July 26, 2013 (DUBAI, UAE) – Kabayans went wild as Kapamilya stars rocked the stage at the recent Philippine Independence Day celebrations dubbed TFC Kapamilya Kalayaan Karavan 2013 in the Middle East. The overseas Filipino (OF) crowd sang every line of the songs performed by Prince of Comedy Vhong Navarro, Rockoustic Princess Yeng Constantino and Kapamilya Hottie Paulo Avelino. But more than the homegrown entertainment they sorely missed, the OFs were touched by the more simple gestures of the Kapamilya stars during their recent visit to distressed members of the community.
Navarro, Constantino, and Avelino did not only wow the OF crowd but also touched the hearts of distressed kabayans during the stars’ recent stint at the Independence Celebrations in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), mounted by the premier network in partnership with key Filipino community organizations (Filcom).
During the first leg of the tour on June 7, Navarro, together with comedienne Pokwang, brought the house down at “Musika at Tawanan 2” in Al Arabi Basketball Stadium, Mansouriya, Kuwait. In partnership with the Alliance of Filipino Organizations in Kuwait (ALLFIL-OK), TFC and the Kapamilya stars shared homegrown entertainment to a jampacked crowd of 6,000 kabayans who sang, danced and laughed with the artists until the end of the show. “Musika at Tawanan 2” also included song and dance performances from the Filcom members.
But just a day before on June 6, Navarro spent precious hours with Filipinos under the care of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Jabriya, Kuwait. The Prince of Comedy said: “Alam ko po na kayo’y nalulungkot na at gusto nang makauwi. Ako naman, ang pwede ko lang maibigay sa inyo ay madalaw kayo” (I know that you are sad and wish to go home. I hope I can help somehow with my presence). His Excellency Consul General Raul Dado; Labor Attache David Des Dicang; and Welfare Officer Norlita Lugtu personally welcomed Navarro.
While holding back tears, the OFs listened to every word Navarro said. For a moment the Filipinos, were freed from their temporary sadness as they posed with their idol.
On June 14, it was Constantino and Avelino’s turn to entertain the kabayans. Constantino and Avelino jammed with Kapamilyas in Al Nasr Leisureland, Dubai for the Independence celebrations leg mounted by the Filipino Community in Dubai and Northern Emirates (FILCOM D-NE). In the morning, kapamilyas were treated to a job fair; mini-bazaar; cultural performances; raffle promos; and fun games. While Constantino and Avelino stayed behind to accommodate requests for photos and autographs from the crowd during the TFC hour, the two stars gamely joined other Kababayans at the POLO-OWWA Dubai the following day.
As soon as Yeng delivered her lines and the lyrics to her famous hit “Hawak Kamay,” the audience shed buckets of tears. The song took on a deeper meaning for the Filipinos facing different challenges while away from home. Avelino also delivered a heartfelt message which moved the OFs to tears further. Since the OFs at the POLO-OWWA in Dubai were distant from their families and were under more pressure, Avelino took the opportunity to be closer to his kabayans, much to the admiration of fans. Welcoming the Kapamilya stars were H.E. Consul General Frank Cimafranca and Labor Attache Delmer Cruz.
On June 15, Avelino and Constantino parted ways to entertain kabayans in Oman (for the Independence Day celebration of the Filipino Community Social Club [FILCOSOC] in Hotel Muscat Holiday) and Bahrain (for the Philippine Independence celebrations in partnership with the Filipino Club In Bahrain) respectively.
The Oman leg was filled with Filipinas thrilled to be serenaded by Avelino who played the role of Nathan in the well-loved series “Walang Hanggan.” Cultural performances also added color to the celebrations mounted by the Filcom. Meanwhile, no amount of technical difficulty and power outage dampened the hearts of eager Filipinos waiting for Constantino to perform at the Bahrain leg. For the thousands of kabayans who patiently stayed on to see their favorite Kapamilya, Constantino was worth the wait.
All of the events were part of TFC’s yearly Kapamilya Kalayaan Karavan, which sought to give joy and inspiration to Filipinos where ever they may be in the Middle East, during the special celebration of Philippine freedom and independence.
The success of this year’s TFC Kapamilya Kalayaan Karavan 2013 was made possible by TFC and various Filipino communities in the region – ALLFIL-OK in Kuwait headed by Celerino Umandap; FILCOM D-NE in Dubai headed by Matilyn Bagunu; FILCOSOC in Oman under Janette Daang; and the Filipino Club in Bahrain under Gregg Esquivel. Extending support for the event were TFC presentors Moneygram and Nokia and sponsors Ali Café, Sky Freight, Magic Solutions Electronics, Mosbeau, Club 7 and Park Regis Hotel.
