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.

It's A Deal!

For the 2010 Elections: Go Out, Register and Vote!

Even if Cha-cha is on the floor of the Lower House of the Philippine Congress…

Even if some elite few want to take the law into their own wallets and bank accounts…

You have the power to scare them off! And I don’t tell you to inflict them with H1N1!

What to do? GO OUT AND VOTE!

To convince you, here’s former CNN journalist and current ABS-CBN News chief, Maria Ressa.

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW061209/content.php?id=078

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/06/10/09/abs-cbn-steps-ako-ang-simula-campaign

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/05/10/09/abs-cbn-launches-boto-mo-i-patrol-mo-ako-ang-simula

But first to vote, here’s one important reminder…

First of all, most of all and above all: MAKE SURE YOU’RE REGISTERED TO VOTE! Go to your nearest COMELEC office ASAP. It’s good only until the deadline (August 31–for those outside the Philippines and October 31–for those inside the Philippines.)

And after registering, why not be part of the ABS-CBN team in patrolling the 2010 elections? Join “Ako ang Simula: Boto Mo I-Patrol Mo!”

You can register here:

http://abs-cbnnews.com/botomo

https://abs-cbnnews.com/user/register?destination=user

Or you can watch ABS-CBN for the latest news on registration for election patroller.

Or you can call ABS-CBN to know where is the nearest ABS-CBN station where you can register as election patroller.

As Maria Ressa said, “You can be the change the nation needs. You can do it!”

What are you waiting for? Go out, register and vote!

ABS-CBN Says "Freedom Begins With You"

With Independence Day yesterday, I thought of sharing you 3 media files that I hope will make you smile and say, "Oo nga pala, Pinoy ako. Sisimulan ko ang pakikipagkapwa-tao at ang pagbabago."

International Filipina singing sensation Charice sang a song about being proud to be Filipino. This song is actually sang with international Filipino R&B singer Billy Crawford. It is actually an OBB for TFC, but it's a song for every Filipino worldwide.

Tayo ay Pilipino: Charice and Billy Crawford

From News.ABS-CBN.com
http://abs-cbnnews.com/video/pinoy-migration/06/11/09/new-tfc-music-video-pays-tribute-ofws

From YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohG83sitexQ
****
The second is of course our National Anthem. Shame on you if you haven't memorized it now since first knowing that more than 2 decades ago. It was sang by whoelse Charice. This time, it was at the Special Independence Day Celebration by ABS-CBN at Quezon City held this morning (which I watched). Heartwarming are the live scenes of people in attention in the ABS-CBN grounds (and in the studios where Aiai and Ruffa are) in Quezon City, and in various parts of the world--from Cebu to Sydney, from Dubai to Davao, from Dagupan to Tokyo and from Cagayan de Oro to San Francisco. In one moment, Filipinos were united singing Lupang Hinirang. This humbled me, really.

Lupang Hinirang (The Worldwide Edition)

From News.ABS-CBN.com
http://abs-cbnnews.com/video/entertainment/06/11/09/charice-sings-rp-anthem-during-kapamilya-flag-raising-ceremony

From YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIGk3zbKajc
****
The third is the newly-released music video conceptualized by ABS-CBN to encourage more people to take the 2010 elections seriously. (And I mean seriously, given the Cha-cha is now in the House of Representatives.) The message: Don't waste another 10 years for another wrong president! Be the change you want to be! (As a Lasallian would say, "Let me be the change I want to see/The change that begins in me!") Isn't that possible? Remember: it takes just one spark to start a wildfire! That spark can be you or me. Start the spark now! We must patrol our vote and start the change in ourselves.

Ako ang Simula! Boto Mo I-Patrol Mo!

From News.ABS-CBN.com
http://abs-cbnnews.com/video/entertainment/06/11/09/abs-cbn-launches-bmpm-music-video

From YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8HZgWJDZY0

From ABS-CBN Kapamilya@Multiply
http://teamkapamilya.multiply.com/video/item/199/Boto_Mo_Patrol_Mo_Music_Video

The lyrics are here...
http://abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/06/11/09/abs-cbn-celebrates-independence-day

Hanggang kailan mananalangin
Hanggang kailan kakapa sa dilim
Umaasa lang sa sagip at grasya

Hanggang ganito lang ba talaga (4X)

BOTO MO, I-PATROL MO! (4x)

Mulat na mata at gising na tenga
mga daliri na nagkakaisa
Sa bawat kilos makakalampag
Siklab ng umaga magliliwanag… magliliwanag

Wag nang mahimbing sa sariling mundo
Wag nang iwaldas ang dekadang bago
Ako ang tutupad sa pangakong ito
Ako ang Simula ng pagbabago… sa pagbabago.

AKO ANG SIMULA (3x)

Wag nang masindak sa ingay at gulo
Wag nang mag-abang na itulak tayo
Ako ang tatapos sa pagsubok na’to
Ako ang Simula ng pagbabago… sa pagbabago.

AKO ANG SIMULA (8x)

BOTO MO, I PATROL MO! (4x)

Siak so gapo! (Pangasinan-Dagupan)
Ako ang panugod! (Hiligaynon-Iloilo, Panay, Bacolod, Negros)
Ako an mapuon! (Bicolano)
Aku in tumagna! (Tausug-Sulu, Tawitawi)
Siak iti rugi! (Ilocano-Ilocos Provinces, Baguio, Northern Philippines)
Iyo Ya Principia! (Chavacano-Zamboanga)
Aku ing Panibatan! (Kapampangan-Pampanga)
Ako ang sinugdanan! (Bisaya/Cebuano-Cebu, Central and Southern Philippines)

Ako ang simula!

AKO ANG SIMULA (8x)

Saan at kailan at kung paano
Ako ang tutupad sa pangakong ito
Ako ang Simula ng pagbabago..
Ako ang simula..
Ako ang tatapos sa pagsubok na ’to
Saan at kailan at kung paano
Ako ang tatapos sa pagsubok na ’to

Ako ang Simula ng pagbabago..
Ako ang simula...
*****
Maligaya at mapagpalayang Araw ng Kalayaan, mga kababayan!

That's a Deal!

63 Years and Counting...

To the one who has come of age this very day 63 years ago...

To the one which started small as a small mango sprout and grew to be like a giant mango tree (and now being stoned by rivals)...

To the one which started anything and everything that is Philippine media, broadcasting and most importantly Pinoy TV...

To the one which grew to be wonderful and strong day by day...

To the number 1 media-communications organization in the Philippines for the past 63 years...

To the one called Bolinao Electronics Corporation in 1946 and now called ABS-CBN...

HAPPY 63RD FOUNDATION DAY! That's my Deal.