The presscon launching of the Pinoy remake of the Koreanovela “Stairway To Heaven” held Sept. 7 at Studio 7 of GMA-7 was one grand drama production – a tearjerker already by itself. It featured the most significant emotional scenes of the series played by the lead actors!

The stage production, complete with a miniature carousel, featured the young Dingdong (Cholo) and young Rhian (Jodi) played by Joshua Dionisio and Barbie Forteza respectively.    

The teenage Cholo and Jodi are already lovers who vow and promise never to part from each other. But then Cholo must leave for the US to study and stay abroad for no less than five years.   

Their parting at the airport was heart-breaking. You will watch the same scene – of course with much more production value – in the TV series.   

When Cholo (now played by Dingdong) returns, it was even more heart-breaking, because the young woman who vowed to love him was no longer around. Jodi (now played by Rhian Ramos) has become a mystery to Cholo.   

But the mysterious disappearance of Jodi only deepened his love for her. He begins his personal search for Jodi and one mystery after another is revealed!   

Barbie Forteza who plays the young Jodi, said: “I prepared for the role. I even have to do time travel! I have to forget I am Barbie and replace myself with the personality of the young Jodi!”   

Barbie recalled that she was only six years old when she felt the strong desire to act. “I hope I would be given more opportunities to apply my acting talent!”   

If she were given a choice, she would prefer difficult roles like being a psycho, or roles that go deep into the mind. “Those roles would be most challenging for me!” Barbie stressed.   

Joana Marie Tan, playing the young Eunice, said that playing a contravida role helps her sharpen her acting ability. “It requires much more internalization. Barbie and I must act well enough because the story begins with us. Any shortcoming in our acting may somehow adversely affect the series. We must give our best!”   

This series became the network’s highest-rating primetime Koreanovela in 2005 and spawned a huge following and fascination among Filipinos. It revealed the profound complexities of love in real life, and the unbreakable bond forged by two hearts beating for each other.   

In the Pinoy remake of “Stairway To Heaven,” Dingdong Dantes and Rhian Ramos play the lead roles. Dingdong, one of GMA’s most eligible leading man, plays the Pinoy “Cholo” and the versatile and ravishing actress Rhian plays the Pinoy “Jodi.”

Dingdong and Rhian are both primed to star in this enthralling classic series with their great raw talents and supreme acting calibre. The chemistry of the two onscreen is impeccably strong and alluring, and this is creating already a lot of excitement among fans and viewers.   

“Stairway To Heaven” aired its pilot Sept. 14 right after “Darna” on GMA Telebabad.   

Other members of the cast are: Jean Garcia as Maita Aragon; Glaiza de Castro as Eunice; TJ Trinidad as Tristan; Sandy Andolong as Ms. Zoila; Jestoni Alarcon as Arch. Joven Reyes; Soliman Cruz as Dindo; Joshua Dionisio as young Cholo; Barbie Forteza as young Jodi; Joana Marie Tan as young Eunice; Jhake Vargas as young Tristan; Karen delos Reyes as Badet; Carlo Gonzales as Enrico and Pul Holmes as Mr. John.    

“Stairway To Heaven” also prides itself for the sublime theme song which tugs the viewers’ heartstring every time they hear it, sung by Asia’s Songbird, Ms. Regine Velasquez.

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Pinay conquers Ford International’s supermodel countdown

There’s really no stopping Filipina Supermodel Charo Ronquillo from conquering the world.

Over the weekend, prestigious international fashion magazine Vogue released its Top 10 list of Ford’s Supermodel of the world competition finalists who “are making it big” around the world and our very own Filipina Supermodel from Laguna ranked No. 4.

The website, vogue.com carried it in their daily news section. You can check out this link http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/090827-ford-models-search/gallery.aspx and see for yourself.

The website also contained the following information on Charo Ronquillo:

“Charo joined and won the Supermodel of World Philippines Search in 2005 when she was just 17 years old. She went on to the Supermodel of the World Finals the following year in New York City and placed third, securing a $100,000 contract with Ford Models. Since her win, Charo has graced the catwalks of New York Fashion Week for designers including LaCoste, Nanette Lapre, Maria Cornejo, Tory Burch, Antonio Berardi, Kenneth Cole, Mac Cosmetics, Barbie Collection, Sisley and Benetton and has secured many high profile editorials.”

The other nine Supermodels of the World in the Top 10 list are: UK-born model Alexina Graham, Brazilian model Camila Finn, Chanel Iman, Kang Seung-Hyun, Canadian model Kate Somers, Brazilians Liliane Ferrarezi and Luciana Curtis, Ukrainian Nataliya Gotsii, and Puerto Rican Vanessa De Assis.

Charo was home recently to grace the Philippine Fashion Week at the SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings on Sept. 15 go to pianist-composer Emy Munji, California-based Cherie Querol-Moreno and Francis Valderama Jr., Tina Abad, Jo Gomez, Gany and Ruby Ann Buenaflor, JR Pajaro, Nick Ablaza, Bobby Martino, Nina Ramos, Geraldine R. Tan, Marichi Nabong, Analyn P. Sibug, Justine Louis Barawid, Sonny M. Ola, Dolores Banaria, Mabel F. Ferrer, Ms. Dulce Baybay of ABS-CBN Foundation, Evelyn Fuentebella, and director Wenn Deramas.