Marc Abaya

Marc Abaya

Marc Abaya in 2003

Background information

Birth name Ramon Marcelino Diaz Abaya

Origin Philippines

 Alternative metal
Genres
 hard rock

 post-grunge

Occupation(s)  Singer

 guitarist

 actor

 TV host

 VJ

Years active 1996–present

Abaya was discovered by Raimund Marasigan of Eraserheads during a "battle of bands" in which
Abaya's band Shirley Beans won first place. Marasigan, who was one of the judges for the night,
invited Abaya to act as frontman for the band Sandwich in 1998. While Abaya was a member of the
band, they released three albums: Grip, Stand, Throw; 4-track mind; and Thanks to the Moon's
Gravitational Pull.
While in Sandwich, Abaya formed the band Kjwan with his closest friends in May 2003. In 2004, Kjwan
released their self-titled album,[1] which included the carrier single "Daliri."
Abaya joined MTV Philippines[2] in 2003 and became one of the VJs until the dissolution of the channel
under Music Source, Inc. on January 1, 2007. Abaya hosted a variety of shows, including Rockola on
MTV and Massive. In September 2009, AYC hired him to man MTV Philippines' music station U92
(now Radyo5 92.3 News FM) for a weekly show.
In 2013, he collaborated with Gloc-9 on the song "Tsinelas sa Putikan", for the album Liham at
Lihim under Universal Records.

Acting
Abaya played the role of Francis in an ABS-CBN afternoon drama series, Ligaw na Bulaklak. He was
also one of the judges of the network's reality entertainment show Showtime and host of Pilipinas Got
More Talent, a spin-off program of the show Pilipinas Got Talent.
In 2010, Abaya joined the cast of Dagim, a Cinema One Original film directed by Joaquin Pedro Valdes
for which he won "Best Supporting Actor" at the Cinema One Originals Awards.
In 2011, Abaya moved to GMA Network for the shows Party Pilipinas and I Heart You, Pare!
In 2012, he was seen in the GMA Afternoon Drama show Faithfully.
After almost 9 years, he returned to his home network ABS-CBN via Ang Probinsyano.

Discography
With Kjwan
Studio Albums

Year Title Label

2004 Kjwan Sony Music Philippines

2006 2StepMarv PolyEast Records/Barnyard Music Philippines

2009 13 Seconds to Love MCA Music Philippines

2014 Kjwan IV Volume One MCA Music Philippines

Babalu (comedian)
Pablito Sarmiento (June 29, 1942 – August 27, 1998), better known as Babalu, was
a Filipino comedian and actor. His screen name was a reference to his long chin ("baba" is
the Filipino term for "chin") of which was sometimes a subject of on screen ridicule, usually by himself.

Personal life
He grew up in Sampaloc, Manila in his grandmother's home with his mother, one sister and three
brothers. Babalu fathered a son. For several years and until his death, he was living with his long-time
partner who eventually became his wife prior to his death, with whom he had a child.

Acting career
Babalu is considered as "one of the most famous and beloved comedians" in the Philippines. He is
the nephew of the famous actor Panchito Alba. Dolphy, the king of Philippine Comedy, discovered
Babalu's talent as a comedian. Babalu was given a featured role on the Philippines' leading comedy-
variety show Buhay Artista. His appearances in movies and television included the shows Home Along
Da Riles and Oki Doki Doc. Babalu's life story was featured on the television show Maalaala Mo
Kaya "Imahe ng Berhen" on July 3, 2003.

Death
Babalu was warned of his health condition in March 1998 but kept his health problems from his co-
stars, particularly from Aga Muhlach and the others in the weekly TV shows Oki Doki Doc and Home
Along Da Riles where he was a regular cast.
Writer Nene Riego, a close friend of Babalu, said the actor asked his doctor to tell him the truth about
his ailment. Babalu was told he only had six months to live. He decided to seek further treatment
in Michigan. Doctors there had the same diagnosis and advised him to spend the rest of his life in the
Philippines. Babalu came back home on August 14, emaciated.[citation needed]
Babalu's last two movies were Tataynic with Dolphy and Tong Tatlong Tatay Kong Pakitong-
kitong together with Redford White, Bonel Balingit and Serena Dalrymple. He died of liver cancer on
August 27, 1998, two months after his 56th birthday, in his home in Antipolo. He was buried in Loyola
Memorial Park in Parañaque.[2] The film Tar-San is dedicated to his memory.
José Ariel Jiménez Rivera also known as Ariel Rivera (born 1 September 1966) is
a Filipino recording artist and actor.
Rivera was born in Manila, Philippines but has since migrated with his family to Canada. He has
since become a successful singer-songwriter, actor, and Aliw award-winning artist. He is dubbed as
"Kilabot ng Kolehiyala", a title formerly bestowed upon Hajji Alejandro, a popular Filipino singer in the
1970s.

Career
Music career
Rivera was an undergraduate, studying to be an architect in Canada before his singing talent was
accidentally discovered while he was on holiday in the Philippines.[citation needed] In 1989, Musiko Records
& BMG Records (Pilipinas) Inc. (now known as Sony Music & BMG Rights Management) signed
Rivera to their label. His self-titled debut album was released after two years. The first single, "Sana
Kahit Minsan" was a #1 pop-r&b crossover hit. The album went 3x platinum. In 1991, he quickly
released his second album, Simple Lang. This album also went 3x platinum.[citation needed]
In 1994, Rivera began recording new material for his next album, Photograph. Photograph was
released in 1995. His album reached Gold status in the Philippines.

Acting career
In 1992, Rivera tried acting. His first starring role in the film Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal earned him a
Best Supporting Actor award in the 1992 Metro Manila Film Festival. He landed a lead role
opposite Sharon Cuneta in 1993's "Ikaw". He also co-starred in Isang Sulok Ng Mga
Pangarap (1994); Anghel Na Walang Langit (1995); Minsan May Pangarap: The Guce Family
Story (1995); May Nagmamahal Sa Iyo (1996), Ikaw Pala Ang Mahal Ko (1997) and Bata, bata ...
Pa'no Ka Ginawa? (1998).
Acting awards1992: Metro Manila Film Festival Best Supporting Actor for "Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal"

 2005: 2nd Golden Screen [Entertainment TV] Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
for "Forever In My Heart" (GMA-7)

Personal life
Rivera has four siblings and prefers to keep his personal life private. He was the ex-boyfriend of
Asia's Songbird, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid. They broke the so-called fairy tale relationship in 1995.
He married actress, television presenter, and his true love, Anna Gianelli de Belen, on 22 December
1997 in Santuario de San José, and both did a film released five months before their marriage
entitled "Ikaw Pala Ang Mahal Ko". The couple has two sons: Joaquín Andrés (born 29 January
1999) and Julio Alessandro (born 6 November 2000).[1]
Boy Abunda
Boy Abunda was born in Borongan.[2] He attended Ateneo de Manila University[2] taking up business
management. However, he failed to finish that course because of his father's death. He left Ateneo
and worked in odd jobs to support himself.[3]
At the Metropolitan Theater, he worked as a stage actor and after that, as an assistant stage
manager. Later, he became the assistant of the theater's administrator Conchita "Tita Conching"
Sunico,[1] who taught him public relations. Within a couple of years, he started Backroom, Inc start
managing singer and actress. a public relations firm.[2] He was working as a public relations
consultant for GMA Network when a network executive named Bobby Barreiro, suggested him to try
hosting a television show.
Abunda became a host of Show and Tell, a late night variety talk show with Gretchen Barretto,
and Startalk, an entertainment talk show. He subsequently moved to GMA Network's
competitor ABS-CBN in 1999, where he has hosted the following shows: The Buzz, Private
Conversations, Homeboy, Kontrobersyal,[2] SNN: Showbiz News Ngayon and The Bottomline with
Boy Abunda, a talk show interview.[4] He is also a newscaster for entertainment of the late-night news
program Bandila.
He also produced an album titled Melodic Conversations.[5]
He graduated from Philippine Women's University with a degrees of Bachelor of Arts in
communication arts in 2009,[6] Master of Arts in communication arts in 2011,[7] and Doctor of
Philosophy in social development in 2016.[8]

Personal life
Abunda is openly gay and has been in a relationship with partner Elmer "Bong" Quintana since
1983.[9] Although a practicing Catholic and Marian devotee,[10][11] Abunda is a supporter of LGBT
rights and same-sex marriage, expressing disagreement with the Church's stand on
homosexuality.[10] He denounced the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting,[12] which has been recorded
as the deadliest incident of violence against LGBT people in United States history.
On June 23, 2010, Abunda became a part-time professor at Philippine Women's University teaching
radio and television to communication arts students. He currently resides in Quezon City.

Health
In August 2014, Abunda was not seen on TV for weeks. On September 7, 2014, he revealed in an
exclusive interview with The Buzz that he had suffered from a medical condition in which 300
milliliters of abscess was removed from his liver. He was discharged from the hospital on August 23.
Cesar Manhilot (born August 1, 1962), better known by his screen name Cesar Montano,
is a Filipino actor, film producer and film director.
Montano started in show business as a commercial model.[2] He played roles in numerous B movies.
He then played major roles in several action movies and a brief television career playing the lead role
in the television sitcom Kaya ni Mister, Kaya ni Misis. His breakout role is his portrayal of José Rizal,
the Philippine National Hero in the film José Rizal. The film is unprecedented as it portrays Philippine
society during Spanish colonization of the Philippines and its relevance up to the present day. After
his first Hollywood movie The Great Raid with Benjamin Bratt, he was cast in another Hollywood
movie Another Deep Breath which was never actually shot.
Montano has won numerous acting awards in Panaghoy sa Suba (The Call of the River), José
Rizal, Muro Ami (Reef Hunters) and Bagong Buwan (New Moon).
Aside from acting, Montano also embarked on a singing career, with the release of his music
album Subok lang or Just try in 2000. He has also ventured into film production as well as directing,
with Panaghoy sa Suba as his directorial film debut.
In May 2007, he unsuccessfully ran for Senate under the coalition TEAM Unity (TU). GMA
News reported that he lost about P40 million worth of endorsement for running in public office.
Montano also lost the 2010 Gubernatorial race in his home province of Bohol.
On July 13, 2010, Montano officially became a contract artist of GMA Network after signing a two-year
exclusive contract with the said network.[3] In 2012, he left GMA 7 for TV5's Artista Academy.
In 2016, Montano was running as the 2nd nominee of Aangat Tayo party-list in the 2016 national
elections, but subsequently lost. In the same year, he was appointed by Tourism Secretary Wanda
Corazon Teo as the Chief Operation Officer of the Tourism Promotions Board.[4]

Biography and career

Montano, known by his nickname Buboy, was born and raised in Sta. Ana, Manila, Philippines. His
paternal side traces its roots to the Manhilots of Baclayon, a town in Bohol.[citation needed]

Early work
Montano acted in stage productions at the University of the Philippines. He worked as
a stuntman early in his career.[5]
Montano's first action movie, directed by Toto Natividad, is Leonardo Delos Reyes: Alyas Waway
(1993). The two latter collaborated on such movies as Utol (1996), Biláng na ang Araw
mo (1996), Pusakal (1997), Sanggano (1997), Kasangga Kahit Kelan (1998), Warfreak (1998),
and Type Kita Walang Kokontra (1999).
He played national hero José Rizal in the historical biopic José Rizal in 1998. In 1999 film Muro Ami,
he played Fredo, the boss of child laborers in the illegal fishing industry.[6] The film won thirteen awards
at the 1999 Metro Manila Film Festival.[6]

Directing
Montano produced, directed and starred in the 2004 film Panaghoy sa Suba. It features Filipino actors
Juliana Palermo, Jackie Woo, Philip Anthony, Caridad Sanchez, Joel Torre, Daria Ramirez, Ronnie
Lazaro, Suzette Ranillo, Rommel Montano, Dr. Warfe Engracia, Ramon Villanueva, Chelo Espina,
Flora Gasser, Disi Alba and Rebecca Lusterio. The film is set during World War II, and the story takes
place mostly along the Loboc River in Bohol.[7] The film was Montano's directorial debut. It was filmed
mostly in the Visayan language with an almost exclusively Visayan cast.[8] t was given an "A" rating by
the Cinema Evaluation Board or CEB of the Film Development Council of the Philippines and was CM
Films' entry to the 2004 Metro Manila Film Festival.[9] The CEB described the film as "a poetic,
sometimes even magical, current of silent struggle and survival."[9]
The Call of the River won multiple awards. It collected Second Best Picture (to Mano Po III: My Love),
Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Musical Score
and the Gatpuno Villegas Cultural Award at the Metro Manila Film Festival, 2004;[10] and Best Actor,
Best Supporting Actress at Gawad Suri Awards, Manila, 2005.[11]
Panaghoy sa Suba, which garnered 16 awards and 11 nominations including 5 from the Metro Manila
Film Festival, was also given an endorsement by the UNESCO.[8] It was named Best Picture at the
International Festival of Independent Films held in Brussels, Belgium. Montano was also chosen Best
Director.[12] In addition, Montano also won Best Actor in Panaghoy sa Suba in the Golden Screen
Awards.[13]
Panaghoy sa Suba was invited as an exhibition in the Tous les cinémas du Monde (Movies of the
World) at the Cannes Film Festival in 2005 It has also been invited for exhibition in other international
film festivals in Berlin, Toronto, Tokyo, Korea and in the Czech Republic’s Karlo Vary Film Festival.