The Top 10 Credible Endorsers

Curtain-raisers:

•  With Manny V. Pangilinan at the helm, TV5 is, so to speak, in “fighting form,” flexing its muscles and sending (mild) shockwaves through the TV industry which very badly needs the proverbial shot-in-the-arm. We know who have been recruited from GMA (an executive producer, etc.) and ABS-CBN (Dolphy, Maricel Soriano, Cheryl Cosim, etc.) and who are in the final-negotiation stage (among them a Kapamilya TV newscaster/commentator). This year, MVP is launching Studio 5 with six (yes, SIX!) movies lined up in joint ventures with Regal Films, Viva Films and Tony Gloria’s Unitel Pictures. Yes, the more the merrier.

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Celebrities sell...we all know that...whether they’re selling tsismis (in talk shows) or products (especially).

According to the yearend (2009) issue of Adobo magazine (The Word on Advertising), in a survey conducted late last year by Synergy Business Consultancy among 1,000 males and females aged 15 to 60 from all socio-economic levels in Metro Manila, seven out of 10 said they purchased a product because of a celebrity endorser.

Adobo quoted JJ Henson, creative director of Publicis Manila, as saying, “Sometimes celebrities become the brand, and when something bad happens to the celebrity, the brand suffers.” That’s the risk advertisers have to take.

Adobo lists the following as The Top 10 Credible Endorsers:

• Manny Pacquiao, 47 percent

• Vicki Belo, 34 percent

• Ruffa Gutierrez, 33 percent

• Marian Rivera, 33 percent

• Mel Tiangco, 22 percent

• James Yap, 22 percent

• Melanie Marquez, 21 percent

• Korina Sanchez, 20 percent

• Manny Calayan, 20 percent

• Mike Enriquez, 19 percent

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Why Phil and his manager split up

It’s the season of manager-talent break-ups.

One manager is reported to be sulking, nursing a broken heart over his break-up with his actor-alaga who is linked to a beauty-queen-actress. The poor manager disapproves of the relationship.

As Phil Younghusband admitted in an “official statement” published by Funfare Update a few issues ago, he and his manager Joyce Ramirez have also parted ways.

“It was our 12-year age gap and personal differences that killed us,” said Joyce in reaction to Phil’s official statement, “and frequent arguments arising from nothing, plus the fact that we didn’t understand each other and differences in beliefs.”

Joyce suspected that Phil’s statement was prepared by somebody else.

“Those were clearly not his words. I should know. I’ve worked with Phil for three years.”

Humble enough to admit where she went wrong, Joyce said, “I forgot that I was older, that I should have been more understanding, patient and kind, and that my support for him and his ambitions should have been unconditional, loving and accepting.”

A trained “international publicist” (for, among other international companies, AXN and Animax), Joyce is looking forward to a career in Hollywood.

“I stayed in the Philippines only because I wanted to build Phil’s career and make him a star to the best of my abilities. After things fell apart, I guess it’s time for me to love myself and focus on my international career.”

Cherie Lou Ignacio’s ‘live food’ diet

My friend Nestor Cuartero (of Tempo) and I have tried Cherie Lou “Cheloy” Ignacio’s “live food” diet and it felt good. In fact, I have included in my regular diet a blend of raw “five greens” (a variation of Cheloy’s recipe): Green apple, bitter melon (ampalaya), celery, cucumber and green pepper. Yummy!

Cheloy’s “live food” diet consists not of sushi or sashami but of fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, sprouted grains, avocado, banana and other raw food (meatless, yes).

“My blood pressure and blood sugar used to be high,” said Cheloy who finished a course in “live food” diet in a US school and has been conducting classes since then. “Now, my blood pressure and by blood sugar are normal. I feel lighter and healthier.”

The “live food” diet boosts the immune system and may help ward off H1N1 and HIV.

If you want to know more about Cheloy’s “live food” diet, you may attend her Class Basic Level I (Understanding About Raw Food and Preparation), consisting of 12 delicious recipes, on Feb. 27 and 28, Saturday and Sunday, starting at 10 a.m.

“Come with an empty stomach,” reminds Cheloy.

(Note: Cheloy’s place is at Parc Royale Condo, Dona Julia Vargas Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, telephone numbers 02-687-1121, 0920-5509819 and 0917-3868277.)

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