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blurb “Walang pinapanigan; walang pinoprotektahan,” perhaps an indirect reference to ABS-CBN as an allegedly biased network. Then I heard Kabayan Noli de Castro close TV Patrol (August 11, 2017 edition) with the down-to-earth blurb: “Salamat sa pagpapatuloy ninyo sa amin sa inyong tahanan at pagtanggap sa aming serbisyo.” Truthful and does not poke partiality.
DI KA PASISIIL. ABS-CBN displayed its mastery in programming by going out of the box featuring the outstanding Chiara Zambrano and Jeff Canoy documentary Di Ka Pasisiil in a mid-afternoon time slot that usually features less-than-a-year-old, screened Filipino films. Informative and heart-rending using exclusive footages of clashes between government forces and a disgruntled terrorist group from Marawi City, the defeated Maute group powered by the defeated Islamic State in Iraq and Syria killers.
‘SALAMIN.’ Drama anthology genre leader Maalaala Mo Kaya featured Christian Bables in mirroring the life story of Ruben Hernandez, the exotic dancer son of broadcasting icons Helen Vela and Ben Hernandez in “Salamin.” It showed iridescent proof that Christian deserves the Best Supporting Actor trophies he won in Die Beautiful.
A HUGE PILOT FOR LITTLE BIG SHOTS! A showcase of mind-boggling and accident-prone feats, Little Big Shots lived up to its promise to deliver amazing skills by children. Billy Crawford proved an outstanding choice as host as it never left one’s mind that he was a little big shot himself, which constant host choice Ogie Alcasid can never claim even if he is as skilled in handling kids.
WILL MEGASTAR SHARON CUNETA BE 2017 CINEMALAYA BEST ACTRESS? Sharon Cuneta in the role of the deserted and desperate Cora de la Cruz in Mess de Guzman’s minimalist drama-comedy Ang Pamilyang Hindi Lumuluha, 2017 Cinemalaya’s quality saver, showed versatility and tantalizing acting, staged with precision and magic realism. Her persuasiveness should have easily bagged her the Best Actress nod. But Angeli Bayani of Zig Dulay’s Bagahe received the award.
HAS FINALLY FOUND SOMEONE EXCEEDED THE EARNINGS OF KITA KITA? Alessandra de Rossi and Empoy Marquez’s surprise highest grossing indie film, Kita Kita, which grossed P320 million, broke Heneral Luna’s record. Yet Star Cinema has not announced the gross earnings of the Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz starrer that screened almost simultaneously with Kita Kita. It will probably do this at the end of its global run and the figure will certainly amaze!
CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH HISTORY CON 2017. “We, at Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB), are honored to be part once again of the History Con 2017 and we look forward to even more partnerships in the future with History Asia as we see a lot of common goals,” said PVB chairman Roberto de Ocampo, OBE, held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City from August 10 to 13 this year.
“Our aim has always been to create awareness of WWII history among the youth, instill pride of country and people and bask in the glory of our heroes’ courage and bravery in fighting for freedom. We must always remember that our peace and freedom came with a price,” shared de Ocampo.
For his part, A&E Networks Asia head Jacque Ruby also thanked PVB for joining History Con. “Their artifacts help make the convention both entertaining and educational especially for the students visiting the event. This year’s History Con is themed on the 75th anniversary of the start of WWII in the Philippines.”
“PVB objective to elevate the status of the Filipino WWII history and the veterans is an easy fit with History Con and also History Channel’s programming,” explained PVB VP for Corporate & Consumer Relations Mike Villa-Real.
“We’ll deliver more exciting History Exhibit this 2017. Aside from the vintage photos, memorabilia and artifacts from World War II, we’ll display a WWII M3 Stuart tank and an actual WWII Jeep. Through the Philippine Living History Society, we’ll help visitors experience how it feels to be part of World War II by wearing one of several WWII-era uniform replicas like as an American G.I., Japanese Imperial Soldier, or a Filipino Guerrilla,” added Mike at the beginning of the exhibit.
All these were available at the “War of Our Fathers Exhibit.” Uniformed members of the Philippine Living History Society gave brief history talks and stage battle reenactments.
First staged in Manila in 2016, attracting a record of 50,000 viewers to celebrate the anniversary of History cable channel in Asia, History Con 2017 repeated history. “There were many synergies that we could take advantage of,” said Mike.
The star-studded event hosted by comebacking Paolo Bediones lived up to its promise to be a bigger spectacle as it also coincided with the tenth anniversary of History channel in Asia.
The biggest entertainment convention of the year, it featured meet your favorite History celebrities; largest rally of cars and bikes; gripping virtual reality simulations; historical exhibitions; live musical performances; breaking world records attempts; sneak peeks of brand-new HISTORY shows with auctions, sale of memorabilia and lectures.
Writer Leah Salterio found the “obsolete” typewriters worth featuring in her Facebook account: “But all of us probably used these non-electronic devices before laptops came to be. These typewriters are, in fact, not just on display, but on sale at the World Trade Center until Sunday. There was even one typewriter at the lower middle section that uses silver ribbon. Neat.”
History channel star Correy Harrison of Pawn Stars fame led History Con 2017. He was joined by US-based Filipino reality star bladesmith Ryu Lim, who shot to fame after his stint in History’s Forged in Fire.
Other celebrity guests this year were Jamie Dempsey from Ride ‘N Seek, Horny Mike Henry from Counting Cars, Justin Mott from Photo Face-Off and Danielle Colby from The Pickers, Simon Yin of The History Hustle and the cast of Celebrity Car Wars like Phoemela Baranda.
‘DESPACITO,’ THE LATIN POP WONDER. This column projected a trend of Latin-inspired pop songs jumpstarted by “Despacito” by the Puerto Rican artists Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi, who co-wrote it with Erika Ender in September 2015. It is the first mostly Spanish song to top the Hot 100 since Los del Rio’s “Macarena,” the smooth jam about slowly falling in love, in 1996.
“Despacito” is a fusion song that shows off the genius of pop music, but also serves as a model of how creativity works generally. Innovation often involves organizing old pieces into new configurations.
It begins with a steel-stringed Puerto Rican guitar called the cuatro, which most likely descended from an instrument brought to Spain from North Africa by Moors. The rolling reggaeton beat came out of Jamaica, and long before that, probably originated in West Africa.
In rapping, Daddy Yankee employs an art form developed by urban African-Americans, infusing it with the unique feel of Puerto Rican Spanish and slang. Fonsi’s deliciously suggestive lyrics arguably belong to a tradition that stretches back to the lovelorn troubadours of medieval Spain, and beyond.
Its rhythmic backbone is reggaeton, a style with roots in Jamaica that developed in Puerto Rico and has long been popular in Latin America but has only occasionally broken through to the English-speaking world. The video is set in a storied Puerto Rican slum called La Perla and features a joyously mixed cast.
Justin Bieber discovered the song, which was already popular, and did a remix that turned it into Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper. His intro is almost entirely in Spanish.
“Despacito” means “slowly,” and depending on how you interpret the lyrics, the song is about what you’d do slowly to someone you really like.
A great song that people automatically connect to and dance to and enjoy, “Despacito” in a very organic way got the whole world just connected to it. People in Russia and Australia and UK and France and US and South America — everyone’s just dancing.
The trend has started to materialize. The Latin beat can be heard on current English-language hits including DJ Khaled and Rihanna’s “Wild Thoughts” and French Montana’s “Unforgettable” that has a reggaeton vibe.
“Despacito” was overthrown by J. Balvin’s collaboration with Willy Williams, “Mi Gente,” another Spanish song finding success on US radio and the pop charts. It is number 30 on the Hot 100 after a month on the chart. We’ll see where the trend will take itself.
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PVB’s bigger, better WWII exhibit at History Con 2017
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