Due to the overwhelming success of the Star Magic World Concert Tour in the US four months ago, Beginnings at Twenty Plus, Inc. (headed by Stanley and Pelita Uy) which was a presentor of the two-city tour (in Los Angeles and San Francisco) together with Star Records, Inc. (headed by Ms. Malou Santos and Ms. Annabelle Regalado-Borja) and Blue Dream Entertainment (headed by Christian Andoy) decided to present the show in the Philippines in order to share it with fellow Filipinos.

This time, there will be more than 70 Star Magic artists performing in “extravagant” and “breath-taking” production numbers. Still to be directed by Star Magic head Johnny Manahan, the “Star Magic World Concert Tour Live at the Araneta Coliseum” will be held on Nov. 13. It promises to be a more exciting show, what with the number of performers (25 more than the artists who performed in the US).

This will be a fundraising concert for the victims of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, according to Pelita Uy. She also said that their goal is to be able to donate no less than P10 million to people adversely affected by the typhoons. “These are really trying times. Never in the history of our disaster-prone country did we experience the catastrophic forces of nature rendering all faction of society in equal terms. All of us are affected, either directly or indirectly. It’s time for us all to listen to God’s call,” she stressed.

In their common vision to help the plight of the victims and survivors of the typhoons, the producers said they will give the proceeds of the ticket sales to ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.’s Sagip Kapamilya (which is the emergency humanitarian assistance program of the Foundation which aims to provide food and non-food relief to affected communities of disasters, rehabilitation and disaster-risk reduction projects).

“In desperate times like this, only our fellow Filipinos can help us. We cannot stop now,” said Christian Andoy.

All the Star Magic artists who’ve been active in raising funds for the typhoons’ survivors supported the endeavor of the producers and volunteered to donate their talent fees. “When Mr. Johnny Manahan informed us that the Star Magic artists decided to donate their talent fees in this concert, we know that they made a big sacrifice. We have high hopes that many will give their share by supporting the concert,” enthused Ms. Annabelle R. Borja of Star Magic.

The performers of the “Star Magic World Concert Tour Live in Manila” will be led by the Ultimate Heartthrob Piolo Pascual and Optimum Star Claudine Barretto. They will be joined by former housemate Sam Milby, the Original Hunk Diether Ocampo (who wasn’t able to perform in the US because he got sick), Kristine Hermosa, John Lloyd Cruz, Bea Alonzo, Gerald Anderson and Kim Chiu.

Angelica Panganiban, Maja Salvador, Shaina Magdayao, Roxanne Guinoo, Lauren and Megan Young and the ASAP Coverboys Rafael Rosell, Zanjoe Marudo, Victor Basa, Jon Avila and Jake Cuenca will also be in the show, and so with Robi Domingo, Rayver Cruz, Mickey Perz, Sam Concepcion, Dino Imperial, AJ Perez and Chris Gutierrez.

“Katorse” stars Enchong Dee, Xian Lim and Erich Gonzales will be there, along with Melissa Ricks and Matt Evans. Pokwang will do the comedy acts along with Chokoleit, Kitkat and Bentong.

Of course, the evening won’t be complete without the audience being serenaded by Jed Madela, Nikki Gil, Sheryn Regis, Laarni Lozada, Ronnie Liang, Jay R Siaboc and Yeng Constantino, among others.

Joining the original line-up of artists are Gabby Conception, Vina Morales, Nikki Valdez, Jason Gainza, Wendy Valdez, Bangs Garcia, Guji Lorenzana, JM Rodriguez, Alfred Gatchalian and many others.

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‘Istasyon’ – A story of lies and truth

Whether one is a true devotee or not is well reflected in the movie “Istasyon,” with Mon Confiado as a porno filmmaker; Klaudia Coronel, the sinner; and Christian Galindo as the teenage petty criminal.
The movie – digital – has the Feast of the Nazarene as its background, with actual footages of the Nazarene procession.

Character actor Mon Confiado described his role: “I play the lead role, a complex one: A frustrated artist who directs soft-porn movies who, while documenting the Feast of the Black Nazarene, discovers his mission in life. Thanks to a child who prays for his sick mother (played by Klaudia Koronel).

“The role doesn’t have the obligatory highlights, and my scenes are not melodramatic, but my attack was internal and subdued… raw and natural,” Mon added.

Mon grew up on stage plays. He started young, his father, Angel Confiado, being a veteran stage actor.

“My training – or what we call acting workshops today – is informal. I appeared mostly on stage dramas produced at the University of the Philippines,” Mon revealed.

“I have been in the movies for about 15 years now,” Mon also added.

Mon is a workaholic and he has never been idle. He is every director’s favorite because he is reliable, a professional, everybody’s “kuya” and a joy to work with.

“Istasyon” is intriguing. It is a competition between a mother and a teenage son as to who is telling the truth. And it is here where the documentarist, Mon, has to find out.

It also reveals the truth whether all those devotees to the Nazarene are living in accordance to what is moral.

The story begins with Klaudia experiencing some kind of sickness, and since she lives in a far country side, she asks her son, Christian, to go to Quiapo and pray to the Nazarene to heal her ailments. Klaudia gives her son a handkerchief which bears an imprint of the face of St. Veronica. She asks her son to wipe the face of the Nazarene with the handkerchief and then bring it home and Klaudia will use it to wipe her sickness away.

Thus, Christian goes to Manila but not after doing some petty crimes like snatching. When he is interviewed by Mon, he reveals that he has gone to Quiapo not because he cares or loves his mother but because his mother has forced him to go.

In between, he has to engage himself in some petty crime in order to survive.

When the mother is interviewed, she glowingly describes how much her son loves her!

Mon has a long list of movies wherein he appeared, most of them directed by award-winning directors.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings on Oct. 29 go to top TV host Boy Abunda, Jr., Digna Santiago, Mrs. Flor Salvador, Linda Luciano, Louie Keiruff, Atty. Joan “Paul” Daza, Maridel Villavicencio, Sessy Garcia, Laarni Laxamana, Edna Buenaventura, Alberto Magabo, Roda A. Azarcon, Rovie King Christian F. Magdael, Joannette Reyes, Linda Luciano, David Jude Sta. Ana, Filipina Diga, Annalyn Jusay, photog Lorna Llanes, Marian Gutierrez, Mary Rose Caros Roxas of Team Energy Phils., Adam Moraleta, Zenie Batino and Shirley Pua. Happy wedding anniversary to Elmer and Cora Vizconde; and K.B. Balasubramanian and Doris Velasco of Singapore. Belated b-day greetings to MB’s Anthony P. Sibug (Oct. 27).