Salubong sa Bagong Simula: The ABS-CBN 2010 Countdown

For all ABS-CBN viewers, here’s one way to greet 2010.

Not to be left out in welcoming 2010, ABS-CBN will ring in the New Year with the special midnight show “Salubong sa Bagong Simula: The ABS-CBN 2010 Countdown”. Hosted by ABS-CBN personalities led by Bernadette Sembrano and Jorge Cariño, the countdown show will give Filipinofamilies in and out of the Philippines a nationwide Media Noche of sights and sounds (even tastes). Seven nationwide key points will bepart of the nationwide ABS-CBN 2010 countdown: Bulacan, Pampanga, Legazpi City, Cebu, Gensan, Manila and Quezon City.

From the ABS-CBN Studio Top in Quezon City (the city as the country’sentertainment hub and home to various food factories like cakes andbiscuits), expect skies around Mother Ignacia, Sgt. Esguerra and North Avenue to turn colorful with various fireworks–an annual New Yearscene played on the network every New Year’s Eve. Also, the Pinoy Big Brother House within the ABS-CBN grounds has prepared a Media Noche of sorts for the housemates.

Manila, the country’s national capital, where sorbetes and iced desserts are abound, is covered as it will have a barrage of parties, from the sidestreet raves of various bars in Malate and the gatherings in Recto to midnight family get-togethers in Luneta and Intramuros and the much-awaited fireworks show at the colorful Roxas Boulevard-Baywalk area and Sta. Ana church.

Bulacan, best known for its pastries like taisan, ensaymada and biscocho, and for being the country’s Fireworks Capital, will have aflashy and sumptuous welcome to 2010. Local performers along with Kapamilyas from Mega Manila and North Central Luzon will blend in with the Bulakeños hoping for fewer fireworks casualties and more midnightsky paintings courtesy of the pyrotechnics.

Pampanga, the Culinary Center of the Philippines, best known for its meat and fish dishes, will cook something unique for the countdown. The province has seen months of flooding due to this year’s mega-stormsP epeng and Ondoy, a year of a priest-turned-governor struggling in local politics and one incumbent president bent on running as a provincial representative. Greeting a revitalized 2010 with their fellow kabalens are ABS-CBN Pampanga Kapamilyas led by Gracie Rutao.

Legazpi City in Albay will be baking something for the nationwide countdown. Legazpi and other Bicol cities are known for their pili dishes and coconut dishes. Bicolanos–be in the main city or in evacuation sites–among them local acts and ABS-CBN Naga personalities led by Jose Carretero, will welcome 2010 with hope that picture-perfect Mayon Volcano would not explode further.

The Queen City of the South–Cebu–will be counted in the nationwide countdown. The city has been known for its mangoes and mango food dishes, peanut kisses, baked goods like otap and barquillos, dried bananas, and pork dishes like lechon Cebu and chicharon. Moreover, this has a part of history–once upon a time, Cory Aquino (who died August 2009) sought refuge among the religious people in the city following the tumult in the wake of the 1986 snap elections that put her as the country’s 1st woman President. Not withstanding the firecracker incidents, Cebuanos will ring in the new year, along with local talents and ABS-CBN Cebu Kapamilyas led by Rico Lucena.

Not to miss is the revelry from Gensan, the country’s Tuna Capital and a premier city in Mindanao, known to be the country’s Fruit Basket (thecity is abound with durian, mangosteen and pineapple) or Food Basket(where produce are usually shipped from here). Most of the journalists who died in the gruesome 11-23-2009 Maguindanao Massacre came from this city. Amidst firecracker casualties and a dark tragedy, Mindanaoans will converge as they will ring in the year 2010 with hope that justice will be served for the victims aside from the journalists who died in the line of duty. Joining the revelry are local stars and ABS-CBN Gensan personalities led by Jay Dayupay.

Not to miss too are celebrations from Baguio (the First Family's New Year spot, and the city of Philippines' temperate fruit products), Bacolod (capital of piaya/sugar pies and other sweets), and Davao (home of the durian dishes and tropical fruit products and the scene quietest New Year celebration in the country).

Aside from various performances in various key cities, the ABS-CBN Christmas theme song “Star ng Pasko”, now a worldwide hit for every Filipino, will be sung by our Kapamilyas in Gensan and Cebu within thecountdown show. Prayers, scenes from New Year masses and messages ofinspiration from various Kapamilyas will fill in the broadcast.

Not to miss are updates on peace and order situations, anti-crime wavesand hospital alerts (for fireworks casualties and the mostexciting–the first Filipino baby of the year 2010), local revelries plus midnight celebrations across the globe especially in New Zealand,the Pacific Islands, Australia, Japan, China and the rest of theAsia-Pacific region.

Have your Media Noche complete with “Salubong sa Bagong Simula: TheABS-CBN 2010 Countdown”, this New Year’s Eve, 12-31-2009, Thursday @11:30pm, only on the network hopeful for new beginnings for everyFilipino, ABS-CBN.

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