John Lloyd’s prescription for heartache

Author: Edgar Cruz
Column: BuzzStation

The “Ingat” guy, John Lloyd Cruz, cautiously answered questions about heart issues during the launch of his third year as a paracetamol brand endorser. He was obviously suffering from some kind of heartache, which many could only surmise was a result of his recent trouble with girlfriend Liz Uy. He neither confirmed nor denied this, but asked for understanding,” Ito lang ang masasabi ko. At this point, mas magandang maintindihan ako ng mga tao at fans. Bigyan muna nila ako ng tamang panahon. Darating din ang panahon na masasabi ko na yan.” And so we rattled off our questions.

Did you court Sarah Geronimo or Ruffa Gutierrez? He was straightforward: “Hindi. Hindi kasi ako nanliligaw. Gusto ko nagsisimula sa, companionship muna.” When pushed to elaborate, he said it was difficult to answer if he would like to court any of them. But he kept his options open, saying, “Pero lahat possible.”

Marriage is not in his short-term plans. He explains, “It’s a choice. And my choice for now is to prioritize my career. I believe I can still contribute a lot of things in this business.”

What John Lloyd will not hesitate to talk about is his new movie with Vilma Santos and Luis Manzano under Star Cinema, In My Lif, shot for the most part in the New York tri-states of New York City, Brooklyn and Connecticut. He plays a gay role with Luis as his lover. But it’s not a gay movie being the story of a strict librarian, played by Vilma, who has a gay son. The film is directed by Olive Lamasan, who co-wrote the script with Raymond Lee and Senedy Que.

One of the film’s many highlights is their tender kissing scene with the Brooklyn Bridge at the background. John Lloyd talks about the experience: “At the start it was a hair-raising experience. Iba pala kapag andoon ka na. But now na-ko na ang r.”

John Lloyd settles to business and talks about the brand he is endorsing, the reason Buzzstation met him for lunch. When asked how he feels about endorsing Biogesic for Kids, he was excited, “I feel pabata ako nang pabata. Biogesic is a brand very dear to me kasi started a string of other endorsements. Everywhere I go, people would tell me ‘Ingat.’ Imagine now for kids ini-ko pain and fever relief. It means effective ako (from) them.”

As a last thought, Buzzstation asked him what he thinks an effective medicine for heartache is. “Time!” he was quick to reply. “Sana may ‘Biogesic Time’ din na gamot. Hahaha!”

Breaking buzz: Ruffa left her mother’s Dasmariñas Village home with daughters Venice and Lorin, after a serious disagreement over John Lloyd sending her gifts and food. Annabelle would rather have her reconcile with Yilmaz Bektas than have a relationship with John Lloyd.

Back to ‘UPCAT’

It’s back to school! Soon it’ll be University of the Philippines College Admittance Test time again! For the time being, settle for UPCAT, 2008 Cinema One Original’s highest-grossing movie when participants originally screened in Robison’s Galleria Indie sine. It will be back there on Wednesday, June 10, until the 16th.

Directed by Carlo Roman Olivarez based on the screenplay by Inna Miren Salazar and Alfred Geoffrey Reyes, UPCAT stars Felix Roco, Joseph Roble, Hiyasmin “Yas’ Neri, Malou Crisologo, Richard Quan and award-winning actors Bembol Roco and Mark Gil. UPCAT is acronym of the University of the Philippines’ famous college admittance test.

This time it becomes a coming-of-age melodrama that shows the dreams and aspirations, hopes and fears and the roads in the academe teens take to make it to college. UPCAT follows the personal journey and growth of two high school seniors and buddies Lucas (Felix) and Joaquin (Joseph), who believe passing the UPCAT will be the passport to their dreams. Little do they know that passing the UPCAT will open their minds to things more important things and broaden their perspectives and priorities in life.

The Bandstand kicks off

at Manila Ocean Park 

The Bandstand (Manila Ocean Park Band Showdown) is on! Offering local bands a chance at a real career with a grand prize is P200,000 in cash and gig contracts and a record deal with one of Manila’s top labels, it kicked off last Friday by the Manila Ocean Park with the support of radio partners Wave 89.1 and Jam 88.3.

Competing for the grand prize are Unveilrd, Barrio Morning Glory, Takipsilim, SOTC, Synkryon, Joint, Pancake 80, Raskals, Beer, Soulstich, Flow, The Moonflowers, Summer Guijo and Project. P50,000 and P25,000 will be awarded to the second and third place finishers.

Eliminations will be held every Friday. The contest will run for 13 weeks. True Faith (June 12 and July 24), Nyoy Volante (June 19 and July 31), MYMP (June 26 and July 10), Urbanation (July 3 and Aug. 14), Sino Sikat (July 17 and Aug. 7) and The Dawn (Aug. 21) will guest during elimination night.

All 15 bands will go through an elimination process to determine the top six finishers. There will be one wildcard entry, making it seven bands that will meet in the semifinal round. The top two bands will then face off in the finals to cap the 13 weeks of competition.

The competing bands will be judged on musicality, creativity, and audience votes. Voting stations will be set up during the event to facilitate the voting process. Judges are Myra “Skarlet” Ruaro and Jeffrey Hidalgo.

Heroism on Pinoy guerillas showcased in China

The War of our Fathers… A tribute to the Filipino Freedom Fighters, Philippine Veterans Bank’s World War II Exhibit opened at the Nanjing Massacre Hall, China last April 18. It will run until July 30, 2009.

Officials of the Nanjing Memorial Hall invited the PVB’s traveling exhibit under the exchange exhibition arrangement. In November 2009, the Nanjing Massacre Exhibition will be brought to Manila. This will be in partnership with the Kaisa-Angelo King Heritage Center in Intramuros, Manila.

“The exhibit has found its way to all parts of the Philippines. This is the first time it is brought abroad,” Veterans Bank president and chief executive officer Ricardo Balbido Jr. said in his speech during the opening of the traveling exhibit.

Zhu Chengshan, curator of the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, recalled how the 300,000 civilians in Nanjing and 100,000 in Manila were killed by withdrawing Japanese troops during WWII. The Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall was built to remind people about the atrocities of war so these will never happen again. 

The PVB Exhibit opened in time for the Chinese traditional festival called Qing Ming when the Chinese commemorate their dead and the Memorial Hall’s number of visitors is at its highest, around 25,000 visitors per day.

The opening rites were led by the deputy director of the Standing Committee of the Nanjing’s Peoples Congress Jin Shi; the curator of the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre Zhu Chengshan; Carmen Padilla, Chair of the Unesco Culture Committee and PVB president Balbido.

The Philippine Airlines, the country’s flag carrier, the Veterans Federation of the Philippines and Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran, led by Tessy Ang-See, assisted in the setting up of the exhibit in Nanjing.

Blind Item: Comedian’s wife loves

pricey trinkets and trouble

A not-so-famous comedian’s unknown wife has been buying jewelry, but could not pay for them. Naturally, sellers have ran after them and they have been charged with several cases of estafa. They have been issued several subpoenas, which they don’t seem to care about so they have been issued an arrest warrant.

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Source: The Daily Tribune

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