Author: JE CC

ABS-CBN’s forced shutdown in July has undoubtedly provided practically everyone it employs the perfect reason to leave the company. Its loss of franchise opened many doors which somewhat makes walking away from their home network much easier and without guilt, for some. Following the denial of ABS-CBN’s new franchise in July, the network has given its all contract stars complete freedom to part ways with the company and seek better opportunities in other tv stations. While some staunch Kapamilya loyalists remained and pledged further commitment to the embattled tv giant, many of the network’s homegrown stars decided to accept offers…

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It’s difficult to contend with anyone who would say 2020 is an awfully lackluster year for movies and television because frankly, such a claim holds incredibly undisputable merit. In the local setting, the first few months of the pandemic saw television and movie production take a screeching halt, with many production houses suspending their filming operations to abide by the health and safety protocols imposed by the government. In television, the consequences are evidently glaring as programming became increasingly dominated by replays of long-defunct programs, and movie blocks took bigger chunks of almost every national television’s programming. In spite of…

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The pandemic took a great toll on the local entertainment scene and production units across the industry were unable to evade the bluntest of its impacts. As stern health and safety measures were raised by the government, live audiences are no longer allowed in the studio, and presenters and performers who are used to performing in front of a live audience, are suddenly clueless whether or not they are being appreciated. Fortunately, guidelines are now institutionalized to allow noontime shows and similar productions, to carry out live shows with almost the same energy (albeit in the absence of studio audiences).…

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PayMaya is giving its users more reasons to shop this holiday season as it amplifies its #PayMayaguinaldo campaign where PhP1,000,000 is up for grabs for one lucky winner in the grand raffle draw.Users also have a chance to win up to P285,000 worth of prizes to be given away in the weekly raffle draws until January 10, 2021. Shop till you drop using your Paymaya-registered mobile number and earn one raffle entry for every PhP100 purchase you make. Users can now easily make as many entries as they want, when they #ScanToPay using PayMaya QR at their favorite PayMaya partner…

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As the pandemic still persists, Filipinos are getting wearier each day to get outside to carry out essential errands such as shopping. Now that Christmas is just around the corner, it’s definitely a hassle—let alone risky—to do groceries and shopping for your household and ‘holiday gifts’ needs. Well, worry no more, because this Christmas, PayMaya offers Filipinos the best deals on top of a safe and convenient experience – whether they’re shopping online or in-stores for their gifts to their loved ones. Discounts, cashback, and rewards abound in PayMaya as users can now get rebates for purchases they make online.…

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The pandemic took a great toll on the local entertainment scene with live audiences and productions put on hold. As new and fresh content become scarce on free television, smaller production units take the charge in the country’s foray into spicing up the audiences’ to-binge-list.. Here’s a look at the best digital series produced and aired within the year. As the boys’ love phenomenon explodes in the Philippines, more production houses tap online streaming as a potent platform to deliver beautiful stories, which the audiences are more than willing to follow. 2020 is definitely the Boys’ love year, but there…

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The XTREME MF 4900s Smart LED TV is a decent multi-functional SMART TV that gives back so much for its very affordable price. Its sleek design and array of impressive features are definitely the top qualities that should make it an easy sell, but there are a lot more to satisfy potential buyers. Easy and Quick Set-Up Setting-up the XTREME MF 4900s Smart LED TV is as easy as 1, 2, 3 (although there is a manual that provides clear instructions) that it would take only a few minutes to have it completely set-up. Our LionhearTV Tech Jungle reviewer, Franz…

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Loyalty has always been a big deal with local actors and their fans. Ever since network exclusivity became a practice in local entertainment, any time a big celebrity leaves one network or transfers to another tv station, fans and social media go wild. We vividly remember when Angel Locsin went to London one day and woke up on another, to see her signing an exclusive contract with ABS-CBN, her previous home network’s closest rival. Likewise, we were struck with awe when long-time Kapuso, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid made her debut performance in ASAP. This year, in the wake of ABS-CBN’s losing its…

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The pandemic took a great toll on the local entertainment scene. As stern health and safety measures were raised by the government, local production houses struggled to come up with new and fresh content, but there were some who manage the challenges presented by pandemic on filming strategies and practices. Here’s a look at the best new and returning tv shows, that have—one way or another—helped viewers cope with being stuck at home. As tense and dramatic as traditional Filipino soap operas, the year 2020 in the context of Philippine television is no doubt intense, with lots of shows getting…

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The pandemic has been taking a great toll on many industries, and even if most restrictions have already been eased by the government, businesses are still struggling to bounce back. Taking some of the bluntest impacts of the pandemic is the movie industry, with movie distribution and viewing suffering the most. Recently, there have been efforts to present alternatives intended to simulate theater viewing experience at home. As most households have become heavily-reliant on digital streaming platforms to meet their television and movie demands, local distribution companies shift their attention to online streaming to deliver movies straight to the moviegoer’s…

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Battle of Christmas Station IDs: ABS-CBN vs GMA Network vs TV5. Now that ABS-CBN already released its much-awaited Christmas Station last December 1, the time has come to assess which among the station IDs released by the three major TV stations tugged at the heartstrings of Filipino viewers the most. We take note of the strong and weak points of each station ID, and the unifying themes that make them the same. Common Themes A common denominator in local station IDs is they all highlight the Filipino resilience and other strong positive traits of every Filipino in dealing with challenges…

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Rising up from all the tragedies that practically crippled the network this year, ABS-CBN has all the sentimental motivations to be very emotional with its newest Christmas Station ID. With ‘Ikaw Ang Liwanag at Ligaya’ however, the Kapamilya Network shows its gratitude to its loyal viewers, and to lift up all it went through this 2020 to ‘Bro. The vibe it imparts feels mostly heartwarming and its upbeat melody danceable, but the story embedded in the conception of the song itself creates a haunting tug at the heartstrings of every Kapamilya who followed the trail that led to the media…

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Singing talent searches, like their artista search contemporaries, have been proven and tested potent launchpads for future superstars in the local setting. The amount of talent discovered and their subsequent popularity can not be overstated as many of our biggest singing acts today emerged from various reality singing competitions on local television. Nora Aunor, Regine Velasquez, Sarah Geronimo, KZ Tandingan, Morissette Amon, Yeng Constantino…I could go on, but I’m afraid this article won’t be able to accommodate every name. Of three previous singing competition shows—Star in A Million, Pinoy Dream Academy, and Pinoy Pop Superstar, which one would prove to…

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TV5 never took catching up with GMA Network and ABS-CBN in producing station IDs too seriously. It released some in the past, but none ever made an impression as memorable as that of its rivals. With many big stars having moved into its stable (in the wake of ABS-CBN shutdown) it seems fitting that TV5 releases a heartfelt and inspired Christmas Station ID featuring its expanding catalog of stars for this holiday season. Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko is composed by master composer Louie Ocampo (who also judges ABS-CBN’s Tawag ng Tanghalan), while lyrics are provided by writer and producer…

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TV5 Carpool Actors: Alex Diaz, Sarah Carlos, Kate Lapuz, Kenneth Medrano, Elora Espano, Empress Schuck Format: TV series (weekly) Premise: A string of supernatural hauntings and tragedies follow a group of carpool riders involved in an accident Timeslot: Thursdays, 9:30 PM Why You Should See It A familiar yet breathtaking suspense thriller unfolds in ‘Carpool’ where characters are haunted by a mysterious culprit motivated by vengeance. TV5 continues to shake up its entire programming with the introduction of five new weekly shows to its Primetime Todo block. Among these five new shows include the suspense-thriller, ‘Carpool’, headlined by the ‘Oh,…

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As early as 2007, ABS-CBN was already regaining foothold in Mega Manila, after GMA Network unseated the media giant as the top tv network in the country in 2004, although it wasn’t until 2009—as reflected by the ratings of top-rated programs like May Bukas Pa, Tayong Dalawa, Only You, and PBB Double Up— when the Kapamilya Network started to completely recover its lead in Mega Manila, and further expanded its reach nationwide. As GMA Network amped up its efforts to provide counter-programming, largely banking on reboots of its hit programs like Encantadia, Mulawin, Darna, and Marimar, ABS-CBN was again faced…

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