GMA rocks the Ketkai crowd

Monday, September 1, 2008

As one of the major sponsors in the recent civic fiesta celebration of Cagayan de Oro, GMA rocked the house down for four straight days culminating in the mall show of Pinoy Idol first season second runner-up, Ram Chaves.

The GMA string of shows started with talent Angelika dela Cruz who was celebrity judge of Miss Kagay-an 2008 coronation night last August 26.

Another GMA talent, Mark Herras, likewise entertained the beauties with his rendition of Ako'y Sa Iyo at Ika'y Akin Lamang, although a few people in the crowd were disappointed and commented that he should have sung a livelier track.

But that was compensated two days later when the now-winning Miss Kagay-an 2008 Ma. Jennifer Precious Gaston and her court were serenaded by yet another GMA talent, Marc Anthony Fernandez.

Marc would later narrate in an interview with Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro that he enjoyed being with the Kagay-anons.

"Grabe talaga ang reception ng mga tao rito, so lively, so hospitable, I was so overwhelmed," GMA corporate communications staff Barbette Atienza shared a similar sentiment.

It was also Mark Herras who escorted Gaston and her court - first runner-up Joanne Galenzoga, second runner-up Hazel Mari Go, third runner-up Al Grace Mortola and fourth runner-up Sybil Sarte - at the Kapuso Float during the Golden Float Parade last August 27.

In the early morning of August 28, a segment in the early morning news/variety show Unang Hirit was broadcast from Cagayan de Oro City featuring outgoing Miss Kagay-an Tourism 2007 Diana Bagonoc and her court - first runner-up Dianne Galenzoga and fourth runner-up Natasha Mills - donning locally-crafted Puyo accessories.

Also on hand during the Kapuso night later in the evening were Jolina Magdangal and Ram Chaves.

Jolina said in a separate interview that she is grateful that at the age of 29, she looks younger.

"Maybe it comes with the blood. My mom also doesn't look her age at 50," she said.

Despite that, Jolina amazingly maintains a disciplined routine of waking up at 3:30 a.m. for three days in a week so she can prepare herself in a live segment of Unang Hirit.

Aside from Unang Hirit, Jolina can also be seen in the weekly shows SOP and Dear Heart.

She has a separate weekly program with the in-house television production of Malacañang, RTVM, which is aired in a state-run network.

Jolina's next movie is I.T.A.L.Y. where she shares billing with Dennis Trillo, Ruffa Mae Quinto, Mark Herras, Eugene Domingo and Rhian Ramos and directed by Mark Reyes.

I.T.A.L.Y. is the story about a group of Filipinos aboard a cruise ship plying the Italian waters.

Opening this September 17, I.T.A.L.Y. (I Trust and Love You) was shot in three continents, five countries and 13 cities, with cast and crew spending three days in Genoa.

The cruise ship segments were shot on a real cruise so real passengers often mistook Jolina as a real cabin attendant.