2008 proved to be a banner year of sort for Anne Curtis, and now she looks forward to more success this year.

When she celebrated her 24th birth anniversary last month, Anne Curtis said that for a birthday gift to herself, she’d like to travel to Europe. “I think I owe it to myself to take a vacation. I’d like to see all the beautiful cities in France, Spain and the other European countries. I’d be traveling with some friends,” she said.

Last year, Anne proved to be a bankable actress starring  in “Dyosa” and “Maging Sino Ka Man Book 2,” both of which were top-raters. (At some point, “Dyosa” was the No. 1 show in the country!) It is widely held that Anne’s portrayal of Celine Magsaysay in “Maging Sino Ka Man Book 2” —Celine died of pancreatic cancer in the said show—is one of her most touching to date.

“Dyosa” was no different. Viewers were able to relate to Josephine and her struggle to reconcile her two lives as a goddess whose job it was to save the world and an ordinary girl who just wanted to be loved.

Aside from doing “ASAP ’09” and MTV, Anne is currently working on “The Wedding,” another ABS-CBN show in which she will star with Zanjoe Marudo. It is expected to be just as successful as Anne’s previous shows. Network executives already have Anne scheduled to do another show after it, despite the fact that it hasn’t even begun airing. That goes to show how much ABS-CBN trusts Anne’s ability to captivate audiences.

Anne’s silver screen efforts were also met with success. Her last Viva Films and Star Cinema movie. “When Love Begins,” made a killing at the tills. She also starred in “Baler,” for which she won her first Best Actress trophy.

On top of all that, Anne was awarded the People’s Choice Top Entertainer of the Year by the Year-Ender Excellence & People’s Choice Seal of Excellence Awards Committee.

“We’re very proud of Anne and all that she’s achieved,” says her manager Veronique del Rosario-Corpus of the Viva Artists Agency. “We’re confident that she can do even more.”

She is also an effective celebrity endorser. Anne endorsers HBC, Biolink Feminine Wash and Spray, Biolink VCO Soap and Lotion, San San Cosmetics, Fernslim, Flyshades and GSM Blue. She is also one of the faces of the Belo Medical Group.
Recently, she signed up to endorse Greenwich and Swatch. At the moment, Anne and her handlers from the Viva artists Agency are looking to add more to her already long list of endorsements.

On the personal side, Anne is happily single and has managed to put the past—i.e. her breakup with Sam Milby—behind her, although she admits that at first she found it hard to do so. She has more time for her family (who flew in from Australia to visit her during the holidays) and friends (she spent Valentine’s Day with them in Hong Kong and is planning to trek to Europe with them this May). She also recently bought a house in Australia for her mom.

Anne says that aside from her family and friends, show biz also helped her deal with her pain. That’s why she’s very thankful to Viva Artists Agency and ABS-CBN for the projects they sent her way.

Anne is also thankful to all her sponsors and fans for their support and looks forward to sharing more highs with them in the future.

Actor joins moral force
 
It’s inspiring to see celebrities joining advocacies like transparency and accountability in government. Others join causes for the protection and care of the government. Even the protection and care of pets such as dogs are also being promoted by celebrities.

These movements are all worthwhile. They enrich our lives, but let us focus on the “moral force” team which movie actor Alfred Vargas has joined. “I sincerely believe in this mission,” he said. “When the citizenry becomes aware of the importance of government transparency and accountability, the concerned officials will think twice before they commit some shenanigans.”
The “moral force team” was launched by Quezon City District II Rep. Annie Susano.

“It’s our objective to make every citizen to insist and be vigilant on the practice of transparency and accountability of government officials and employees.”

Rep. Susano added that if she has her way, she would give media a 24-hour facility at the City Hall complete with modern communication technology so that they could watch government officials in their day-to-day transactions.

Referring to Rep. Susano, Alfred Vargas said: “I believe in the significance of her mission and in her integrity as an elected government official.”

Alfred Vargas is inviting all celebrities to join the “moral force” team campaign.

Rosanna Roces carries heavy cross in  her latest indie movie

“Pasang Krus” is a heart-rending story of a woman burdened with all the hardships  imaginable. As a mother, she bears and suffers all the almost unbearable tragedies that almost wreck her life.

Rosanna Roces plays that woman/mother whose sons give her the heavy cross  to carry. They are Lucas (BJ Morales), Josh (Ketchup Eusebio), and Marco (Christian Burke). Lucas is a drug addict and he belongs to a group of rug boys. Josh is alcoholic and runner of a drug pusher. Marco is in prison for reputed crimes as snatcher and for robberies.

But even with these gargantuan problems, the mother struggles on, and she never stopped for a moment to remedy the dismal situations in her life. She may be swimming in her own tears, but that is no reason for her to stop. She loves her children – whatever and whoever they are!

“Pasang Krus” is another indie movie that Osang has done in the recent past. But as always, she gives her best in any role given her. Directed and written by Neal Tan, it also stars Joross Gamboa, Empress Schuck, Carlos Morales, Jett Alcantara, Tita Swarding, Jordan Castillo, and Maricar Santos.

Deadline for Page Star search for Image Model set March 12

The search is on for the new Page Star model and Page Jeans Int’l announced the deadline of the submission of model wannabees for the season 3 is on March 12. The screening of the aspirants will be on March 15 at the Watering Hole, EDSA Shangri-La Plaza.

The search is open for all male and female who dream of becoming an image model which will be promoted on TV, print, billboards and other store collaterals such as shirt tags, bags, posters and a lot more.

If you are in between the age of 16 and 28 and if you got the height and exude the aura of a model and a body to die for, you should grab the chance and fill-up an application form in all the outlets of Page Jeans nationwide.

Application forms are available in Page Jeans boutiques in Festival Mall, Star Mall Alabang, EDSA Crossing, Market Place, Zabarte Mall and all other Page shops nationwide. Please attach your best picture (whole body) as it is a must for the initial screening of the applicants.

Page Star search produces world class models in the likes of Bernice Tan, who is now a regular of the elite 26K of Kris Aquino’s “Kapamilya Deal or No Deal” in ABS-CBN. She is a member of the privileged group of “KDND” for almost a year now.

Bernice is one of the finalists of the Page Star Search 2008 and she is now enjoying aggressive promotions in all the billboards of Page Jeans in Metro Manila. She admitted that the Page Star Search enhanced her self-confidence and transformed her into a better individual.

She also appeared in some of the teleseryes of ABS-CBN like “Kahit Isang Saglit” where she did one of the major roles. Bernice is also busy doing ramp modeling during weekends.

She is a gradute of Lyceum of the Philippines and she hopes to become an accomplished actress, if given a chance.

By the way,  P200,000 in cash and in kind is at stake for the one who will be chosen as the Page Star 2009.   Judges for the screening will be chaired by Joey Sarmiento, a veteran entertainment columnist, Atty. Gabby Matriano, Legal Dept, Samsung Phil., Engr. Alex Aguirre, CEO, ALEXA Trading, Edwin Lim, businessman, Ms. Bernice Tan, 2nd season Page Star finalist, Mrs. Elizabeth Chang, PAGE VP, Finance,  Greggy Vera Cruz, lifestyle/fashion columnist,  Jeff Rejuso, 2nd season Page Star grand winner, Ding Espiritu, VP for Marketing, Tutuban Properties, Ms. Myra Mangrobang, Ad and Promo manager, Sta. Lucia Grand Mall and  Loy Fortuna, CEO, Watering Hole, EDSA Shangrila Plaza.
       
Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, March 10, go to John Lesaca, TJ Manotoc, Mrs. Lourdes Cruz, Fred Panopio, Rosanna Marquez, Pete Dacuycuy, Erlinda “Ada” T. Santiago, Alexc Estrada. Nelson Gumatay and Julia Barretto of Star Magic… Belated b-day greetings to Taiwan-based Nora Ambita Tsai (March 6), Florentina Lagana (March 7)…