•Justin Bieber fever still burns in Philippines
•Remembering Rebecca on her 5th death anniversary
Wake-uppers:
Scene: On March 8, Boholano award-winning director Maryo J. delos Reyes will be bestowed the Ulirang Alagad ng Pelikula sa Likod ng Kamera Lifetime Achievement Award at the 31st Star Awards for Movies, as organized by the Philippine Movie Press Club, Inc. at the Solaire Casino and Resort in Parañaque . At the moment, direk Maryo is directing “Pari Koy,” a new series on GMA-7 that stars Dingdong Dantes.
Scene: March 9 is the 10th anniversary of the Mabini Food Poisoning. The incident killed 27 schoolkids and 100 were hospitalized.
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The Justin Bieber Fever remains strong as the Canadian pop star turned 21 on March 1.
The Bieber Fever had an outbreak in 2009 and then remains.
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| Alexis Calipusan (2nd from left) and Cyril Cailing (extreme right) after her performance on GMA Cebu’s Buena Mano. With them are (from left) Yuri, Cherryl Pelayo-Dacua, Alan Domingo, Lou-anne Mae Rondina and Fr. Dan Domingo delos Angeles. Courtesy: Jude Montejo |
Obviously, Justin Bieber has millions of fans, but there’s one we know pretty well who might be one of the biggest fans of all-Jenali Alexis Calipusan! The voice-a-like of Justin Bieber just guested on dyrd’s Rampa Showbiz (hosted by veteran broadcaster Ped Bolanio and Glee Orcullo), Kiss FM (hosted by Robert James) and dyTR’s Showbiz Chikka (hosted by Inday Charity). But that doesn’t stop her from being a major voice-a-like of Justin Bieber when she had a head-turning guest appearance on GMA Cebu’s Buena Mano last Friday. She also guested on Barangay 99.5RT (hosted by Papa Marco) and on dyLA (hosted by Sanden Anadia). Alexis had to drop some appearances in Cebu due to a limited time.
Host Yuri said that Alexis is really 100% voice-a-like of Justin. “I have a Bieber Fever all over again!”
“It was so much fun. Everybody there was so helpful, it was so humbling to be around them,” said Alexis.
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| JAM-C: Alexis Calipusan and Cyril Cailing |
Alexis remains a Bieliber even Justin was landing in hot water a time or two because of controversies and had singing voice drop a good octave.
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Friends and fans remember Rebecca del Rio on 5th death anniversary
Since her death five years ago, Rebecca del Rio’s fans and friends have said how they will remember her, how she meant in their lives, and the legacy she leaves behind.
Before Cheri Gil, the famous glamorous kontrabida today, there was Rebecca del Rio-Tushinsky who was from Sierra-Bullones town. Because she hit her peak in the ’50s, Rebecca del Rio may be a darling to baby boomers but perhaps a bit of a "stranger" to the new generation of movie lovers.
In 2008, Rebecca attended the wedding of her niece Demia Tallo-Salarda held in Baclayon Church. It was also a reunion of the Buslon family. Then in January 2010, she came home to distribute her vast landholdings in Bohol to her relatives and tenants in Pilar.
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| Boholano actress Rebecca Del Rio was the first Filipina to win the Asia’s best actress award. |
Here are some trivia that should serve as introduction to Rebecca whose movies are, I’m sure, became very popular during her time:
•Rebecca del Rio was born Rebecca Buslon on January 31, 1929.
•She was the daughter of Judge Teofilo Buslon, former congressman (of the third district of Bohol) and Demeteria Buslon, a nurse, who was the first elected woman mayor in the Philippines. She was the sister of the late provincial lawmaker Socorro Buslon-Tallo.
• Friends and family relatives called Rebecca as Nang Nena.
• Rebecca was the aunt of fashion mogul Maximiel.
• Rebecca graduated at Holy Spirit School and she went to the Philippine Women’s University in Manila to study. She was discovered by Sampaguita Pictures.
• Rebecca del Rio was the first Boholano to become a star.
• She was typecasted as a glamorous kontrabida (villain) in movies and perhaps the most loved villain.
• Rebecca was the first Filipina to win the 1958 Asian Film Festival best supporting actress in the film Malvarosa. She also won the best supporting actress in FAMAS in 1958.
•She made numerous movies under Sampaguita (touted as the home of glamorous and debonair stars, Sampaguita Pictures, Inc. (SPI) was established in 1937 by then Rep. Pedro Vera and Judge Jose Vera with a circle of friends) and in 1955 she signed a contract to LVN Pictures and made her first movie Dinayang Pagmamahal aka Foolish Love, a Jaime de la Rosa and Charito Solis movie.
• Rebecca starred in some memorable movies such as Tres Muskiteros (1951), Mayamang Balo (1952), Hiram na Mukha (1952), Ang Ating Pag-ibig (1953), Cofradia (1953), Anak ng Espada (1953), Mister Kasintahan (1953), Vod-A-Vil (1953), Musikong Bumbong (1954), Tres Muskiteras (1954), Pilya (1954), Milyonarya at Hampaslupa (1954), Dalagang Ilocana (1954), Sabungera (1954), Bondying (1954), Kurdapya (1954), Lola Sinderella (1955), Bulaklak sa Parang (1955), Mariposa (1955), Dinayang Pagmamahal (1955), Talusaling (1955), Luksang Tagumpay (1956),Laging Ikaw (1956), Cuatro Vidas (1957),Turista (1957), Rebelde (1958),Malvarosa (1958), Mr. Kuripot (1958); and Lollipops and Roses (1971).
•Rebecca married an American Sony executive Mr. Tushinsky and migrated to USA.
• She loved dogs. In the US, she had a dog named Hercules.
• Rebecca Buslon-Tushinsky passed away on March 11, 2010 in Canoga Park, California.
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