Ken Chan, ideal choice to play Boyet in GMA’s ‘My Special Tatay’

Kapuso actor Ken Chan plays the role of Boyet, a man with Mild Intellectual Disability with Mild Autism Spectrum Disorder. When asked if there were other actors who vied for the role, the director, LA Madridejos, said that there were no first, second or third choice to portray the character.

“I’ve worked with Ken before and I know his capacity as an actor. I believed he was the ideal actor to play Boyet. This is about his disability but it’s more malalim. And I can relate to the challenges and experiences of his character especially about bullying. In school when I was young, I was bullied,” he said, adding “I’m sure mamahalin ng mga audience si Boyet.”

“My role here as Boyet is the most challenging so far that I have done, ito ang pinakamahirap na role na ginampanan ko. And I’m so thankful to GMA Network for giving such good and challenging roles like in ‘The Cure’ and now here in ‘My Special Tatay,” this is a very sensitive role,” Ken expressed.

To prepare himself for the role, Ken said they did a lot of research about the disability, they watched a lot movies and did immersions, and had workshops. “At sa tulong ng lahat ng ito, nabuo ko ang character ko. Mahirap isabuhay siya but I hope the audience will like what we are going to offer them. Doble ang kaba ko for this show dahil kailangan nating ipaintindi sa viewers kung ano ba talaga ang pinagdadaanan ng mga taong may intellectual disability.”

It’s his first time to play a father and Ken said, it was a much welcomed role since “I am very fond of children. Mahilig talaga ako sa mga bata, at hindi ako nahirapan sa pag-alaga ko sa anak ko sa teleseryeng ito.”

Airing on Sept. 3, on GMA Afternoon Prime, “My Special Tatay” also features Jestoni Alarcon, Teresa Loyzaga, Ms. Carmen Soriano, Lilet, Candy Pangilinan, Matt Evans, Empress Schuck, Valeen Montenegro, Ashley Rivera, Arra San Agustin , Rita Daniela , Jillian Ward , Bruno Gabriel and John Kenneth Giducos.

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Tidbits: Happy birthday greetings today, Aug. 30, go to Richard Enriquez, Ariel Inton, Carlos Palanca III, Edgar Mortiz, Anna Marie Baradi, Ed Sy, Andrea Ruth Robinson, Albert M. Gerilla, Priscilla Valdecanas, Jericho Ejercito, and Manny Garcia…Happy 19th wedding anniversary to Erwin Amboy and Mylene Grace Amboy…

Ronnie Liang’s new album ‘12’ is about unrequited love

Ronnie Liang

Ronnie Liang’s latest album is, interestingly, titled just “12.” Why so? Because it is in celebration of his 12th anniversary in show business.

Ronnie Liang’s 5th album is about unrequited love said the Pinoy Dream Academy 2nd runner-up. It gives us a glimpse of what and how it is to be in love again. It tells us How wonderful it is to fall in love again even though there are times that love is unrequited. “Love might be the most complicated thing in the world but it is also the best thing that could happen to anyone of us,” Liang said.

“Have you had enough of stalking him or her? Have you been telling yourself that you’re done for good and that you are tired of putting out too much effort yet you are not valued as you should be treated by him or her? Ever get tired of chasing the person who doesn’t even want you back?” Ronnie Liang said he can relate to these and even shared a rendition of a song for people who loved and was not loved in return.

“It’s exhausting. It breaks your heart. It makes you question what’s wrong with you and why he/she doesn’t want you back. That feeling that you want to fight him or her until the end yet there’s no denying that he or she is not willing to do that. Darling, all of these things that you are experiencing is normal. We all have that phase where we just want to be loved and lived happily ever after just like what fairy tales told us when we were young.”

Ronnie Liang requested us to check out the song entitled “Pakisabi Na Lang” and “Sa ‘Yo Na Lang Ako.” He stressed “The songs will give you chills. You can’t imagine how accurate those songs are when it comes to narrating your feelings. Just like the lyrics of the song, “Pakisabi Na Lang”, that goes, “ Pakisabi nalang na mahal ko siya, di na baleng may mahal siya ng iba. Pakisabi nalang na wag siyang mag-alala, di ako umaasa.” which directly translates asking someone to tell the person he loves to tell her how much he loves her even though he knows she loves somebody else.

“Tell her not to worry about him because he is not hoping she would return the feelings. That line alone is so powerful that it would literally make you realize that you’ll be fine as long as the person you loved knows how you feel. You don’t need to push yourself into someone’s life, you just have to accept that you loved someone dearly and that you’ll be fine.

“Anyway, time will heal and at least you had experienced what it is like to care for someone so deeply that it hurts you,” Ronnie concluded.

Make sure you have Ronnie Liang’s latest album “12” in your Spotify playlist and be ready to be serenaded by him through his latest love songs.

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Tidbits: Happy birthday greetings today, Aug. 31, go to Jim Paredes, Ramona Sy, Monching Fernandez, Zenaida Silva, Connie Gonzalez, Dr. Inday Morales, Erwin Roy, Timothy Yuquimpo, Virginia Malolos, Susan de Guzman, Michelle Naidas Abacan, Cherry Pascual, Monching Tabuldan, Sean Belen, Kalyle Torres, Angelica Matubis-Baylon, Ed Ponceja, Jordan Aguilar, Cristina Gatti, vocalist of Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox and Rachelle Ann Go.

MPO marks 20th anniversary

It was 20 years ago when Maestro Rodel Colmenar founded the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) and on its milestone this year, a grand concert billed as MPO Opus 20 will be an appropriate celebration. Under the baton of its founder and musical director, the concert will be held at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo, Cultural Center of the Philippines on Sept. 1, 2018 at 8 p.m.

The show is bound to be the greatest musical spectacle this year what with an all-Filipino world-class musicians and vocalists to perform a repertoire combining the best of both classical and contemporary music. The guest performers include Lani Misalucha, Raul Sunico and the UST Singers.

The concert will be in two segments. The first part will reminisce MPO’s historical musical journey by featuring my great classical works of composers like Beethoven and Gershwin that have defined the early and humble beginnings of the orchestra. Featured in this segment is Dean Raul Sunico.

The second half of the concert will highlight how MPO has evolved as an orchestra that has become more relevant and instrumental in bringing symphonic music closer to the hearts of the Filipino people. Having pioneered in out-of-the-box ideas like the “Philharmonic in Jeans” concert series way back in the early 2000s, the orchestra will render classical pieces with a modern twist. This is some kind of a tribute to Guess Philharmonic in Jeans Mall Concert Series.

Maestro Colmenar said there will be a portion that will give prominence to the orchestra’s current spirited involvement in the local musical theater and concert scenes. The kids of musical theater will perform excerpts from “Annie” and a surprise pop number for their second song. UST Singers will be featured in a George Canseco medley - the MPO’s tribute to OPM Classic.

And of course, not to be missed is the debut concert performance of MPO’s very own big band with Ms. Lani Misaluchia. Lani will give life to timeless rock songs of Queen to be highlighted in a grand production number with the big band, along with the UST Singers. It’s a production number that the audience will surely remember.

The “MPO Opus 20” has Freddie Santos as stage director.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Aug. 29, go to Jamie Rivera, Oskar Atendido, Dr. Nellie Yu, Prof. Candida Agcaoili, Jeric Mariano, Nita Rivas Trofeo, Teresa Arnaiz, Sharon Edingh, Romana Zuñiga, Mrs. Dading Gonzalez, Philip Neri, Shelby Payne, Richard Suaco Ante and Iwa Motto...Happy wedding anniversary to former novelty artist Frankie and Rosemary Ferrer of Bais City.