gerald santos' ms. saigon journey ends, but a new kind of journey awaits soon, and comes back home very soon for his homecoming concert...

Just the other day, the whole cast and staff of Miss Saigon UK Tour held their very last Press Night in Germany, signalling the end of the Miss Saigon journey of Gerald Santos and the rest.

As Gerald toured around briefly in Germany, and will be resting for a while before he arrives back home soon- his manager, in person of Mr. Rommel Ramilo, is very busy nowadays, having meetings here and there- in preparation for his homecoming concert at the Solaire this coming month of May.

A major TV network studio is also heavy with meetings and dealings with Gerald's manager the past few days. But Gerald's manager is keeping mum about the details of his meetings with a major TV network.

Meanwhile, over a Private Message chat at Facebook, Gerald said these words to his blogger-friend:

"It was so amazing, Tito Robert, such a wonderful experience!", Gerald said about his experience at Miss Saigon. "I will never forget the audience and the energy they gave to us as they watched Miss Saigon in many various places all-over United Kingdom and Europe. I got to see the world, I got to show-off my talents and prove to everyone that Filipinos are good performing artists. This experience is simply incredible!!!

"And now, as I prepare for a new journey and a new challenge, I wanna rest and come back home by the month of March", Gerald continued to say. "I will be preparing, too, for my homecoming concert on May 4 at The Solaire. Bond anew with my friends and loved ones, that what excites me most now."

 Gerald will soon conquer more horizons, that, we predict. Another hug, another embrace...

That's one friend has been waiting for-


FOREVER.




(as the words were written by robert manuguid silverio)

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MR. GERALD SANTOS' FB PAGE.**

lance raymundo speaks straight from the heart, for the youth....

lance speaks at PACOMA (Phil. Apostolic Congress)

lance receives a special picture of Jesus at PACOMA

LANCE (FAR RIGHT) WITH HIS MOM- MRS. NINA ZALDUA RAYMUNDO (second from the far right) AND TWO FRIENDS (left)

It was early last week when singer-actor Lance Raymundo revealed to a media-friend that he's going to speak again about the inspiring events that transpired after he met a facial accident a few years back. And it did happen last Friday, January 24, when he was asked to be the Speaker for the Philippine Apostolic Congress (PACOMA)- with youths as his main audience and participants there. The event was held at the Fil-Oil Arena in San Juan.

"It's been five years after my accident, and until now, young people were getting the message", Lance said. "It continues to inspire them, my story, I mean. And I am so thankful for that. To sewrve as an inspiration and for the young people to absorb the inspirational side of my story and of what I"ve been through, is one great privilege from God."

And this is the other side of Lance Raymundo's celebrity status, that aside from being an actor, singer, host, model- there was something deeper into it. That, of inspiring people, especially the young.

"Seeing their faces as I spoke and share my life, I guess, is the best reward of all", Lance added up saying. "Because in their faces, I could see that they learn, they absorb, they get inspired and positive to continue living and fighting. And these are young people, the future and the hope of our society."

Lance admitted to his media-friend that he inherited his Saintly and Religious side from his mom- Mrs. Nina Zaldua-Raymundo. While his being a strong and that of a fighter- he inheited it from his late dad- mr. Danilo H. Raymundo (R.I.P.)

"My dad was a very strong man- physically and emotionally", Lance stressed. "And I am glad, I am a mixture of those good qualities from my parents. It's still a jungle out there and we must all fight to live."

On the coming weeks, Lance will continue promoting his second single for Viva Records- the Spoken Words song. 

"We will have tours, promos, mall shows", Lance assured. "It will be keeping me busy for the next coming weeks. You see, the critical and commercial success of my second song Spoken Words was really unexpected. Even the big bosses of the radio stations where I promoted the song, all loved it. Sometimes, when you least expect it, that's when people really appreciate."

LANCE AT GOLD' GYM: FITNESS WORLD ABSORBS HIM AGAIN

lance with fellow fitness buffs

LANCE WITH HIS FITNESS TRAINOR- MR. CULVER PADILLA (standing, left)

And Lance is also back now to the Fitness world, a world he really belonged to, because Lance is basically a fitness-kind-of-guy. He's being sponsored now by Gold's Gym.

"I will be having projects with the fitness world soon", Lance ended saying. "They are absorbing me again. Fitness and health is wealth, you see. We must take care of our bodies, above anything else."

Sure thing, Lance.





(words by robert manuguid silverio)

ISANG HAPON SA PILING NI MR. RAFAEL "POPOY" CUSI SA KANYANG WORKING STUDIO....

cusi at work

cusi: "i have no fear"

Ito ang tunay na Sining na walang pretensyon, pagkukunwari at pagkukulang. Damang-dama mo, kitang-kita mo. Totoo, walang bahid ng paglilinlang o pagbabalat-kayo. Kaya halos mapaiyak ka nu'ng hapon iyon. Dahil, tila bagang inakap ka ng buong-buo ng Sining. Hinalina. Pinahintulutang makapasok ng buong-buo.

Isang hapon iyon, na inimbita ka ni Ginoong Rafael "Popoy" Cusi na pasyalan siya sa kanyang working studio. Damang-dama mo ang kanyang sinseridad sa pag-anyaya. Kaya talaga namang papunta ka pa lamang sa studio niya, tila bagang umiiyak ka na.

Si Kuya Popoy mo, na isang tinitingalang Painter sa buong mundo. Mrami ang nagbansag sa kanya na 'The Greatest Filipino Watercolor Painter', pero lingid sa kaalaman ng karamihan, hindi lamang sa watercolor painting tunay na napakagaling ni Kuya Popoy. Kundi pati na rin sa iba't-ibang aspeto, o mga genre ng Painting. mapa-nude sketches, oil, acrylic, charcoal, at iba pa- na-master na talaga ni Kuya Popoy.

Kaya hayun ka, naglalakad sa kahabaan ng isang kalye sa Pasay City, sa likod ng isang palengke at Mall doon, papunta sa Working Studio ni Kuya Popoy. Pilipinong-Pilipino ang kapaligiran, masang-masa, ika nga. Tunay na tunay. Pero ang hindi mo alam, may sorpresang naghihintay sa iyo.

Nu'ng marating mo mismo ang lugar ng Working Studio ni Kuya Popoy, saglit kang naghintay sa labas habang nagpre-prepara siya dahil tila naging abala siya sa pagpipinta. At maya-maya lang, hayun na si Kuya Popoy na sumalubong sa iyo at nag-imbitang pumasok sa loob ng kanyang Working Studio.

Pagpasok na pagpasok mo sa loob ay tumayo ang mga balahibo mo sa buong katawan. Bawat sulok na makita mo sa loob ng kanyang sulok, ay ISANG MANIPESTASYON NG DAKILANG SINING. Buhay na buhay, tila may mga kaluluwa. Til bagang bigla kang napunta sa kakaibang dimensyon ng buhay.

Napakasarap ng naging pakiramdam mo. At doon, tuluyan ka nang napaiyak. Nakita iyon ni Kuya Popoy mo.

"Hindi lang ikaw, Robert, ang napaiyak ng ganyan sa mga bisita kong nakapasok na dito sa working studio ko", bungad na sabi ni Kuya Popoy. "Kamakailan lang, isang executive sa isang corporate office sa Makati ang napaiyak rin pagkapasok dito sa studio. Talagang natangay siya ng mga emosyon niya. Iba kasi ang ambience dito sa loob ng studio ko kumpara sa labas. Hindi mo iisipin na may ganitong lugar sa magulong siyudad sa labas."

Umikot pa ang aming paningin sa loob ng studio ni Mr. Cusi. Isa sa mga naka-akit sa aming paningin ay ang painting niya kay Poong Itim Na Nazareno. Sa una, ang akala namin ay babae ito. Pero napakalalim nung mga damdamin na isinaad ng painting na iyon.

"Kamukha siya ng aking ina", sabi ni Kuya Popoy. "Marami ang nakakapuna sa painting na iyan. Sa lahat ng pumupunta dito, isa iyan sa laging napupuri."

Mayroon ding isang frameless painting doon si Kuya Popoy na mukha ng isang bata. May kulay na charcoal painting iyon, pero tila buhay na buhay ang painting na iyon dahil kakaiba ang emosyon nu'ng bata- tila umiiyak, tila nagagalit, tila natutuwa.

Ang pinakamalaking larawan ay iyong nasa pinaka-gitna ng studio ni Kuya Popoy. Isang malaking larawang tinatapos niya na watercolor- isang eksena sa pusod ng karagatan. Napakaganda!

Nakapalibot din sa loob ng studio ni Mr. Cusi ang mga sari-saring nude sketches niya. Lahat, walang itulak-kabigin. Nakakamanghang isipin na ang isang simpleng nude sketch ay tila bagang nangungusap sa isang natatanging porma at kagandahan.

Kaya nu'ng tanungin namin si Mr. Cusi ng ganito: "Paano n'yo po ide-describe ang sarili ninyo bilang isang Pintor?"

Naririto ang maagap na kasagutan ni Kuya Popoy:

"Hindi ko tina-typecast ang sarili ko!", anya. "I HAVE NO FEAR. Ang Sining ng pagpipinta ko ay walang katapusan, walang hangganan, walang LIMIT.  Kasi ako, lagalag ako. Wala akong pakialam, basta makita ko lang ang mga gawa ko, masaya na ako.

"May iba diyan, sinasabi nilang Minimalist sila, pero ako, hindi!!", dugtong pa ni Kuya Popoy. "At nagpapasalamat ako sa Diyos, dahil sa edad kong 70 years old, punong-puno pa rin ako ng mga ideya. Minsan, hindi ako nakakatulog sa gabi dahil sa mga ideyang ito. Para akong bata na na-e-excite palagi na ma-execute ko ang mga ideyang iyon sa pagpipinta. Hindi ako nagpapahinga sa mga pinagpaguran ko."

Kamakailan lamang, naging isang judge si Kuya Popoy sa isang Painting Event sa Bulacan, mula sa paanyaya ni Ginoong Armando Pilapil Sta. Ana, at nakita niya roon na buhay na buhay ang Sining sa Bulacan at maraming mga baguhang Pintor ang tunay na nagpapakita rin ng kagalingan.

Sa Nueva Ecija naman, kaibigan niyang matalik si Ginoong Armando Giron, ang head ng NECHA (Nueva Ecija's Council for Culture, History and Arts), at isa ito sa mga Art dealers ni Kuya Popoy.

Napaiyak na rin minsan ni Kuya Popoy ang butihing maybahay ng yumaong si Ferdinand Bote (R.I.P.) na si Ginang Mayvelyn Javier Bote (na tumatakbo ngayong Alkalde sa Papaya, Nueva Ecija) dahil sa napakagagandang sceneries sa kanilang lugar na ipininta ni Kuya Popoy.

Kagagaling lang din ni Kuya Popoy sa bansang Taiwan at sa ilang bansa sa Europa, kung saan ay nailagay pa siya sa mga libro doon bilang isa sa pinaka-magagaling na Pintor sa buong mundo. Ipinakita pa sa amin ni Kuya Popoy ang mga librong iyon na kung saan ay kahanay siya ng mga pinaka-magagaling na Pintor sa buong mundo sa pangkasalukuyang panahon.


*******************   *************   ***************


Habang kumakain kami ng Pizza Pie at Coke bilang pampa-lamig, lalo naming nadama ang kakaibang kaluluwa ng dakilang Pintor na ito.

Isa siya sa mga nag-angat sa mga Pilipino sa mundo ng pagpipinta. Pero hindi doon natatapos ang lahat. Sa edad niya, alam niyang marami pa siyang dapat na gawin. Mga larawang dapat na pintahin, mga damdaming paiiyakin dahil sa Sining at sa mga alay nito, mga kulay na patitingkarin.

Isang pasasalamat po sa paanyaya mong masilip ang iyong Working Studio, Kuya Popoy. Napakasuwerte namin, iyong ang nadama namin.

Kaya sa mga susunod pa, may mga mababasa pa ukol kay Mr. Rafael "Popoy" Cusi sa blog site na ito. Pero bilang isang pagtatapos na tanong: "Ano po ba ang pinaka-ardent dream mo, Kuya Cocoy?"

"Ang magawa ko ang longest and biggest watercolor painting in the whole world", pagtatapos na wika ni Kuya Popoy. "Na tipong pang-Guinness Book of World Records. At walang dapat na magtanong kung paano ko gagawin iyon."

Opo, Kuya Popoy. Naniniwala kami sa iyo.




(sinulat ni robert manuguid silverio)

MGA LARAWAN HABANG NAGPIPINTA SI GINOONG CUSI AY MGA PAG-AARI NI MR. ARMANDO GIRON

SI RAFAEL CUSI HABANG PINAPANOOD NG MGA TAGA-NUEVA ECIJA

ISANG LARAWAN NI CUSI

SI CUSI, HABANG NAGPIPINTA SA TAHANAN NI ARMANDO GIRON

ISANG OIL PAINTING NI CUSI

A CUSI ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR PAINTING

denise silverio vivero, in the eyes of budding photographer paolo silverio macaraig....

Since she was nine years old, marami na ang nag-aalok sa kanyang mag-artista at mag-modelo. Naispatan na siya nuon ni Dad Martin Bellosillo ng Elites Model Management at ng GMA artist/talent na si Nikki Co - a few years back- at batang-bata pa siya nuon. Gandang-ganda si Nikki sa batang nakita niya at ito mismo ang nagbulong kay dad Martin na kuning talent si Denise. Pero dahil mas nag-prioritize si Denise nuon sa kanyang studies at naging busy din sina dad Martin at Nikki Co, medyo nawalan sila ng komunikasyon.

Next namang nakakita kay Denise si direk Errol Ropero na isang advocacy film director. In fact, muntik pa ngang mag-shooting si Denise noon ng isang film para kay direk Errol. Isa lang naman ang nasabi ni direk Errol sa blogger na tiyuhin ni Denise: "Napakagandang bata. Gustong-gusto ko ang mukha niya!"

This coming summer vacation, nakatakdang mag-enroll si Denise sa The Voice Academy to further enhance her singing talents. Inalok siya ng kanyang uncle na mag-audition sa Starstruck, pero on the last minute, napag-isipan ng kanyang uncle na mas mainam munang mag-enroll siya ng Voice Lessons sa The Voice Academy.

Anyway, look n'yo na lamang muna ang magagandang photos ni Denise Silverio Vivero, na kuha ng kanyang pinsan na si Paolo Silverio Macaraig. 

Denise Vivero, in the eyes of Paolo Macaraig....

The model and the photographer.



And the pictures looks so perfect. Aren't they?






(words by robert manuguid silverio)

budding photographer paolo macaraig

PHOTOS BY FELIX PAOLO MACARAIG

DAKY WITH HER FAMILY

DAKY WITH HER COUSINS

DAKY WITH THE GF's OF HER COUSINS AND HER TITO ROBERT

"spoken words" ni lance raymundo, pinag-aagawan ng mga kompanya...

lance holds his diet meal at LIVE WELL MEALS

lance with his mom and kuya rannie

lance: perfect singer

Kilala at alam ni Lance Raymundo na ang kanyang Kuya Rannie Raymundo ay nirerespeto, ginagalang at tinitingala sa mundo ng Original Pilipino Music. Ang estado at mga naging achievements na ng kanyang Kuya Rannie ay pawang kakaiba talaga at nagmarka sa mundo ng Musika. At bilang isang singer, wala makaka-kuwestiyon sa magaling at orihinal nitong estilo.

"Kaya naman talagang na-touched ako doon sa mga naging papuri niya sa akin at sa awitin kong Spoken Words sa kanyang Twitter account last week ago", panimulang sabi ni Lance sa isang blogger. "Coming from him, iba talaga ang effect. mas paniniwalaan mo talaga at mas dadamhin. Halos mapaiyak ako sa mga naging papuri.

"Kasi, you see, Robert, Kuya Rannie seldom praises me, bihirang-bihira lang", padugtong na sabi ni Lance. "Madalas, tahimik lang siya, hindi nagsasalita at hindi nagko-komento. At first time niyang gawin ito, na purihin ako publicly- sa isang social networking site pa. He wanna shout to the whole world how proud he was for me. Kaya talagang na-touched ako. I promised to myself, mas lalo ko pang pagbubutihin ngayon ang pag-awit ko."

At napakaganda naman ng pasok ng taong 2019 kay Lance. Maski ba nagluluksa pa rin ang buong Raymundo family sa pagyao ni Mr. Danilo H. Raymundo (Lance's father) nu'ng Oktubre ng nagdaang taon, ginawa nilang hamon ang trahedyang iyon para mas mag-ibayo pa sila sa kanilang mga adhikain sa buhay.

"Alam ko, my dad is guiding me now, nararamdaman ko siya palagi", muling wika ni Lance. "He is now my angel. All he wants for us now is to continue what we're doing."

Pinag-aagawan ngayon ng mga iba't-ibang kompanya ang awiting Spoken Words ni Lance...

"They want the song to be attributed and somehow attached to their products", anya pa ni Lance. "I feel flattered naman somehow dahil pinag-aagawan nila ang kanta. It's all up for Viva Records to decide on that part. Kung saan at kanino nila mas napi-feel na ipa-attribute ang kanta ko, decision na nila iyon. Masaya lang talaga ako ngayon dahil madami ang nagandahan sa kanta ko and the way I delivered the song."

Meanwhile, panay ang ensayo ngayon ni Lance sa Gold's Gym. Target kasi ni Lance na maging extra-fit, slim and sexy sa taong 2019. Yun bang, wala ni katiting na fats sa abs and forms niya physically.

'Kaya todo-ensayo ako ngayon, Rob", pagtatapos na wika ni Lance. "Health is wealth. I also watch my diet a great deal now, thanks for my Live Well meals also for taking care of my diet. As a celebrity, importante talaga sa amin ang kalusugan."

Korek ka diyan, Papa lance.




(sinulat ni robert manuguid silverio)

lance trains hard

lance with his physical trainer culver padilla

gerald santos goes to Germany for the last leg of Miss Saigon UK tour...

gerald: soaring for more

Gerald with the whole cast of Miss Saigon UK tour poses for a group selfie before they all go to germany for the last leg of their UK tour

Internationally-acclaimed Broadway Musical actor Gerald Santos just finished his performances as Thuy in the Broadway Musical play Miss Saigon in the land of Switzerland. He and the whole cast and staff of the said long-running musical play stayed in Zurich, Switzerland for seven weeks. And for all of them, it was a very pleasant experience.

"And yesterday, January 14, they all went to Germany to continue for the last leg of the Miss Saigon UK tour", Mr. Rommel Ramilo, Gerald Santos' manager, told a blogger. "They will all go to Berlin first and Gerald will rest for a while there and tour around Germany before they start their performances on January 22 at the Musical Dome in Cologne, Germany. Their last performance there is going to be on March 3."

That's why definitely, Gerald will go back home to the Philippines by first week of March. He's also set to do his Homecoming concert on the month of May at the Solaire Hotel.

"But there will be some changes in the schedule, though", Mr. Ramilo confided to a blogger. "Gerald may not prolong his vacation in the Philippines as originally planned. As of now, we can't reveal yet another great news coming-up in Gerald's international career as a singer and a Broadway actor. We need some confirmations first before we can finally announce the good news soon."

All of Gerald's prior commitments in the Philippines (except for his homecoming concert) are currently on hold. But Gerald's number one priority once he comes back home is to bond anew with his fans and friends. 

"He misses them so much, especially his family", came Mr. Ramilo's closing words. "He wants to hug them back, tell stories, and share his happiness to them. Gerald's heart still belongs for them even though he had seen the world. He is such a humble and loving young man."

And definitely, he is.




(words by robert manuguid silverio)

Gerald's photo collage in Switzerland

gerald with joanna ampil