That Disney magic on SkyCable

My friend’s ultimate dream is to be a princess with her hair always in a fabulous bouffant. She dreams of wearing outrageous gowns that would put Donatella Versace’s haute couture collection to shame. My friend’s name is Hermogenes. By sunset, he becomes Noemi.

Of course, he could never be a Disney princess. Maybe a Cruella de Vil or Ursula. Move over girls!

Hermogenes is a rabid Disney fan (and a SkyCable subscriber) and he has reason to rejoice because starting July 1, the country’s leading cable provider is finally carrying the Disney Channel. The announcement was made by Jon Niermann, Managing Director for Walt Disney Television Asia-Pacific and President of WDTV Asia in a simple yet fun contract signing ceremony held at the Makati Shangri-La. Hermogenes couldn’t be happier. This is what Cinderella must have felt when the Prince gave her the elusive glass slipper she unwitingly lost in a night of magic!

Besides SkyCable’s carriage of the Mouse Channel, Jon also announced a deal between the Disney Channel and Home Cable affiliates outside of Metro Manila. Both SkyCable and Home Cable will also offer the Disney Channel Mandarin served as a premium service on their systems. The Mandarin feed is both subtitled and dubbed. This agreement also effectively renews the existing relationship of Disney Channel with Home Cable’s affiliate systems and extends the relationship to Sky Cable subscribers.

"We’re extremely pleased to be able to renew our relationship with Home Cable in the Philippines and to extend the magic of Disney Channel to kids and families on Sky Cable," said Jon.

The agreement was signed just last Monday by Eugenio Lopez III, Chairman of Beyond Cable Inc. and Jon. "My kids have been badgering me about Sky Cable carrying the Disney Channel and now, we finally have them!" Gabby Lopez declared.

Disney Channel was launched in the Philippines two years ago over Home Cable and on various other systems throughout the country. Since then, there has been a steady increase in the number of systems that have signed carriage agreements with the channel.

Disney Channel Asia, headed by Managing Director and good friend Raymund Miranda, is available in five countries in the region: Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines.

"We’ve been very well received in the Philippines," said Raymund. "Our performance in the Philippines over the past years has exceeded our expectatons in terms of ratings success and the warmth with which kids and families have received us into their homes."

Disney Channel offers an unparalleled blend of quality Disney entertainment, as well as distinctive acquired and originally produced programs for kids and their families. This includes Disney’s blockbuster animated and live action movies plus a wealth of classic and new Disney animated series, sitcoms, family dramas and music shows along with specially developed Pan-Asian events and programs unique to Disney Channel.

Disney Channel offers television that engages the audience, invites kids to participate and stimulate the best kind of magic – the imagination.

Hermogenes, go ahead! Imagine you’re Princess Jasmine!

Baron’s b-day celebration

Harvard Jeans USA recently held a celebrity night featuring all its image models like Maricar de Mesa and Sarah Christophers at Cork in 9501, Quezon City. The event doubled as the birthday celebration of the brand’s endorser, Baron Geisler.

Baron is fast emerging as one of the more important young stars. His performance in Anak was very memorable. I just hope he can star in more movies and TV shows.

Food and drinks overflowed in the party. Among those joined in the fun were Baron’s friends Miko Palanca, Alfred Vargas, his brother Taekwando champion Donald, Star Circle’s Jhoanna del Rio and Talent Center’s amiable staffers Eric John, Portia and Tess. Members of the press were also there to join in the fun – Jocelyn Valle, Rein Escano, Nora Calderon, Rey Pumaloy etc. And of course, all the hardworking and charming executives of Harvard Jeans were there, too.

Happy birthday, Baron!