Guess who I met in Kadayawan

Davao City — Todo kalingawan or all-out fun described the recently-held Kadayawan Festival in Davao City. Sharing its brand of festivity was GMA 7 with the regional station TV-5 by sending in the heart of revelry its Manila-based and local talents. The Kapuso network has been covering the thanksgiving festival since 2002 and coming up humongous floats three years ago.

GMA 7 has never failed to pack its venues for mall shows and meet-and-greet activities. This year, 5,000 Dabawenyos occupied the first and second floors of NCCC’s activity center to get a glimpse of their favorite stars.

Gracing the Aug. 24-afternoon show were Iza Calzado, Robin Padilla, JC de Vera and Rochelle Pangilinan.

Rochelle treated fans to a sing-and-dance production number showing the Sexbomb Dancers’ signature belly-swaying moves and the novelty diva in her via Baile. The screaming reached decibel level when Robin came on stage and thanked everybody for the support Joaquin Bordado received from this side of the country.

Iza, whose international movie Echo will be soon out in the Philippines before its Hollywood premiere, sang the OPM ballad, Ako’y Sa’yo at Ika’y Akin Lamang, while JC serenaded the blushing female crowd with Hajji Alejandro hit Nakapagtataka.

But what pleasantly surprised me was to see StarStruck Avenger Chuck Allie who is in a self-imposed hiatus from show business. Chuck still has that famous chinky eyes and picture-perfect smile. The talent, reality show Avenger was the host of the Kapuso mall show and is the co-host of GMA Regional network-produced lifestyle, magazine show Istayl Nato!, airing Sundays at 10:45 a.m.

“I went back to Davao last year,” replies Chuck when asked about his sudden disappearance from the Kapuso shows. “I decided to stay because my dad was sick at that time, but he is fine now. He wanted me to concentrate on my studies. I’m the only one who hasn’t finished college in the family.”

Quitting showbiz was a tough act for someone like Chuck for whom making it to the limelight is a childhood dream. After all, he was one of the few in his batch who immediately landed TV hosting and acting jobs when the artista search ended. It took Chuck six months to finally give in to his father’s wish.

Chuck is a Business Administration student majoring in Marketing at the Ateneo de Davao University. Before he left his promising career in Manila, local tinseltown saw him dishing out the latest intrigues on Startalk’s Struck Attack, displaying his acting mettle on Mahawi Man Ang Ulap (with Nadine Samonte and Dennis Trillo) and Magic Kamison and performing skills on S.O.P.

“My mind was really set on my studies when I came here,” says Chuck. “Then GMA Davao learned of my return and they offered me a material I couldn’t refuse to do. Show business is something I can put aside for a while and I can return to again. I’m co-hosting the show with Carinne Cabebe, the national winner of a modeling TV search. My job is fun to do. I get to travel and dine and meet interesting people.” 

Is Davao showbiz also intrigued-infested like in Metro Manila?

“The local press does not dabble in the artists’ personal mistakes,” answers Chuck. “They are concerned with our work. There are no intrigues at all to deal with here. However, I feel happy that whenever I check my forum on the Net, there are still those who encourage me to go back to Manila. And I promise to do so when I graduate two years from now. I really want to finish my studies. I don’t want my focus to be diverted to other things. If there’s one thing I regret with my decision about taking the backseat, it is not seeing my friends in Manila but there’s a cell phone if I feel the need to talk to them. I’m happy that I’m fulfilling my parents’ wish.”

Before the NCCC mall show, Unang Hirit barkada shared with Dabawenyos their dose of news and entertainment at the People’s Park. Last Sunday, dancesport enthusiasts participated in the Kapuso Dancesport Competition displaying show-stopping choreography. There were also Sponsors Booths that added fun to the Kapuso Night at the NCCC mall.

With GMA 7’s talents leading the annual event, the Kapuso brand of fun, family entertainment was indeed felt in Davao.