Jose Mari Chan and The Company

MANILA, Philippines — Jose Mari Chan will go the extra mile in a concert called “It’s Complicated (A Valentine Concert in July),” slated July 23 at the SMX Convention Center.

Apart from performing back-to-back format with The CompanY, Jose Mari will be dancing onstage with the group.

Although he has composed Tagalog songs for APO Hiking Society (“Syota Kong Sexy”), Celeste Legaspi (“Mamang Sorbetero”), Anthony Castelo (“Hahanapin Ka”) and Janet Basco (“Tsuper ng Aking Buhay”), he has never performed any of these on his shows. He promises to do so this time.

Jose Mari released his first single in 1966. In 1973, he represented the country in the World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo, Japan with his song “Can We Just Stop And Talk Awhile.” He was very productive between 1970 and 1975, composing more than 20 theme songs for movies. He also wrote commercial jingles, among them PAL’s “Love At 30 Thousand Feet” and Alaska Milk’s jingle.

“It’s Complicated” is poised to support Original Pilipino Music (OPM). “We will be singing just OPM songs,” Jose Mari and Moy Ortiz said. The producers, Pelita Peralta Uy of Beginnings at Twenty Plus, Inc. and Carmela Hornado of Star Express, are known staunch supporters of OPM. Their most recent project featured hitmaker Ogie Alcasid and Maestro Ryan Cayabyab at the PICC.

“Jose Mari Chan’s presence in the modern concert scene can be a big help in helping their cause to bring back the passion of Filipinos for OPM,” Pelita said.

The Company’s Moy Ortiz (who wrote such big hits as “Pagdating Ng Panahon” and “Sana Nga Ikaw Na” among others) said, “Maganda ang naisip ng mga producers namin na concept na back-to-back kami ni Jose Mari Chan. We are really honored to be sharing the stage with him.”

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GMA 7 continues ratings dominance

According to Nielsen TV Audience Measurement, a trusted industry ratings service provider, GMA Network, Inc. continues its ratings dominance nationwide over its competitor. For the first six months of the year, GMA was the No. 1 channel in the whole Philippines with 33.1 household share points, higher compared to ABS-CBN’s 32.1, Nielsen added.

GMA leapfrogged its audience share in the entire country and posted a vital margin of 3.1 share points from July 1 to 7 (July 3 to 7 based on overnight data) with 34.5 points, above the latter’s 31.4 points.

GMA scored a 5.3-percent margin in channel ratings for the block running from 12 n.n. to 6 p.m.

Television’s longest running noontime variety program “Eat Bulaga” continues its overwhelming lead in the noontime show slot. “Eat Bulaga,” which ranked 9th in the list of top 10 programs in National Urban Philippines, garnered 22 household rating points, versus “HYY’s” 9.8 points.

In Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, which comprise 77 percent and 58 percent of total television households nationwide, GMA almost swept the lists of overall top 10 programs with nine entries in respective areas.

Epicserye “Amaya” led the lists of most watched programs in both areas. Other GMA programs that made it to the lists include “Munting Heredera,” “Eat Bulaga,” “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho,” “Captain Barbell,” “24 Oras,” “Spooky Nights Presents Nuno sa Feng Shui,” “Kap’s Amazing Stories” and “Pepito Manaloto.”

“24 Oras” was notably the only newscast in the top 10 programs for both areas. In June, “24 Oras” garnered 23.1 household rating points in Urban Luzon beating “TV Patrol’s” 20.9 by 2.2 points. In Mega Manila, the gap was even bigger at 3.1 points with 23.8 versus 20.7.

The Nielsen TV Audience Measurement used by GMA is used by 21 companies including two other local networks, namely, TV5 and Solar Entertainment; Faulkner Media; CBN Asia; 13 advertising agencies and three regional clients.

For the first quarter of 2011, GMA netted P534 million.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, July 17, former Candon Mayor Grace Singson, former Tacloban City Mayor Bejo Romualdez, rock singer Sampaguita, Celine S. Bautista, former Congen in New York Linglingay F. Lacanlale, New York-based Teddy Jose, Edwin Dollente, Marissa Kalaw Sorra, Alice Bonoan, Nina E. Orbito, Gene Dacanay Orejana, Marjorie Anne Sayas, Chito Alcid and Angel Javier of GMA-7 Corporate Communication… Congratulations to MTRCB board member Francia C. Conrado for having been elected president of QCPhoenix Lions Club District 301-D1...