REP CAROUSEL stars share the thrill and weight of mounting one of musical theater’s masterpieces

 

Carousel stars Karyll Tatlonghari and Gian Magdangal

How does it feel being part of a restaging of one of Broadway’s iconic musicals? For the stars of the upcoming Repertory Philippines (REP) production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s CAROUSEL, the opportunity is both a thrill and a responsibility.

Sought-after theater leading man Gian Magdangal and singer, actor, and OPM royalty Karylle Tatlonghari, who are both headlining a REP show for the first time, have shared their experiences in the past months of preps and rehearsals. CAROUSEL is directed by writer, director, producer, and congressman Toff De Venecia.

“As theater actors, we are all just so enthusiastic to be given this chance to do what we’re passionate about. As for me, I couldn’t be any more grateful to be working with the best of Philippine theater,” says Karylle who plays Julie Jordan, a sweet yet naïve millworker. “I’m trying my best to keep up with them and it’s a great feeling because I’m learning a lot. My mind is expanding, and every inch of my body is excited and living in this beautiful moment. It’s been a personal rediscovery for me, too.”

“It has been an exhilarating experience, being reunited with theater friends and working with REP for the first time. We can’t wait to see what we have been preparing for the past months. It has been an out-of- the-box experience, and it feels like home at the same time,” shares Gian who plays Billy Bigelow, a

swaggering and charismatic carnival barker. “There is simply nothing like live theater.”

Philippine Heart Association recognizes 21 journalists and media entities with Platinum Heart Award 2022

 

Ms. Leonila Garcia is one of the awarded journalists by The Philippine Heart Association

The Philippine Heart Association-Philippine College of Cardiology (PHA-PCC) presented the 11 journalists and 10 media entities as the recipients of the Platinum Heart Media Awards 2022 at a ceremony held on October 12 at Edsa Shangri-La, Mandaluyong City.

The accolade recognizes the invaluable support from fearless and unrelenting media allies, that has elevated the Association’s Heart Healthy Lifestyle Advocacy to groundbreaking levels and mileage.

Media practitioners, themselves, took on a role as front liners. The majority caught the COVID-19 bug not just once or twice but also lost loved ones to the disease. However, like wounded soldiers, they remained committed to their craft, performing their roles to the hilt.

PHA Past President Dr. Orlando Bugarin acknowledged that through their tireless work, news of the PHA’s campaigns and awareness on cardiovascular health were spread throughout the nation “to all our countrymen.”

Ms. Leony Garcia receives her plaque of appreciation from PHA

Dr. Rodney Jimenez, PHA Secretary, underscored that it is “no secret the success of the PHA-PCC today is because we stand on the shoulders of the giants.” He thanked the “media partners and friends for linking us to the Filipino people” and asked that they continue to let it be known that the Association is “here because your heart matters.“

In the last two years, despite the pandemic, PHA-PCC garnered a media value of P1.4 billion, the highest in the history of PHA.

Selection of winners was based on the criteria of substance, relevance, audience/readership impact, coverage and rapport established with the Association.

The awardees received a plaque that reads, “Your relentless involvement in the Usapang Puso sa Puso forum and strong voice as a credible heart health news conveyor, have put the PHA Advocacy notches higher.”

UBX sets up advocacy body to champion development of inclusive open finance framework in PH

 

UBX, the financial technology (fintech) venture studio of the Aboitiz

Group, is setting up a foundation that will champion the development of an inclusive

Open Finance Framework in the Philippines.

To be called the Philippine Open Finance Foundation, the institution aims to make the

adoption of open finance as a technology that empowers Filipino consumers with the

right set of financial tools and solutions for their needs.

“They say it takes a village to raise a child, and since Open Finance in the Philippines is

still infancy, UBX has decided to launch a shared village we call the Philippine Open

Finance Foundation,” UBX Managing Director for Open Finance Jaime Garchitorena said

at the Singapore Fintech Festival on 2 November, Wednesday.

The Philippine Open Finance Foundation will bring together relevant stakeholders,

including other financial institutions, government agencies, non-government

organizations, civic groups, and the academe to come up with meaningful initiatives

that will support the development of Open Finance in the Philippines.

Initiatives include advocating the inclusion of finance in the Philippine education system,

dialogues with the relevant government institutions, especially the Bangko Sentral ng

Pilipinas (BSP) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology

(DICT), and strong collaboration with industry players to realize the benefits of Open

Finance.

Open Finance has the power to accelerate the country’s financial inclusion goal, as it

democratizes access to a spectrum of financial products and services particularly for the

unbanked and underbanked as well as growing business.

Driving access and interoperability among financial ecosystem participants, Open

Finance allows financial institutions to reach the unbanked and underbanked, while

empowering them to tailor solutions that meet the needs of consumers and businesses.

Open Finance enables participants to acquire customers at scale, develop solutions

specific to the unbanked, underbanked, and growing businesses, and provide

consumers with greater choice and control over their data.

“The Philippine Open Finance Foundation aims to ensure that the adoption of Open

Finance as a technology is premised on a well-educated and trusting public and a well-

educated and trustworthy set of participants. One of its core advocacies will be

consumer protection through a strong dispute resolution mechanism,” Garchitorena

said.

Aside from consumer-focused initiatives, the Philippine Open Finance Foundation also

aims to help the BSP craft, develop, and evolve the Open Finance Framework of the

country, allowing “consent-driven data portability, interoperability, and collaborative

partnerships among financial institutions and third-party providers (TPPs).”

“We plan to work on a diverse set of partners and institutions, advocating for the

adoption of open finance, consumer education and consumer protection. We invite and

encourage you to join our village to bring Open Finance to every Filipino,” Garchitorena

said.

To learn more about the Philippine Open Finance Foundation, please visit:

https://openfinance.ph

Make Way for OrphanFreakshow

 

Orphanfreakshow performing before a live audience during the "Dutdutan Festival"

If you happened to enjoy the recent Dutdutan Festival 2022 -- the art tattoos and the music that goes with it -- chances are you liked the featured band, OrphanFreakshow, which performed along with Deda Willet Dela Cruz, the vocalist at Asylum Miseria.

Oh, it was fun. We sounded like a big bulldozer. I’m very particular about live and studio tones. That’s why we had so much gear,” OrphanFreakshow shared about his festival experience.

Behind OrphanFreakshow is a soft-spoken gentle giant who has come a long way after battling life's disturbances like the death of his father and dealing with depression.

Enjoy, Dine & Give back: “Yes I Believe”, a Charity Dinner Concert to be held at The Manila Hotel

 

Yes I Believe, a fundraising concert happening at The Tent City, The Manila Hotel

The Manila Hotel and Rotary Club Makati Central in partnership with Rotary District 3830 and the country’s premier music artists Isay Alvarez, Lara Maigue, Rachelle Gerodias, former press secretary Mike Toledo, former executive secretary Salvador Medialdia and The Manila Hotel’s President and former senator, Joey Lina unite for a cause in “Yes, I Believe” a charity dinner concert at The Manila Hotel Tent City on November 26, 2022 at 6PM. The concert will also be featuring performances from special guests.

“Yes, I Believe”, themed “Malusog na Bata, Malakas na Bansa,” aims to raise funds for children’s problem with malnutrition. For the past three decades, there was no improvement in the prevalence of under-nutrition in the country. The Philippines ranked fifth among countries in the East Asia and Pacific region with the highest prevalence of stunted growth.

Undernutrition hinders most Filipino children aged 9 months to 2 years of their chance for a bright future. According to the World Bank’s Human Capital Index (HCI), a Filipino child born today is likely to reach only 52% of their future potential economic productivity as an adult, compared to a child with access to complete education and full health.

“Height growth and brain development if not achieved during the first 1,000 days of life (from conception to two years of age) is irreversible and is associated with measurable negative consequences for health, impaired cognitive development, reduced earnings in adulthood and increased risk of developing chronic diseases,” explains Atty. Lina.

This charity concert will kick off future programs and activities of multi-sector organizations such as church-based organizations, the academe, media partners, and civic organizations as they fight against children’s malnutrition in the first 1,000 days of life.

Children who live in poverty face the compounding impacts of malnutrition. This Christmas, let us give undernourished children a lasting gift by making sure they continue to stay healthy and happy so that they may have a bright and progressive future for themselves and for the nation.

For ticket inquiries, +632 85270011 or +632 53015500 extensions 1388 or 1370 or email banquetsales@themanilahotel.com