Apple, Glenn, Mitch, Mykel, Kelly eliminated from Protege

The bottom two proteges from each of the five protege teams were given their last chance to prove to their mentors that they deserve to retain their places in the competition. In the end, five proteges were saved, while the other five left the competition for good.

Japs de Luna (N. and C. Luzon), Zandra Summer (Visayas), Vien Alen King (Mega Manila), Arny Ross (South Luzon) and Ruru Madrid (Mindanao) have another reason to thank their mentors because they were the ones saved this week, while Glenn Roy (N. and C. Luzon), Mitch Capili (Visayas), Kelly D (Mega Manila), Mykel Ong (Southern Luzon) and Apple Vega (Mindanao) will have to face the bitter truth of being evicted from the competition.

Derrick Monasterio leads National Youth Commission’s Barkada Kontra Droga

GMA Network Tween star and primetime actor Derrick Monasterio formally signed an agreement with the National Youth Commission to be an advocate of the Youth Drug Abuse, Prevention and Control project of the NYC.

During the contract signing held at the NYC office, Commissioner Earl P. Saavedra shared that Derrick is the perfect choice to be their youth advocate, "We know that Derrick’s character is definitely a good image of a typical Filipino youth. He is an example of somebody who shows to the young how they must conduct themselves. Magaling si Derrick in terms of talent, magaling siya in terms of pakikipaghalubilo. Yun ang gusto natin sa isang kabataang Filipino. May proper appreciation of values and may proper appreciation of the righteousness that they have to bear within themselves."

Rochelle Pangilinan and her life story on GMA-7’s Tunay Na Buhay

She started out as one of the members of the all-girl sing-and-dance group Sexbomb from the popular noontime show “Eat Bulaga.”

From being a dancer, Rochelle Pangilinan has also ventured into acting via the afternoon drama soap, “Daisy Siete.” From then on, Rochelle has come a long way.

She may not have gone to college and may have humble beginnings in Malabon, but she is now able to provide a better life for her family. She is a singer, a rapper, and has played both leading and supporting roles in various shows of the Kapuso network.

Battle for Survival unfolds in Protégé's first elimination night this Sunday

After the nerve-wracking announcement of the Bottom 10 during the first battle night, the showdown for survival will happen this Sunday (August 19) as the ten protégés will perform on stage for a talent face-off against their own teammate.

One of the biggest events in the competition will unfold in the first elimination night as five of the 10 protégés will leave the battle stage at the end of the show. Two protégés from each region will clash for a spot in the Top 15.

Philippine’s phenomenal TV drama “Walang Hanggan” remains unstoppable in reaping their achievements. Recently, the 2nd volume of its official soundtrack zoomed to the no.1 spot of the overall top-selling albums in the Philippines. Based on the latest nationwide sales reports of Odyssey Music and Video from July 30 to August 5, “Walang Hanggan Volume 2: The Official Soundtrack” dominated the music sales chart of both local and foreign albums in the country.

The ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra will play well-loved movie scores of legendary composer John Williams in its first solo concert on September 2, 6 PM at the Meralco Theater.

Dubbed as “The Magic of John Williams,” the concert will celebrate the composer's 80th birthday and will feature most of his contribution to film music in the six decades of his career. From the adventurous bicycle chase in “E.T.” to the thrilling sea hunt in “Jaws,” the haunting melodies of "Schindler's List" and the romantic flying scene in “Superman,” Williams helped immortalize these scenes through the sweeping grandeur and tender emotions of his music.

Kapamilya celebrities join relief efforts of Sagip Kapamilya

More Kapamilya celebrities have taken a break from their busy schedules to join the relief operations of ABS-CBN Foundation’s Sagip Kamilya for the victims of flooding last week.

GIGABYTE launches Thin Ultrabook™ and Powerful Gaming Notebook

U2442V Ultrabook™

The U2442V Ultra Pro Book is a sleek and stunning 14” Ultrabook™ that provides fantastic performance with the “Kepler” based GeForce GT 640M graphics chip paired with a 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ Processor. At the forefront of GIGABYTE’s commitment to uphold notebook innovation, this model has a striking design that exudes remarkable style, combined with powerful features that herald a new era in mobile computing. It has a slim form factor, only 18.5-21mm thick and weighs just 1.59kg, making it a fantastic choice for portability.

Ultra Performance with Sleek Design

Despite its thin profile, the U2442V is equipped with high-powered features normally found on much larger notebooks. The ultrabook comes with a powerful 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i5 standard voltage processor that delivers tremendous performance. Sporting a HD+ (1600x900) LED Backlight display that produces bright, vivid images, it also comes equipped with the NVIDIA®- Kepler-based GeForce® GT 640M discrete graphics processing unit with NVIDIA Optimus Technology. The U2442V has a dual air vent design (one for CPU and one for GPU) that efficiently eliminates heat and keeps noise to a minimum during longtime usage. With the high-speed 128GB mSATA SSD and a huge 750GB/1TB HDD, the dual-storage system provides high performance and a massive storage option.

San Roque, patron saint for plagues, pestilence and AIDS, commemorated today (Aug. 16)

The Roman Catholic Church, the largest single religious body in the world with over 1.1 billion members is commemorating the death of one of its saints, St. Roch (better known in the Philippines and in Hispanic countries as San Roque), the patron saint of plagues, pestilence and AIDS.

In case you are not familiar with who San Roque is, he is the saint usually depicted in statue form in Catholic churches as the one with a walking stick on the left hand, while the other hand is pointing on to a wound on one of his knees with a dog sitting by his right side. This portrait of San Roque is usually mistaken as that of San Isidore the Laborer (San Isidro de Labrador) probably because of the term “Labrador,” which is also a term associated with a breed of canines.

Mikael Daez and Andrea Torres topbill GMA-7’s Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga remake

Following the success of Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin, GMA-7 recreates another one of its very own masterpieces with the upcoming remake of Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga. The original version ran for two successful years, and still remains as one of GMA’s most popular teledramas to this day.

In the modern version, promising Kapuso stars Mikael Daez and Andrea Torres will breathe new life to the roles previously portrayed by Dingdong Dantes and Tanya Garcia.

Mark Herras gives joy to Caritas kids

Kapuso star Mark Herras brightened up the day of Caritas Manila’s beneficiaries when he graced GMA G.I.V.E.S. (Guide, Interact, Volunteer, Educate, Serve) 2nd Salu-Salo Together, a gathering of the Network’s volunteer employees held recently. The event, spearheaded by GMA Corporate Affairs, aims to strengthen volunteerism among the Network’s employees. GMA G.I.V.E.S. members and GMA Kapuso Foundation donated school bags with school supplies to the kids.

Ella Cruz sacrifices 'Sweet 16' party to help flood victims

“Aryana” lead star Ella Cruz recently called off her grand 'Sweet 16' celebration to help the victims of the widespread flood that hit the Philippines.

Kathryn, grateful to fans for the the ratings success of "PRINCESS AND I"

ABS-CBN’s royal teleserye, “Princess and I” achieved the no.1 spot in the recent list of overall top TV programs nationwide. Based on the data of Kantar Media last Tuesday (August 7), the Kathryn Bernardo-starrer tied with the country’s ‘phenomenal TV drama’ “Walang Hanggan” with the national TV rating of 38.8%.

SEN. TITO DESPISES HELEN’S WICKEDNESS IN “WALANG HANGGAN”

Phenomenal TV drama "Walang Hanggan" remains to be the undisputed no. 1 TV program in the country today as proven by the latest data of Kantar Media last Friday (July 20), when it garnered a national TV rating of 37.7%, compared to its rival program in GMA, "Makapiling Kang Muli," which only got 15.5%.

What's with "BE CAREFUL WITH MY HEART"?

ABS-CBN's no.1 romantic-comedy Prime-tanghali drama series, "Be Careful With My Heart" continues to rule nationwide daytime TV and one of its directors, Direk Jeffrey Jeturian is in high spirits with their show's unprecedented feat.

"The consistent high ratings of our show is really overwhelming," said Direk Jeffrey. "We did not expect that there is a morning audience that big that would propel us everyday to the 5th spot of the top overall TV programs nationwide."

Malaysia’ Formula 1 Circuit Comes Alive with MICHELIN Pilot Experience

Philippine motoring experts will get the chance to try out Malaysia’s world renowned Formula 1 circuit in Sepang as it hosts more than 500 Michelin customers, journalists and social media commentators from 18 countries who will enjoy the rare opportunity of the Michelin Pilot Experience (MPE).

The Michelin Pilot Sport Experience is an 18-day event that starts August 7 and ends _____ that will make participants experience piloting some of the most competitive circuit racing vehicles in the motor sports arena such as Formula Michelin, Porsche, Renault Clio, Citroen C2 Rally cars. They will also get to drive go-karts and ride a Formula 2 seater piloted by professional racers, complete with total G-Force experience.

Rexona Run 2012 Postponed

In its commitment to give the best running experience to its runners, the Rexona Run 2012 slated this Sunday, August 12, 2012 at the Mall of Asia grounds has been postponed.

Interview with Steffi Pacheco of Protege

When Mindanao protégé Steffi Pacheco walked down the stage during the Top 20 Protégé presentation last Sunday, she did so with the confidence and projection of a supermodel.

Interview with David John Llanas of Protege

David John Llanas is supposed to be graduating from college this October, but he has to take a respite from what would have been his last semester in school since he joined Protégé. He plans to complete his last semester in college, though, after the competition.

Julie Anne San Jose's album available at the iTunes store starting tomorrow (Aug. 10)

GMA Records has announced this morning that beginning tomorrow, August 10, Julie Anne San Jose's self-titled recording album will be available for downloading at the iTunes Store.

To download, simply log on to http://itunes.apple.com/ph/album/julie-anne-san-jose/id548177622?ls=1

The compact disc version of the album will be available beginning next weekend in selected Astroplus and Astrovision outlets in Metro Manila and in provinces in Astroplus and Astrovision outlets a week later.

The 10-track album features the carrier single, "I'll Be There," the music video of which has now reached close to 1 million views on YouTube. The single hit the no. 1 spot in the Pinoy MYX Countdown during the week covering August 4-10, 2012.

Proteges help man GMA's Telethon for flood victims

The Top 20 proteges of GMA's artista search Protege: The Battle for the Big Artista Break took time outside of their reclusive quarters to receive pledges of financial and material aid intended for residents displaced when several municipalities in Mega Manila and Luzon were inundated as a result of torrential rains in this northern Philippine region.

Interview with Ruru Madrid

Ruru Madrid, at 14, is one of the youngest among the Top 20 Proteges. Although he and his family are now living in Marikina City, Ruru is representing his home province of Zamboanga City in Mindanao.

How did you know about Protégé?

“May mga nagsabi po kasi sa akin na may auditions nga daw po para sa Protégé. Sabi po nila subukan ko raw po dahil baka malaki ang chance ko na makapasok. Nasa school po ako nung ginawa ang audition tapos nagpaalam po ako na mag-o-audition.”

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart on Entertainment Weekly

Check out the August issue of Entertainment Weekly magazine featuring Twilight stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.

Protege's Top 20 aspirants revealed! (Photos)

From thousands of young dreamers who auditioned nationwide for a stab at stardom, Protege narrows down the list to the coveted Top 20 aspirants who will compete in GMA's original artista search.

This supreme slate of artista aspirants, meticulously selected from 15 cities all around the country, is all set to showcase their talent and star power on the Protege arena and will compete for the judges' and the Filipinos' votes during the weekly performance nights.

San Miguel Beer's 7107 reasons to celebrate in the Philippines

Together with the Philippines’ 7,107 beautiful islands come 7,107 equally exciting adventures and experiences for its locals and visitors alike. Tourists will easily find this welcoming and hospitable country a suitable second home filled with relaxing retreats, exciting escapades, and amazing adventures. For the self-proclaimed travel bug, the Philippines offers a wonderful array of fascinating destinations, which basically is what SMB 7,107 Celebrations would like to share with the rest of the world. With the country’s favorite San Miguel Beer as your travel companion, you’re sure to have not just extraordinarily fun, but an exceptionally memorable experience of the tropical paradise that is the Philippines. SMB 7,107 Celebrations allows you to explore a variety of awesome places and fun-filled activities and arrange them into one incredible itinerary.

Richard Gutierrez goes on a camping trip with some kids

Makapiling kang Muli star Richard Gutierrez had a fun time at the shoot of GMA’s new Station ID, which will feature him in a camping scene with fellow Kapuso actors Mark Anthony Fernandez, TJ Trinidad and Mike Tan along with some kids.

“I really enjoyed doing the scene with Mark Anthony, TJ and Mike, and of course spending time with the kids,” he shared. “We gathered around a bonfire and just talked about anything that came to our minds until we eventually ran out of stories to tell.”

Their part in the much-awaited Station ID portrays a really touching moment between the GMA actors and the children listening intently to the stories of their kuyas.

“We were asked to just keep talking while the cameras were rolling. So we took turns telling jokes and even shared personal ghost stories. It was really fun and I’m very excited to see how it will turn out,” said Richard.

He seems to have his hands full these days. When he’s not busy exploring the undiscovered side of the country or searching for hidden treasures in his weekly GMA News and Public Affairs show Pinoy Adventures, the actor-environmentalist plays the dashing Martin Caballero in the GMA Telebabad show, Makapiling Kang Muli with Carla Abellana and rumoured sweetheart Sarah Lahbati. However, the two remain quiet about the real status of their relationship to this day.

What does a busy actor like him do during his free time? “Of course, I spend it with my family and friends. I also engage in mixed martial arts and play basketball, among other physical activities to keep me fit.”

“I love how I am able to do two completely different things in my current shows in GMA. With Pinoy Adventures, I get to travel around our country and discover great things about it in a way like I never experienced before. And then with my other show, Makapiling Kang Muli, I get to portray a really challenging character and continue to grow as an actor. So it’s like sharing two different sides of me to our Kapuso viewers.”

The new GMA Station ID with Richard and 200 other Kapuso stars will premiere this August

The Wanted Concert in Manila

The sexiest boy band from the U.K., THE WANTED, is coming for a major concert in Manila! Catch The Wanted charmers Max, Siva, Jay, Tom and Nathan as they perform Live! on September 14, Friday, 8pm at NBC Tent, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. This exciting show is produced by MCA Music. Ticket details will be out soon. The Wanted brought us mind-blowing tunes like “All Time Low”, “Glad You Came” and the hottest summer single, "Chasing the Sun". They are the new U.K. group to bow in the Billboard Top 10 this year. Watch out as their sensational ditties and undoubtedly good looks will soon make fan girls swoon over the country.

Protégé holds first live gala night on August 5!

The search for the next big Kapuso stars officially begins as Protégé makes its highly-anticipated and star-studded premiere on Philippine television this Sunday, August 5. The first live gala night happens after IBilib on GMA's Sunday Grande block.

After several months of its intensive nationwide hunt, Protégé will finally unveil the coveted TOP 20 aspirants who will go head-to-head in the weekly elimination nights and outdo each other in hopes of winning over the judges' and the viewers' votes.

This competition is touted to be the grandest artista search this year as five celebrity mentors are tapped to train, supervise, and educate the Top 20 protégés in every rehearsal, workshop, weekly tests and trainings.

The mentors who were sent out to different parts of the country to find their four (2 boys and 2 girls) protégés include acclaimed actor and TV director Ricky Davao (Northern and Central Luzon), seasoned actress and TV director Gina Alajar (Southern Luzon), drama and action film legend Phillip Salvador (Mindanao), multimedia icon Jolina Magdangal (Visayas), and multi-awarded actor Roderick Paulate (Mega Manila).

Two winners will be proclaimed at the finals night -- one male protégé and one female protégé. At stake are 12 million pesos worth of cash prizes and a management contract with GMA 7.

As expected, the four esteemed judges -- well-respected talent manager/director Bert de Leon, multi-awarded drama actress Cherie Gil, entertainment guru Joey de Leon, and GMA Network Films President Atty. Annette Gozon-Abrogar -- will grill the Top 20 protégés armed with their hard-hitting yet motivational critiques.

All geared up to lend support and boost the spirit of the aspirants are Gala Presenter Dingdong Dantes and Journey Host Carla Abellana.

Witness the bracing drama as Protégé reveals the Top 20 during its first gala night this Sunday, 8:30pm on GMA

Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton VS. Abigail Ramos of Mexico

Coming off her impressive victory against Yolanda Segura of Mexico last May, Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton, the first Filipino-American boxer to win the Women's WBO Super Bantamweight and IBA Super Bantamweight titles, returns to Yucatan, Mexico for her fight against Abigail “Pinguita” Ramos.

GMA Network brings the third instalment of The Hurricane’s Laban ng Lahi series titled “Bagyo sa Mexico 3 – Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton v Abigail “Pinguita” Ramos” this Sunday, August 5, 11 AM to 12 NN before Party Pilipinas.

This is the third time that the two-time world boxing champion sets foot in the Mexican territory, who gave her the nickname “Yucatan Princess” as she already has a strong following among Mexican boxing fans.

Julaton was initially scheduled to fight another Mexican boxer, Magali Rodriguez but the latter suddenly lost touch with Orion Sports.

“She simply disappeared on us,” said Orion Sports President Allan Tremblay. “She left us hanging a week and half before the fight. Fortunately, we were able to secure Abigail Ramos who was in training for another fight and jumped at the chance to fight Ana. These things happen in boxing and you just have to deal with them.”

The fight marks Ramos’ entry in the professional boxing arena after setting a record of 3 wins, 3 losses and 2 knockouts as an amateur compared to Julaton’s 10 wins including 1 knockout, 3 losses, and 1 draw.

Tremblay, however, said that Julaton should not take her opponent lightly despite her young career.

The 32-year old pride of the Philippines is set to bring her years of experience to this battle, being one of the fastest fighters in history to become a world champion after only seven professional fights.

“This is still a major fight for me,” she said. “Ramos has nothing to lose and will bring it all, and I have to be prepared accordingly. A loss would derail my long standing dream of fighting in the Philippines in front of my own people and I simply cannot let that happen. Making adjustments for a last minute change of opponent is a challenge in itself but I will be ready.”

The fight will also air live via Super Radyo DZBB 594khz at 11:45 AM on Saturday, August 4 anchored by Orly Trinidad at Manny Vargas.

SNOW PATROL 'Fallen Empires Tour' in Manila

Be ready as alternative rock band from Ireland, SNOW PATROL, gives Manila a performance fueled with artistic passion and musical ingenuity this August 9th at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Snow Patrol’s songs echo a contradicting sense of sweetness and edginess. They have a loyal fan base that keeps to their music as anthems of life, love and hope. They appeal not entirely to the mainstream market but to a select few who understands and relates well to the songs penned by lead vocalist Gary Lightbody. Their musical style varies from the almost melancholic “Chasing Cars” to the incredibly catchy and upbeat “Take Back the City”, but still maintains that trademark sound made even more memorable by Gary’s brooding baritone.

Cemex signs STRATEGIC GLOBAL AGREEMENT with IBM

Agreement will enable CEMEX to enhance its competitiveness and better serve its customers 

     Long-term project will allow CEMEX to focus on its core business processes 

CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE: CX) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced recently a 10-year strategic agreement in which IBM will deliver world-class business process and information technology services. Additionally, IBM will provide to CEMEX business consultant services to detect and drive sustainable improvements in profitability, using the entire breadth of IBM's capabilities, including R&D expertise.

This agreement is expected to generate CEMEX savings of close to US$1 billion during the life of the contract. Additionally, it will improve the quality of the services provided to CEMEX; enhance business agility and scalability; maximize internal efficiencies; and allow the company to better serve its customers.

The 10-year services contract awarded to IBM is worth just over US$1 billion, and will include: finance and accounting, and human resource back-office services, as well as IT infrastructure, application development and maintenance services.

“Through this agreement, we reinforce our commitment to transform CEMEX into an increasingly flexible, agile, and competitive global company. Moreover, this agreement with IBM will enable CEMEX to focus on its core businesses of cement, ready-mix concrete, and aggregates; improve its financial position; and respond more quickly to changing market needs,” said Lorenzo H. Zambrano, Chairman & CEO of CEMEX.

Together, IBM and CEMEX will implement state-of-the-art business processes, practices, and information systems developed by IBM. CEMEX will also leverage IBM’s worldwide expertise to accelerate and replicate innovative practices in CEMEX business units to achieve better customer service, increase process quality and sustain cost improvements.

“This agreement will bring to CEMEX the flexibility to face the new challenges in the building materials industry. IBM’s state-of-the-art IT infrastructure, business processes and applications will help CEMEX achieve its goals of becoming more competitive. We see our strategic relationship with CEMEX as a powerful example of building a smarter planet.” said Bruno Di Leo, Senior Vice President of Sales and Distribution for IBM.

IBM delivers global scale, talent and technology based on business expertise and a global network of more than 70 Service Delivery Centers and more than 400 Data Centers, in 170 countries covering more than 40 languages.