BY BOY VILLASANTA
abs-cbnNEWS.com

An interesting mix of twelve wonderful teenagers makes the current "Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Plus" a wonderful visual experience.

The teeners were welcomed Sunday night as the new housemates of the Big Brother House, after going through rigorous auditions.

Most of the housemates were true-blue Filipinos; the rest were of mixed heritage.

One thing that a lot of the kids had in common was that they came from seemingly dysfunctional families. Here is a rundown of the colorful personalities comprising "PBB Teen Edition Plus".

Ejay Falcon, 18, comes from a poor area in Mindoro, where fishing and copra-making are the main livelihood. Ejay grew up under the sole guidance of his father, and is determined to make it on his own.

Kevin Garcia, 18, is of Spanish lineage on his father's side, and has Irish blood from his mother. He came to the Philippines with his mother after his parents separated.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Nicole from Cebu seems to be the luckiest girl in the group, having been born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She is the most pampered person in her household, and comes from a tight-knit family.

Half-Swedish, half-Filipino Linda from Iriga City has joined several beauty contests, bikini opens included, but has never made it as titleholder.

Three housemates are from Davao; namely Nan, 17, a natural comedian; cheerful Jieriel, 16, who grew up with her stepdad after her biological father left her when she was just a tyke; and the incredible Priscilla, 17, who despite her hearing deficiency wants to interact with people of all persuasions. She discerns other people’s actions and reactions mostly through lip reading. Priscilla has won beauty titles, including Miss Teen Philippines-Mindanao.

Italian-born Alex, 18, left Milan with his Filipina mom who worked as a domestic helper there for twenty years, to settle permanently in Manila. His parents also ended up parting ways.

18-year-old Rona from Dumaguete, beams with pride even if her father is in prison. "This is for you, Dad. I love you," she said.

Meanwhile, a Fil-German, Valerie, 18, became fatherless four years ago. Her elder brother has been missing for eleven years, so she went to the Philippines to look for him.

Two pluses to the reality search are Robi Domingo of Ateneo and Josef of De La Salle University, who are likely to bring the archrivalry between their alma maters into the PBB House.

These young people weave colorful moments 24/7, as their lives become increasingly entangled within the Big Brother House.

Game show host queen Kris Aquino maybe six weeks pregnant with her second child by husband cage star James Yap but wants to wait for another check up with her doctor before really confirming the report.

“Had my check up w/ Dr. Pastorfide. My yolk sac was visible sa ultra sound but no fetal pole yet because i'm going on my 6th wk pa lang. I go back on Wed to 100% confirm that my pregnancy is viable. We'll also do all my blood works & other tests to make sure I'll have healthy pregnancy,” Aquino told ABS-CBN’s Mario Dumaual through a text message.

The expectant mom said she'd prefer to give other details of her pregnancy and be interviewed after the Holy Week.

In another text message she said her check-up next Wednesday would be “when we can be sure 100% sure”.

Aquino’s message rooted from abs-cbNEWS.com's breaking report that the host-actress had already announced her pregnancy during the taping of her newest game show “Wheel of Fortune.”

In the report, it said that Aquino was told by her gynecologist that there were already heartbeats heard during the Doppler Test.

Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino in real life, is the daughter of former president Corazon Aquino and the late senator Benigno Aquino Jr., both key figures in toppling the Marcos regime.


The expectant mom has a son, Joshua, with her former live-in-partner, actor Philip Salvador. On April 19, 2007, Aquino gave birth to her first child with Yap, by caesarean section.

She has been dubbed as the "Queen of Talk" because of her success in hosting talk shows. Aquino was also crowned the Box Office Queen for her hit movies "Feng Shui", "So…Happy Together" and "Sukob."

Her current television programs in the Kapamilya network are the daily talk show "Boy & Kris" and the game show "Wheel of Fortune."
Source: www.abs-cbnNEWS.com

abs-cbnNEWS.com

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court threw out a petition filed by GMA-7 which sought to stop ABS-CBN from airing reports about the alleged TV ratings manipulation scandal that purpotedly cast "dishonor, discredit and disrepute" to the former.

Judge Alexander Balut in his ruling denied GMA-7's petition for preliminary injunction on three grounds:

1) GMA-7's petition to stop ABS-CBN's supposedly libelous reports comes too late--the reports have already been aired;

2) GMA-7's petition for injunction goes beyond the prayer contained in its complaint; and

3) GMA-7's petition for injunction constitutes prior restraint of freedom of expression and, therefore, unconstitutional.

Judge Balut in his ruling said that since ABS-CBN had already aired its reports, there is nothing for the court to stop. "It is clear that plaintiff’s causes of action are based on acts that were already consummated. Having already been committed, these acts can no longer be enjoined. Simply stated, there is actually nothing to enjoin," wrote the judge.

The judge also ruled that it "appears" as though GMA-7 "seeks to enjoin acts beyond the prayer in the complaint", adding that "[this] cannot be done. It is anathema to an existing jurisprudence on the matter."

Unconstitutional

Finally, the judge said that the court cannot grant the petition for preliminary injunction because doing so would violate the Constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression.

"To issue the writ of preliminary injunction in this case would be to impermissibly interfere defendants' freedom of expression. It would be constitutive of a previous restraint or censorship, which no less than the Constitution abhors," the judge ruled.

Balut also said that GMA-7 failed to lay down enough justifiable grounds to warrant prior restraint of ABS-CBN's reports.

"Applying one of the tests, i.e., The Clear and Present Danger Rule, the Court finds that plaintiff failed to lay down factual bases constituting a clear and present danger that would justify prior restraint. In fact, the bone of contention is purely civil in nature, such that the "substantive evil" which the State has the ultimate right to prevent is wanting."

The judge also wrote in his decision that GMA-7 may still avail of other legal remedies outside of a preliminary injunction (filing libel cases, etc.,) if it feels that it has been wronged by past or future reports aired by ABS-CBN:

"If it believed defendants' acts are contemptuous or obstructive of a free and fair hearing on the case, plaintiff has other remedies provided under the Rules of Court."

However, Judge Balut also warned ABS-CBN not to abuse the right to free expression, either to destroy GMA-7's reputation or influence the outcome of cases being heard in court:

"Needless to state, pending the trial of this case on its merits, free expression must not be used as an instrument to perpetrate unlawful ends to the obstruction of the administration of justice."

In its petition to the court, GMA-7 claimed that ABS-CBN tailored its news reports on the TV ratings manipulation scandal to portray the former as "a fraudster and manipulator of the ratings in Bacolod City by deliberately twisting and distorting the statement of Ms. Reformina, the general manager of AGB Nielsen..."

GMA-7 further complained that ABS-CBN's reports on the scandal were "orchestrated and/or scripted and intentionally perpetrated to defame, impeach and besmirch the reputation of plaintiff GMA 7".

Inhibitions

Judge Balut is the third judge to hear the P15-million libel case filed by GMA-7 against ABS-CBN. The first judge, Judge Samuel Gaerlan, inhibited himself following a motion for his inhibition by ABS-CBN. Gaerlan had earlier admitted that a member of ABS-CBN's legal department is his cousin.

The second judge to hear the case, Judge Henri Jean Paul Inting, also inhibited himself following a motion filed by ABS-CBN.

Inting had earlier granted a petition for a temporary restraining order filed by GMA-7 against ABS-CBN's airing of reports related to the TV ratings controversy.

ABS-CBN then filed a petition for certiorari before the Court of Appeals to stop the implementation of the TRO. ABS-CBN maintained that "the issue of corruption as brought out by the discovery of the TV ratings manipulation is a matter of clear public interest, and therefore needs to be reported on."

The network also deplored the fact that the TRO "grants GMA Network a virtual immunity from accusation. No person or entity has ever enjoyed such a privilege, not even the highest public officers of the land.

In his order for inhibition, Inting said that he is following "the Supreme Court ruling that at the very first sign of lack of faith and trust in his actions, whether well-grounded or not, the judge has no other alternative but to inhibit himself from the case."

"Not the end"

GMA-7 in an official statement said that the libel case against ABS-CBN will continue despite Balut's denial of its petition. The statement noted that Balut based his ruling partly on evidence that Inting had earlier dismissed.

"Current Judge Balut allowed what the previous judge found irrelevant - and that was to allow more testimonies from other ABS-CBN informants. In the hearing before Judge Balut, these ABS-CBN informants admitted they had no proof of employment with GMA, NO ID, no contracts."

Reacting to the court's ruling GMA Network legal counsel Gener Asuncion said that "Freedom of expression does not mean they (ABS-CBN) have the right to destroy another's reputation. An abuse of freedom also destroys it."

In the statement GMA-7 said that it would continue efforts to stop ABS-CBN from airing its reports. "This is not the end of the libel suit. ABS-CBN wanted the end of the TRO and they wanted to block the injuction because ABS-CBN wanted to continue atacking the reputation of GMA Network. We will try not to let them do this."

Angel Locsin is gracing the cover of Cosmopolitan Magazine, the local edition of the largest young women’s magazine in the world, for the third time, but this one’s different from what she did from any magazines before - she posed in a swimsuit!

ABS-CBN’s Lobo star, Angel Locsin has also appeared on the cover of Cosmopolitan Magazine last May 2005 and November 2006.
Here are Angel Locsin’s previous covers for Cosmo:

‘KC’ doesn’t have Jolie’s lips but has her passion By REYMA BUAN-DEVEZA abs-cbnNEWS.com She’s smart, articulate, and doesn’t mind going to dangerous places. Angelina Jolie? No, she’s Kristina Cassandra ‘KC’ Concepcion, the Philippines’ first National Ambassador Against Hunger. "KC is the total package: she is beautiful, she is charming, she is articulate, she is smart, she is down to earth. She did not complain during our fairly difficult traveling around in Mindanao; she relished it,” said United Nations World Food Program (WFP) Country Director Valerie Guarnieri, in an interview with abs-cbnNews.com KC went to Pikit, North Cotobato February 18 where she distributed rice, formulated meals and took part in on-site feeding. “I mean the first thing that she said when we asked her to join our effort as the national ambassador against hunger was : ‘When can I go to Mindanao? I wanna go there as often as possible I really wanna see it for myself. I wanna help.’” Guarneri said. “And it’s that spirit that makes KC the perfect person for this job.” KC is the second ambassador against hunger from Southeast Asia after Indonesian TV and film actor Luna Maya. KC and Drew Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore is a UN Goodwill Ambassador for the World Food Program. Guarnieri said KC and Barrymore also have similar traits. "What I find about them that so similar is that both Drew and KC are so charming. I mean that’s the thing that comes across. I mean lots of people can be beautiful, but charm has something that comes all the way from the inside,” she said. “It’s something that people really respond to because beauty in itself can make you a little bit aloof, but with charm, you bring people to you and they want to listen to you and be with you.” Guarnieri said KC is a fast-learner. “When I first met her and I was talking to KC about hunger and the programs of the World Food Program in the Philippines, she just got it immediately. She really understood that hunger was such a basic issue, that food assistance was something that could not only address hunger but really make a difference in people’s lives,” she said. “And so it was just immediately apparent to me that she would be the voice of our programs of the people of Mindanao here and the Philippines.” She said KC also connected well with the community. "When we were traveling with her in Cotabato it was just amazing to see how children reacted to her, how everybody reacted to her, they were so touched that she visited them that she cared about their issues,” Guarnieri said. "KC just has a tremendous appeal among young people, among adults." Screening, Security Risks In a press conference February 21, KC revealed it wasn’t easy getting picked for the job by the UN. "I went through a screening process for four months, and the [UN offices in] Rome and Thailand ang nag-screen. So, wala kaming kinalaman (we had nothing to do with it),” she said. “Pwedeng hindi ako ang napili (It could have been someone else), but in the end, I'm just very, very happy.” The UNWFP declined to name the other candidates. KC said there’s great risk in being an ambassador, but it’s worth taking. Her family also gave her full support despite the dangers that go with the work. Her stepfather, Senator Francis Pangilinan, who was at the press conference, said he was "very proud and very happy and excited” of KC’s new advocacy. “As a public servant, these are some of the issues that are close to my heart: how to address issues such as poverty, hunger and unemployment,” he said. “So her own participation and involvement is welcome, and I’m very proud her, and we hope to be able to continue provide her the guidance and advice as she goes to this new job.” Although KC’s mother, actress Sharon Cuneta, wasn’t at the press conferences, Pangilinan said her wife was also fully supportive of her daughter’s new mission in life. "Same feeling,” he said. “Of course, may halong takot.” “We felt this is good. In the long run it’s her education… part of her personal growth and development, and I think this experience will also be a continuing education and enlightenment for her and experience for her,” Pangilinan said. To help her stepdaughter’s cause, Pangilinan committed P5 million from his priority development assistance fund for the Food for Education Program in Mindanao. WFP Country Program WFP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions. The major donors to WFP's emergency assistance program for people affected by the conflict in Mindanao are: multilateral funds (US$15.2 million); Japan (US$2.4 million), Spain ($1.47 million) Australia (US$1.4 million) and Germany (US$985,000). WFP returned to the Philippines in 2006 to contribute to a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Mindanao by addressing the food security needs of vulnerable people in conflict affected areas and by supporting the security of beneficiaries and their livelihoods. WFP's Food for Education Program in the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and adjacent areas uses food support as an incentive to promote school attendance and reduce dropouts in conflict-affected areas. Over the past year, it has increased enrolment by 40 percent and cut dropouts in assisted schools by providing monthly food support to more than 180,000 children in 800 schools. In addition to its school feeding program, WFP supports nearly one million people in Mindanao, including internally-displaced, pregnant and nursing mothers and others affected by the conflict.

By REYMA BUAN-DEVEZA
abs-cbnNEWS.com

Is 'Asia's Songbird' Regine Velasquez really moving to ABS-CBN now that her contract with GMA-7 has expired?

If we believe earlier reports, she isn't doing any such thing because, according to the reports quoting Velasquez's current flame Ogie Alcasid, she can never bring herself to leave GMA-7 while he still has shows there (a weekend variety show and a gag show).

But wait. Now Velasquez is saying that Alcasid never made such a statement.

“Actually sinabi niya na hindi daw nanggaling sa kanya (Actually, he told me that he never made such a statement),” Velasquez told abs-cbnNews.com during a press conference for her coming lead role in an episode of ABS-CBN’s “Maalaala Mo Kaya", held at 9501 of ELJ’s Building inside the network’s compound Saturday afternoon.

“He did not say that ‘Regine will not leave me.’ He just said that ‘I don’t think I should be talking about it’, that’s what I know,” she explained.

Velasquez made said hat her beau is a very supportive person and will always be there to comfort her and make her happy no matter what her decision may be.

“He will support me. Whatever decision I will make he will support me,” she said.

Velasquez revealed that she received offers from both networks but hasn't made up her mind yet. She added that in making her decision, she will definitely consider Alcasid's feelings.

“Kasi alam niyo siyempre iko-consider ko iyong feelings niya at saka iyong siya na hindi kami magkikita sa work iko-consider ko talaga iyon but still it’s my career, it’s my decision and he knows that.”

(Of course I'll think about how he will feel and the possibility that we won't be seeing each other at work. But still it's my career, it's my decision and he knows that)

Velasquez is starring in MMK for the second time. Her first was with hunk actor Piolo Pascual back in 2002. Her performance earned for her a Star Awards Best Actress recognition.

This time, the singer/ actress will work with award-winning actor Albert Martinez and award-winning director Jeffrey Jeturian in a story about lovers being torn apart by their families.

Watch Velasquez’s rare appearance in country’s longest running and most-awarded drama anthology “Maalaala Mo Kaya” this coming February 22 (Friday), after “Maging Sino Ka Man.”

Velasquez is now preparing for the second season of Celebrity Duets and reports say she will be doing a movie with Alcasid with working title "Love is Deaf... And Blind."
Soure: abs-cbnnews.com