Celebrate” that will be held at the Shrine Auditorium.
Dingdong is giving his career top priority. This is probably his way of trying to forget the effect of his break-up with Karylle. The more busy he is, the less time he’d probably spend thinking what went wrong with his three-year relationship with the daughter of Zsa Zsa Padilla that led to a break-up.
But with the many things that he’s supposed to do, Dingdong would certainly have no time to mope about a failed relationship.
While Dingdong has said time and again that Marian Rivera had nothing to do with his break-up with Karylle, we can’t stop the public from thinking otherwise.
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Fans continuously support the team-up of Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson because of their superb performance in their roles as April and Keeno in the mini-series Your Song Presents My Only Hope aired every Sunday on ABS-CBN.
In the next episode, April and Keeno will officially become an item but April wants to keep their relationship a secret. Jhun (Enchong Dee) will finally have the guts to confess to April that he loves her but it’s too late because April’s heart now belongs to someone else. Meanwhile, Keeno and April will go back to Boracay to celebrate their love for each other.
Will Jhun continue to love April even if he got rejected? What will be the problems that might come along April and Keeno’s way? Catch Kim and Gerald in Your Song Presents My Only Hope aired every Sunday, after ASAP ‘08 on ABS-CBN! For more updates on Your Song Presents: My Only Hope, log on to www.abs-cbn.com or http://myonlyhope.multiply.com.