Tuesday, March 30, 2010

About to Give Feedback on ABS-CBN Re: Broadcast of A Dangerous Life?

I got so many hurtful words on ABS-CBN broadcasting the historic show A Dangerous Life, deeming the broadcast as electioneering in Holy Week. My question: is Noynoy Aquino or another presidentiable a character in the show A Dangerous Life? No mention of the Aquino children were there in the movie--except for Kris, played by Lea Cabusi. (No other article on the web mentioned about Miss Cabusi.)

If you can convince me there's electioneering behind the broadcast of ADL, you better go and alert ABS-CBN through these channels!

http://teamkapamilya.multiply.com
http://twitter.com/ABSCBNdotcom
http://www.facebook.com/abscbn
http://profiles.friendster.com/59653136
http://news.abs-cbn.com
http://bmpm.abs-cbnnews.com
mailto:feedback@abs-cbn.com
http://ir.abs-cbn.com
Telephone: (632)4152272

Monday, March 29, 2010

ABS-CBN Holy Week Features A Dangerous Life

One thing though I want to ask: where's Santino and May Bukas Pa when it is needed the most, especially this Holy Week? Why not pick the most important highlights of the show from start to end and breeze through the less important ones? I hope for year 2011, Santino and May Bukas Pa will be there on Holy Week. Truly, this is one inspirational drama series that TV and the audience needs these days.

My wish after this Holy Week: the Resurrection Sunday Urbi Et Orbi by the Pope from the Vatican State in the city of Rome in Italy live on ABS-CBN (or at the least in the Catholic Media Network)! It serves to be one good thing to mark Easter. (Just wondering: why not an ABS-CBN and Catholic Media Network team-up?)

For all I know, there will be marathon of the hit series Agua Bendita and some cartoons and live shows for children. (Hope all of those kiddie shows are as inspirational as they can be.) I was so happy to see an Easter Vigil Mass schedule as part of ABS-CBN's Easter Triduum! (I would be happier if Urbi Et orbi will be seen!) I wonder why there was no MMK for the Easter Weekend. More religious specials with Jescom and other Catholic orgs: a must!

I can see that there are Star Cinema family-oriented films there, like the Judy-Ryan starrer Sakal/Sakali/Saklolo, and even the original Kokey, plus the movie version of Princess Sarah (the 1995 version, starring Camille Pratts).

What drew my attention to ABS-CBN's Holy Week sked--the main reason behind this entry--is A Dangerous Life.

I was then 4 years old in 1988 when I saw the already number 1 ABS-CBN advertising heavily its telecast of the Philippine-Australian production. (The Australian producer was the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The show was beamed worldwide, and was seen in the US via HBO.) This early I saw the logo of the show, with pics of Tessie Tomas on TV as Imelda Marcos.

I then saw pics from the show again and again on some ABS-CBN tribute plugs (Anniversary plugs to be exact and some tribute station ID's), making me feel that the show was such a historic feat, because not only it showed the story of the EDSA Revolution but also it aired on the station that lived to experience the fruits of EDSA.

It was when I was studying in DLSU and frequenting its library that I chanced upon a library record of A Dangerous Life. I never knew ABS-CBN broadcast the show non-stop in 1988 for 6 hours! And it was telecast December 1988, with Christmas around the corner! (During that time, TV Patrol was already number 1. ABS-CBN has set up its regional stations in Bacolod, Cebu and Davao, where it launched on that same year its regional editions of TV Patrol.)

It seemed ABS-CBN marked Philippine history with this show. So I took the risk to see the video of the show for the next 6 hours at one library AVR. Thankfully it lasted just 4-5 hours.

And here's what I knew: An English-speaking journalist Tony O' Neil (Gary Bussey) is a bit confused on whether to pursue his compatriot Angie Fox (Rebecca McGuilling) or his newly-found Filipina girlfriend Sally (played superbly by Dina Bonnevie). With Angie learning of Tony and Sally's relationship, she just then cut off his ties with Tony and became chummy with a Colonel Tecson (Roy Alvarez). Tony and Angie were brought together again, due to Sally's death at the hands of the local militia suspecting her being a communist rebel and Colonel Tecson joining other soldiers breaking away from the decades-long administration of President Marcos (played effectively by Ruben Rustia).

And that's where we have a hodge-podge of events Tony and Angie had never before seen in their lives: a nation like the Philippines with such series of tumultuous events--the aftermath of Sen. Ninoy Aquino's assasination wherein Tony himself was at the then Manila International Airport when the senator was shot, the assassination case wherein tears were shed by the dramatic Imelda Marcos (played passionately by Tessie Tomas, so much that she got an Emmy nomination then), the 1986 snap elections, the EDSA Revolution and the start of the presidency of Ninoy's wife Cory (played graciously by Laurice Guillen). A lot of the best Filipino actors played their parts in the movie as the EDSA setting unfolded: Spanky Manicad, Joonee Gamboa, the late Johnny Delgado (Tatang as we know from May Bukas Pa and Anghel na Walang Langit, and Laurice's hubby), Ray Ventura, Rez Cortez, Jaime Fabregas (yes, the Father Anthony we know from May Bukas Pa), Rolando Tinio, Noel Trinidad, Pen Medina, Vic Diaz, Junix Inocian, Mona Lisa and Odette Khan. (They played various EDSA characters so watch out for them.) And yes, characters in the EDSA story not to miss are there such as Butz Aquino (played by Freddie Santos), Kris Aquino (played by Lea Cabusi), Fabian Ver (Mervyn Samson), the then American Ambassador Stephen Bosworth (Michael Pate), and General Artemio Tadiar (Felindo Obach).

In case you did not know Gary Busey, ask your uncle or father who watched the original Mel Gibson-Danny Glover starrer Lethal Weapon. Gary portrayed the character who served as nemesis for Mel Gibson's character.

In 1988, A Dangerous Life then broke all TV viewership records in the Philippines, getting unprecendented ratings for the broadcast! I was then 4 years old. Now 22 years later, as a yuppie, I and even you will get this rare chance to relive recent Philippine history at its most dramatic--this Easter Triduum and still at ABS-CBN, the network that broadcast it originally.

Perhaps ABS-CBN sees the broadcast of such a historic show fitting at this time when our country again is at the crossroads, with another election in place this May. The destiny of our country, the tomorrow is now on our hands. If you're not convinced all of us are part of the story of our country, as chronicled on TV Patrol, you need the show A Dangerous Life.

A Dangerous Life will be back on ABS-CBN at 9 in the evening for 3 straight days (not 6 straight hours) this Moundy Thursday, Good Friday and Black Saturday (April 1-April 3). Don't miss it for our dear country!

With A Dangerous Life on board this Easter Triduum, it's a Deal! Better Easter Triduum sked, a Deal!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Hit and Miss in Harapan

I have been hearing some negative feedback from the series of the Harapan debates on ABS-CBN. I must admit, I was somehow drawn to the party Ang Kapatiran, since 2007. That's why I understand why they have complained much to ABS-CBN about why they were not included in the line-up of veeps-to-be. I even understand...For me, I am seeing a disconnect between the organizers of the debate and the veeps-to-be and their organizations of origin! Better if the people behind Harapan who missed out veeps-to-be Mr. Chipeco and Mr. Sonza apologize to them! I am a bit peeved with what had happened, but I am still waiting for ABS-CBN to air their side. Those people behind Harapan shall include as much as possible all future veeps and prezes in the next debates, and not just those key candidates/those leading in the surveys to avoid some sort of displeasure!

Anyway, here are the links on the recent Harapan fiasco, and a reply of ABS-CBN on one Harapan issue.

http://politics.inquirer.net/view.php?db=1&article=20100327-261062
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/others/downloads/angkapatiran_03232010.pdf
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/03/21/10/vp-bets-raise-old-rivalries-debate
http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/hl/hl109563.htm

For me, as long as ABS-CBN does not explain as to why there are candidates excluded in the debates, I am going rated No Deal.

To tell the truth, I must say Harapan was a great show, with the WARS and the word wars. The issue here I want to touch is the exclusion of candidates. The issues I want the candidates to tackle most of the time is their platforms and agendas. So must we the audience must tackle on these issues! No to personality questions! And I mean no to personality questions (re: personal performance questions)! I prefer track record questions more than personality questions.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

A Fast Trip on Memory Lane with ABS-CBN News

Almost forgot about what's so significant about the year 2010, especially this month, but better late than never.

64 years ago, on 13th of June 1946, a former American soldier named James Lindenberg opened Bolinao Electronics Corporation, a company specializing in radio electronics equipment for communication. (Bolinao is named as such from the hometown of James' wife, a town in Pangasinan later to be a tourist spot.) The Bolinao of 1946 is the ABS-CBN we know of today, still specializing in communications through TV, radio and a lot of media.

62 years ago, on June 1948, James got the license to operate a radio station of his own, a radio station that will be patronized soon by many of our countrymen in Manila and beyond. It was then he set up Bolinao Broadcasting Corporation, the ancestor of ABS-CBN.

61 years ago, on June 1949, Bolinao's first radio station, DZBC-AM Manila (BC for Bolinao Corporation) had its first broadcast. The antenna: a bunch of wires tied between 2 mango trees in San Juan City. The broadcast: a lot of programs that are broadcast in Filipino language, making it the first radio station to broadcast in Filipino! DZRH-AM Manila was only broadcasting then in English.

And ABS-CBN News began with James Lindenberg as DZBC's newscaster in 1949. Take note: an American able to speak Filipino, and a newscaster as well!

With Bolinao Broadcasting renamed Alto Broadcasting Systems (ABS in ABS-CBN) in 1953 and Alto opening the Philippines' first ever TV station, DZAQ-TV Channel 3 (AQ for new owner Antonio Quirino, now the Channel 2 we know), the story of ABS-CBN News continued, this time with Vero Perfecto acting as anchor-reporter on the streets of Metro Manila in 1953, and later Hal Bowie reading the news from various sources on TV in the late 1950's and early 1960's.

Faced with stiff competition from news programs of its competitor TV stations (with the competitors starting on TV by 1960), ABS-CBN then Chronicle Broadcasting (now having Alto as sister station) premiered a real newscast 48 years ago. On 21st of November 1962 in DZXL-TV Channel 9, it began the newscast The World Tonight (yes, the one over ANC, making it one of the longest-running English TV newscast in the country). The first anchor: Henry Halasan. From Channel 9 it moved to Channel 3 which became Channel 2 until Martial Law. When ABS-CBN returned in 1986, The World Tonight was relaunched, staying in Channel 2 until moving to ANC in 1999. Almost 5 decades after its first broadcast, anchoring the newscast is shared among Angelo Castro Jr. and Tina Monzon-Palma on weekdays and Ron Cruz, Lia Andanar-Yu and Bill Velasco on weekends.

23 years ago, on the 3rd of March 1987, ABS-CBN premiered the successor of Balita Ngayon. Balita Ngayon was ABS-CBN's Filipino language newscast in the late 1960's which stopped by Martial Law and resurrected in 1986 by the time ABS-CBN resumed broadcast. As per the book Kapitan-The Story of Geny Lopez narrates, the 1986 Balita Ngayon anchors, Robert Arevalo and Mel Tiangco, were there on the successor newscast, along with then newcomer Angelique Lazo and Noli de Castro, a veteran radio newscaster and host of ABS-CBN's morning TV show Magandang Umaga. The successor newscast's name: TV PATROL. Months later, Robert Arevalo changed places with Magandang Umaga newscaster Frank Evangelista, completing the quartet of Kabayan Noli, Tita Mel, Ka Kiko and Angelique that made TV PATROL must-see TV for the next 2 decades.

1 year ago, on the 9th of February 2009, a new regional version of TV Patrol premiered to audiences in and out of Batangas City and within and beyond CALABARZON and MIMARO, with the broadcast reaching as far as southern Metro Manila. The newscaster was veteran ABS-CBN Legazpi City correspondent Sarita Kare, backed by Batangueno reporters Tina Ganzon and Joan Panopio, later to be joined by Michael Cuyugan and then Edison Reyes and Ernie Manio. The newscast: TV PATROL BATANGAS, better known as TV PATROL SOUTHERN TAGALOG.

So, if we count the years, ABS-CBN News is exactly 61 years old! So congratulations to the former and current men and women of ABS-CBN News: An Ally of the Truth, and Ally of the Nation for 61 Years!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Join Ako Ang Simula!

How can you be a Boto Patroller, a member of the ABS-CBN election campaign Ako Ang Simula?

You can go to ABS-CBN's Ako Ang Simula website.

http://bmpm.abs-cbnnews.com/

You can also view the picture here on steps on how to join Ako Ang Simula.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3300/3614193616_b6f5979436_o.jpg

Join in starting the change within you, for you, for your family and friends, for the Almighty and for the nation! Together we say AKO ANG SIMULA! It's A Deal!

Halalan 2010 for Dummies: A Deal

In the spirit of voter education, ABS-CBN has set up a website for all of us as we prepare for the country's first automated national elections.

Here we go for Halalan 2010 for Dummies.

http://halalan101.abs-cbnnews.com/

And as to how you can be part of Ako Ang Simula, here is the official website of ABS-CBN's official election campaign.

http://bmpm.abs-cbnnews.com/

And now, here's the video of Ako Ang Simula.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6G7dxCBCKQ

Kapamilya, let's get together for the success of the our first-ever automated elections in history as covered on ABS-CBN. It's a Deal, ha?

PS: Too much drama on Kris Aquino's piece in last Sunday's The Buzz? No Deal! Another Game Ka Na Ba or Deal or No Deal with Kris one more time after Got Talent? Deal!