Sharon, Ai-Ai’s “Best Friends Forever (BFF) to screen in 8 U.S. cities

INQUIRER.net First Posted 12:07:00 05/18/2009

BLOCKBUSTER COMEDY TEAM:
Megastar Sharon Cuneta and Comedy Queen Ai-Ai Delas Alas
star in Best Friends Forever (BFF)
directed by Wenn V. Deramas and co-starring John Estrada. (Star Cinema)

RP’s Megastar, Comedy Queen team up for the first time

REDWOOD CITY, CA, May 14, 2009 – On TFC’s 15th anniversary and Star Cinema’s 16th year, ABS-CBN International’s Starry Starry Store brings to the U.S. the one and only Megastar Sharon Cuneta and the one and only Comedy Queen Ai-Ai Delas Alas come together for the first time in Best Friends Forever (BFF).

The stellar combination, made even brighter by the skillful talents of top comedy director Wenn V. Deramas and excellent scriptwriter Mel Del Rosario, is set to be one of this year’s top-grossing and funniest movie team-ups.

The film revolves around the lives of two women who despite their differences have developed a strong bond that made them commit to become each other’s best friend for life. As the story progresses, the women will be seen falling for a common love interest. One of the country’s most versatile young actors, John Estrada, plays this role. As to how long their friendship would last, only the man who won both their hearts could say.

Off-screen, Sharon and Ai-Ai have very different personalities but they share the same knack for comedy that shines throughout the movie. And as they spend days and nights working on the project, the two became close friends.

Last year, they rocked box office statistics with their respective projects - Sharon in the critically acclaimed Chito Roño masterpiece Caregiver and Ai-Ai in the MMFF runaway winner Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat. Without doubt, BFF will be another winner and blockbuster this year.

This is Sharon’s first venture into comedy after a long, long time, and for Ai-Ai, this is also the first time that her comedy skills will be pitted against one of the best dramatic actresses.

A surprise guest appearance in the film by Gabby Concepcion had the fans shrieking in delight at the very successful movie premiere in Manila last May 12.

“We’re entering the happy season of summer pretty soon, so we wanted to give our viewers a quality comedy full of fun, laughter and star power,” said Kerwin Du, ABS-CBN International’s head of theatricals. “With the Megastar and RP’s Comedy Queen under the direction of comedy master Wenn V. Deramas, expect a laugh-a-minute movie with BFF.”

BFF also stars Chokoleit, Joy Viado, Empress Shuck, Enchong Dy, Miles Ocampo, DJ Durano, and the award-winning veteran actress Gina Pareño.

The screening schedule is as follows:

LAS VEGAS (May 22-28)
Regal Village Square Stadium
9400 West Sahara Avenue
Las Vegas, LV 89058

SAN DIEGO (May 22-28)
UA Horton Plaza
475 Horton Plaza
San Diego, CA 92101

SEATTLE (May 22-28)
Parkway Plaza Stadium 12
5910 South 180th Street
Tukwila, WA 98188

SAN FRANCISCO (May 22-28)
UA Stonestown Twin
501 Buckingham Way
San Francisco, CA 94132

LOS ANGELES-CERRITOS (TBA)
Cerritos Stadium Cinema
12761 Towne Center Drive
Cerritos, CA 90701

HONOLULU (June 5-11)
Regal Dole Cannery Stadium
735 Iwilei Road #B
Honolulu, HI 96817

KAUAI (June 5-11)
Historic Waimea Theater
9691 Kaumualii Hwy
Waimea, Kauai, HI 96796

CHICAGO (June 12-18)
The Pickwick Theater 1
17 South Prospect Avenue
Park Ridge, IL 60068

For more information, please visit www.abs-cbnglobalmovies.com or call 1.800.227.9676.



**http://globalnation.inquirer.net/announcements/announcements/view/20090518-205679/Sharon-Ai-Ais-Best-Friends-Forever-BFF

Don’t buy sex video, city residents urged

Cebu Daily News
First Posted 09:09:00 05/21/2009

CEBU City's moral guardians yesterday called on city residents not to buy the controversial sex video featuring Dr. Hayden Kho and starlet Katrina Halili.

Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer, chairman of the Cebu City Anti-Indecency Board (CAIB) said the city police should monitor video shops to prevent copies of the video from being sold to the public.

He said the video was degrading especially to the women and that parents should keep it out of the hands of their children.

“Let us not add insult to injury. By our own little way, let us police our own ranks”, Bullecer said.

Bullecer voiced support for Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla's call to revoke Kho’s license as a doctor and urged women’s groups to stand up and join the campaign against sex videos.

Despite this, many vendors said a lot of Cebuanos were already looking for copies of the sex scandal.

A female vendor said the copies would arrive in Cebu from Manila today.

“Daghan na kaayo ang nangita. Magbutang nalang mi diri og streamer nga ugma pa moabot (A lot of them are looking for it. We’ll put up a streamer saying it would come tomorrow),” she said.

Another vendor said even policemen and soldiers were looking for it.

However the vendors warned that the video will cost more owing to transportation costs and high demand. /Correspondent Jhunnex Napallacan

**http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20090521-206267/Dont-buy-sex-video-city-residents-urged

DFA protests Alec Baldwin slur

By Cynthia Balana
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 08:34:00 05/21/2009

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Foreign Affairs Wednesday conveyed to Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin the country’s objection to a joke he made in a television show last week about Filipino mail-order brides.

In a letter to Baldwin, Philippine Consul General to New York Cecilia Rebong told the actor that his statement was “derogatory, prejudiced, insensitive and stereotyped Filipino women negatively.”

Baldwin, star of the hit-comedy show “30 Rock” and ex-husband of actress Kim Bassinger, quipped in an interview on the “Late Show with David Letterman” last May 12: “I think about getting a Filipino mail-order bride at this point or a Russian one, I don’t care, I’m 51.”

Although it was delivered in jest, Baldwin’s remark caused the audience to break into laughter and prompted Letterman, to respond: “Get one for me [also], for later.”

“The general impression given by your statement was that Filipino women can be categorized as easy commodities for sale,” Rebong wrote.

According to Rebong, to label women married to United States nationals as “mail-order brides” simply because they are from overseas, whether from the Philippines or Russia, in particular, was offensive and prejudiced since all foreign nationals married to Americans residing in the US, regardless of how the parties met, have proven the truth of their union.

Rebong also reminded Baldwin that the Philippines was one of the leading countries in the effort to eliminate the trafficking of women and children.

She said that in 1990, Republic Act 6955, “The Anti-Mail-Order Bride Law,” prohibited the commercial trade of Filipino women.

**http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20090521-206263/DFA-protests-Alec-Baldwin-slur

RP immigration bans Baldwin

By Tetch Torres
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:29:00 05/21/2009

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Immigration on Thursday banned American actor Alec Baldwin from entering the country for his recent negative comments about Filipino women.

Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan issued the order placing Baldwin in the Immigration blacklist a week after the actor appeared in a television talk show and talked about looking for a Filipina lover via the mail order bride.

By being in the bureau’s blacklist, Baldwin is considered an undesirable alien.

The Immigration chief said Baldwin’s remark is racial and discriminatory.

“I was thinking about getting a Filipina mail-order bride…or a Russian one. I don’t care, I’m 51,” Baldwin said last May 12 in the David Letterman show.

Libanan said Baldwin appears to condone the mail-order bride scheme, which is a criminal act that is prohibited and punishable under Republic Act 6955.

**http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20090521-206337/RP-immigration-bans-Baldwin

Baldwin apologizes for mail-order bride joke

INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:41:00 05/21/2009

MANILA, Philippines—American actor Alec Baldwin has apologized to Filipinos who were offended by his mail-order bride joke.

In his blog, the star of 30 Rock admitted that his reference to the Filipina mail-order bride is “dated.”

“While on the David Letterman program, I joked that I might need a ‘mail-order bride’ to achieve the goal of having more children in my life. I believe that most people understood that this was a joke and took it as such. (A dated reference, no doubt, and another sign of my advancing age),” he said.

At the same time, he said he plans to raise some money against child sex slavery and exploitation through an organization that was introduced to him by his brother Stephen.

Baldwin said the adverse reaction by the Philippine government and some politicians to his joke is understandable.

“Such anger and frustration about the issue of sex trafficking is understandable. The Philippines has suffered significant problems with the issue of sex trafficking,” he said.

**http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20090521-206339/Baldwin-apologizes-for-mail-order-bride-joke

Katrina asks PRC: Revoke Dr. Kho’s license

Katrina asks PRC: Revoke Dr. Kho’s license
By Tina Santos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 16:12:00 05/21/2009

MANILA, Philippines -- Actress Katrina Halili asked the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Thursday to revoke the license of Doctor Hayden Kho, saying the latter is a disgrace to the medical profession.

Halili filed administrative complaint for immorality, dishonorable and/or unethical conduct against Kho, who is said to be her ex-lover.

In her complaint, Halili accused Kho of being the one who set up the hidden camera which recorded their intimate moments together without her knowledge.

The sex videos were leaked on the Internet. Copies are purportedly being sold to video pirates.

"He [Kho] is no longer fit to enjoy the privileges of the profession of medicine," Halili said in her complaint.

**http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20090521-206343/Katrina-asks-PRC-Revoke-Dr-Khos-license

NBI summons 3 doctors, including Kho, Belo

By Jeannette Andrade
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 16:17:00 05/21/2009

MANILA, Philippines -- The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has sent out subpoenas to three people, including beauty doctors Hayden Kho and Vicky Belo, in connection with the agency’s investigation into the sex video of Kho and actress Katrina Halili.

Aside from Kho and Belo, who are former lovers, the NBI also subpoenaed a certain Doctor Eric Johnston Chua, NBI Anti-Fraud and Computer Crimes Division (AFCCD) head Vicente De Guzman said.

“We will be inviting all personalities mentioned by Ms. Halili in her statement as well as other personalities whose names would surface in connection with this case,” De Guzman said, adding that summonses to the other “victims” would come later with the probe “focused on the case of Halili.”

The NBI-AFCCD chief pointed out that the initial charge against Kho and other persons found to have been responsible for the proliferation of the sex video could be violation of Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence against Women and Children Act of 2004.

“We will look into other cases that could possibly be filed,” De Guzman said, but added that laws on cyber crimes in the country were virtually inexistent.

“We have no laws on cyber crime, particularly against pornography. But the punishment and penalty provided under RA 9262 are heavy enough,” he said.

He also said that the bureau would seek the help of the maintainers of the website, where Kho and Halili’s sex video was posted, to determine who was responsible for uploading the video.

**http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20090521-206344/NBI-summons-3-doctors-including-Kho-Belo