Christian Bables Receives Bright Star Award at the 2019 Asian Pop-Up Cinema

Tweet

Christian Bables,  one of the brilliant young actors of his generation, is an award-winning actor to be reckoned with.

Gaining international attention, Christian won Bright Star Award in the prestigious 2019 Asian Pop-Up Cinema for "Signal Rock." Previously, he won the Best Actor Award from the 5th Hanoi International Film Festival for the same movie “Signal Rock.” He has won Best Supporting Actor Award at many film festivals, which included “Die Beautiful” in which he plays a transgender woman.

Christian breathes life into every character he portrays and enjoys being an actor because he can express himself, touch other people’s lives, and execute his passion.

Christian always takes his work seriously and values the importance of training and preparation. He remains focus on his craft as an actor that is why blessings continuously keep pouring in for him. 

“Like what my mentors tell me, acting is a lifestyle of learning. Kahit na sino, kahit hindi actor, ay dapat hindi tumigil sa pag-aaral. Dapat laging bukas na matuto,” says Christian.

He has proven to all and sundry that he is an award-winning actor to be reckoned with. 

“Acting is a venue to express myself. I enjoy giving empowerment to every character I portray because through that ako mismo ay nae-empower.” 

Christian is in high spirits these days. Fresh from the box-office success of Panti Sisters, Christian is deeply overwhelmed with the outcome of the movie which revolves around the story of three gay siblings whose rich father wants to bequeath his inheritance to a son who can give him a grandchild.

“Nakakatuwa na tinanggap ng Filipino audience and maybe the foreign audience ang pelikula namin. Thank you very much but more than anything else, I am ecstatic because we were able to relay the message of the movie. Likewise, we become proud allies of the LGBT community. Personally, this is my way of giving back because ang laki ng utang na loob ko sa LGBT community. If not for my role as Barbs in Die Beautiful, I wouldn’t be here. Hindi mabubukas ang pintuan ng mga pangarap ko. Ang mapapangako ko ay hindi ako magsasawa at mapapagod na gumawa ng mga makabuluhang istorya para sa LGBT community.”

He just came back from Chicago to personally accept his Bright Star Awa in the prestigious 2019 Asian Pop-Up Cinema for his sterling performance in Signal Rock. In the film, Christian plays Intoy, a poor high school dropout who resides in a far-flung fishing island with his family and courageously climbs steep rock formations just to get a cellphone signal. (He won the Best Actor Award at the Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF) in Vietnam last year.) 

Christian shares his experience attending the event. 

“They were all nice. The founder is Ms. Sophia Boccio. She was very accommodating. I received a warm welcome from the people in Chicago most especially the Filipino community. Grabe iyong suporta nila sa Signal Rock, sa akin, at sa pagpunta ko. I enjoyed my stay there. It was a heartwarming experience. It is one of my most memorable film festivals.”

Also recently, he won the Best Actor Award at the Urduja Film Festival for his role in Signal Rock which also received the Movie of the Year (Drama) Award. Urduja Film Festival is a yearly competition which promotes student short, feature, and independent films in Northern Luzon.

Despite his achievements, Christian remains humble. How does he handle fame? 

“For me, being known is just part of the job. Iyong real job for me, ang totoong batayan sa akin ay kung gaano ka kadiligent at kung gaano ka kagutom as an actor. You’re just as good as your last work. So ang pagiging masipag (iyong kaya mong i-assess kung tama ba o hindi ang ginagawa mo) ay ang totoong batayan for me at hindi ang fame.”

Christian is grateful for all the good projects coming his way. Aside from upcoming movies, and stageplay, he is part of a new teleserye in ABS-CBN. 

“I am thankful to ABS-CBN for giving me such a good and challenging role. Please watch out for my new television series soon.”

For inquiries, please call (02) 88554765 or (02) 34054423, email info@asianartistsagency.com, and visit fb.com/asianartistsagency

Janine Gutierrez top-bills new psycho-thriller film 'Babae at Baril'

Tweet

Showbiz royalty and the Kapuso leading lady Janine Gutierrez is top-billing a new psycho-thriller film, Babae at Baril, directed by Rae Red. Babae at Baril is an entry to this year's QCinema International Film Festival. 

The movie tackles how it is like to be a woman in a world of violence and masculinity, Babae at Baril is director Rae Red’s sophomore feature and first solo directorial effort.

Janine to showcase a different side of her as she proves her acting versatility.  Here, she's a simple girl, with a gun, and at desperate times. 

In the gripping psychological thriller, Gutierrez portrays a hardworking saleslady who’s had enough of being an underdog. Just as she decides to take things into her own hands, she myste­riously finds a gun on her doorstep. 

Empowered by the weapon, her bitter past comes rushing back to her and rather than wallow in it, it angers and transforms her. With a gun, she can do whatever she wants, talk back to whoever she wants and even hurt those who have wronged her.

This one story that makes me nervous, in pain, ask why and feel sorry for people on that so desperate situation in life.

A handgun for everyone, like a young lady (as Janine in the movie), to consider for self-defense... I sometimes understand that there are, unfortunately, cases where a gun may have helped a victim. In the movie Babae at Baril", there are young boys, also used guns...to fight for themselves, or to do not good things.... Is this a story in defense of carrying guns?

The film stars Janine Gutierrez, Felix Roco, Elijah Canlas, JC Santos, and Sky Teotico with special participation of Ruby Ruiz, Allan Paule, and Archie Adamos and produced by CIGNAL ENTERTAINMENT in partnership with EPIC MEDIA,

"Babae at Baril" showing in selected cinemas (Gateway Mall, Ayala Trinoma, Robinsons Galleria, UPFI Cine Adarna, Cinema 76 Anonas and Cinema Centenario in QC on Oct 15-22, 2019.

For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/BabaeAtBaril

DOT unveils a more fun website

Tweet

The Department of Tourism (DOT) unveils its new website on Tuesday at one of the many century-old buildings in Escolta, Manila - the HUB: Make Lab. This is part of DOT’s efforts to showcase and conserve the country’s natural heritage.

DOT Assistant Secretary Howard Lance A. Uyking and GTTP General Manager Rabbi Vincent Ang launches DOT’s new tourism website at Hub: Make Lab in Escolta, Manila.

The new DOT website  philippines.travel,  makes the 7,641 islands of the Philippines more accessible to both foreign and local travelers.

“Our new tourism website, philippines.travel, is a one-stop-shop for all your travel needs which includes information on our beautiful destinations to help you plan and book your next trip.” said DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.

“We have made the website very inclusive as we recognize the value of our private sector’s involvement and support in this. This is one of many efforts we are doing to encourage tourist establishments to go through our accreditation process in order to provide better service to our tourists.” emphasized Sec. Puyat.

The inclusion of an actual travel booking system on the site is in partnership with Guide to the Philippines (www.guidetothephilippines.ph). Aside from more than 500 best value travel products and counting, Guide to the Philippines also has an online library of in-depth destination travel guides to help travelers discover new places and experiences for their trips in the Philippines.

This partnership intends to link tourists to DOT-accredited tour operators and tourism establishments. As a long-term goal, the DOT aims to embed the booking system’s functions to its new website. 

“What's really exciting is that our country now has an online platform to showcase to the world, not only the popular Philippine destinations but even the lesser-known ones. It's a true collaboration of local tourism stakeholders, one that's sure to make traveling to our country a lot easier," said Rabbi Vincent Ang, Guide to the Philippines' General Manager.

According to President of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines, Jose Clemente III, “The new website does not only provide accessibility for tourists with its travel guide, but it symbolizes how the government and the business sector can help one another to provide better services for our people.”

For its new look, the re-designed website has three main tabs: See & Do; Where to Go; and Events & Festival, which are based on unique travel behaviors.

The “See & Do” tab features six tourism products of the country, such as Dive, Nature, Sun and Beach, Adventure, Food and Hospitality, and Events and Culture. These products are also highlighted in ten large image-centric carousel banners.

Clicking on each product will lead the user to tourist destinations and activities that are readily available.

Under the “Where to Go” tab, tourists can explore the country through a virtual map, and get basic information on the 16 regions and provinces, including routes going there, nearby places to explore, and even where to stay.

For the “Events & Festival,” tourists are guided with dates, location and routes, and fundamental information about the occasion. It also informs tourists to wear cultural appropriate clothing.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) and Guide to the Philippines (GTTP) formalize their partnership through the newly launched philippines.travel website, which allows users to book tours from DOT-accredited tour operators and tourism establishments. In photo during the official contract signing are (L-R): DOT Assistant Secretary Howard Lance A. Uyking, GTTP General Manager Rabbi Vincent Ang, DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, and Tourism Council of the Philippines President Jojo Clemente.

The DOT also stressed that the philippines.travel, website is a timeless domain name that is not dependent on any government’s tourism campaign or slogan.

Miss Earth 2019 National Costume Competition held at Century Park Hotel

Tweet

Century Park Hotel (CPH), one of the finest hotels in Metro Manila, recently hosted the very festive Miss Earth 2019 National Costume Competition round at its Grand Ballroom.

Former Miss Earth winners (L-R) Miss Angelia Ong (2015), Miss Nguyễn Phương Khánh (2018) and Miss Karen Ibasco (2017) graced the affair and awarded the medals to the winners.

More than 300 guests witnessed a visual spectacle of colors as over 90 delegates from various countries proudly displayed their national costumes for everyone to enjoy. The competition is one of the most anticipated and most celebratory pre-pageant contests. Relevant environmental issues like forest fires, recycling and climate change were integrated in the costumes.

The event was made possible in cooperation with Carousel Productions, Inc., the official organizer of Miss Earth. Guests from the government sectors as well as ambassadors from different countries were also in full attendance.

The winners in Best National Costumes per region were as follows:

Africas

Gold – Kenya, Ms. Susan Kirui

Silver – Zambia, Ms. Venus Vlahakis

Bronze – Nigeria, Ms. Modupe Susan Garlan

Asia and Oceania

Gold – Mongolia, Ms. Azzaya Tsogt-Ochir

Silver – Philippines, Ms. Janelle Tee

Bronze – Vietnam, Ms. Hoàng Thi Hanh

Americas

Gold – Chile, Ms. Fernanda Mendez Tapia

Silver – Panama, Ms. Marianna Fuentes

Bronze – Peru, Ms. Alexandra Caceres Drago

Europe

Gold – Spain, Ms. Sonia Hernandez

Silver – Czech Republic, Ms. Klara Vavruskova

Bronze – Crimea, Ms. Anastasia Lebediuk

The international pageant will be held on October 26, 2018 at Cove Manila at Okada, Manila.

At the forefront of technology with Taiwan Excellence

Tweet

Dubbed as the heart of Asia, Taiwan beats with a fiery passion that attracts many Filipinos.

In fact, the number of Filipinos who visited the island republic increased in 2018 by 44.13% from 2017. 

For some, Taiwan is a food destination and picturesque views. To many others, it is the home of cutting-edge technologies and life-changing innovations. 

Over the past year, Taiwan has grown into a global leader in innovation by supplying solutions to our modern problems. The value they provide is so gigantic that the Taiwanese economy lists global powerhouses such as Google, Apple, Microsoft and IBM as part of its clientele. 

It's easy to get lost at the rate Taiwan churns out game-changing products. So, for those who are looking to get the best Taiwan can offer, look for the seal of the Taiwan Excellence Award. 

"Products selected for the Taiwan Excellence Awards serve as shining examples for the domestic industry. Apart from the distinction, these products and brands are also promoted by the Taiwanese government on many international stages," said Tony Lin, deputy director of the Strategic Marketing Department of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA). 

The Taiwan Excellence Awards covers different products that are used in various sectors such as manufacturing, education, healthcare, transportation, e-commerce, smart living, green energy, and public service. 

"Taiwan Excellence works to connect people through innovation and excellence, which they can feel in their lives every day," Lin added. 

Real world innovations 

Under its umbrella are companies and brands that provide concrete solutions to real world problems, effectively transforming the dreams of a smart future into reality. 

For one, tech giant Acer has been developing a self-driving car that will usher in a new age in smart transportation. During the project, they partnered with Yulon Group, one of Taiwan's top car makers. 

In the realm of robotics, there is the TTRobotix's SeaDragon XLR, a remote-controlled robot and submarine, that can dive 300 meters deep to aid in surveillance, rescue, or marine research. 

Also updating the way we learn in the classroom, Everest Display Inc. boasts it Cloud Touch Projector. Unlike traditional projectors, the device can be used independently with its built-in Android system and a range of unique functions and features. 

Revolutionizing personal hygiene is the Eleclean disinfectant spray, made of 100% pure water with no chemical additives. Housed in a compact device, the water is electrolyzed to create reactive oxygen species that are strong enough to kill most disorder-causing microorganisms, while remaining gentle so that it doesn't cause skin irritation. 

To help people adjust to rising air pollution rates, Edimax created EdiGreen Airbox, a smart air quality detector with temperature and humidity sensors. It accurately measures the levels of harmful miniscule particulate matter present in the air. 

A triumph in the field of smart healthcare is being developed by AmCad Biomed. Their AmCadUT Thyroid Cancer detection machine uses the power of algorithms to automatically classify thyroid tumors. According to Peter Wu, president of AmCad, the machine can analyze whether a tumor is benign or malignant. In addition, it has an average accuracy of 90 percent, 15 to 25 percent higher than that of the most superior experts. 

Unparalleled excellence for the world 

With so much innovation to offer, Taiwan, with the help of Taiwan Excellence, is improving lives all over the world. Later this year, Taiwan Excellence will showcase some of its great products for Filipinos to enjoy. 

To experience many other wondrous innovations, Taiwan Excellence is inviting everyone to the Taiwan Expo, which will highlight Taiwan's experience and expertise in various industries such as technology, agriculture, design, medical care, education and tourism on November 8-9 at the SMX Convention Center, Davao.