OPM members do their share for Ondoy victims

Author: Ethel Ramos
Column: Studio Whispers

BRAZILIAN-Japanese Akihiro Sato was doing well in Thailand as a ramp and commercial model, when a talent scout from the Philippines invited him over.

The talent scout told Akihiro, via e-mail, that he saw his photo and profile in the internet. A career in ramp and commercial modeling and who knows, the movies and television might be in store for him in the country.

The offer sounded good and tempting enough. So, right then and there, he packed his bags and decided to try his luck in the Philippines.

He has been in the country for nearly a year.

And how has life been in the Philippines for him?

"Ok na ok." He replied. "I've not only made friends with a lot of Filipinos, but I've been working without let-up, too."

In no time, Akihiro's numerous endorsements have made him a familiar face to televiewers.

His recent decision to join the reality show, "Celebrity Duets," added more to his popularity.

No wonder that GMA 7 has decided to have him play Rufa Mae Quinto's leading man in the upcoming "SRO Cinemaserye: Moshi, Moshi, I Love You," where he plays a role obviously tailor-made for him.

In the series, he plays a Japanese actor, named Akihiro Watanabe, who plays the lead role in an Asian telenovela, "Tokyo With Love."

The telenovela is serialized in Philippine television and has earned for Akihiro a large following. Perseveranda (Rufa Mae) is one of those whose admiration for him has developed into an obsession.

Her wish is to see Akihiro in person and this intensified even more when she learned that he was coming to the country to promote his show.

How Preseveranda did all tricks to make a knockout impression on Akihiro allows Rufa Mae to unleash, without any efforts, her genuine talent as a comedienne.

Co-starring with Rufa Mae and Akihiro in "Moshi, Moshi I Love You" are Alicia Mayer, Gloria Sevilla, Mosang and Ricci Chan.

Akihiro has a Japanese father and a Brazilian mom.

Funny, but he and his siblings have never been to Japan. They were all born and raised in Brazil.

Back home, he was helping his father manage their restaurant in one of the beaches there.

Now it's his sister who has taken over the job which was previously assigned to him.

"That's why, when she came over for a vacation, she couldn't stay long. My father has no one else to help him," Akihiro related.

Their youngest, a boy, is 13.

***

Of the three showbiz celebrities who are reported to be pregnant, only Lian Paz has admitted that she is, indeed, on the family way, courtesy of her boyfriend, former child actor Paolo Contis.

Happily, it doesn't bother Lian if Paolo has said that he is not yet ready to marry her.

Meantime, the two other celebrities have yet to admit they are in that interesting condition. Instead, they have both announced separately that they are going abroad to visit some relatives.

Which is a pity since they are both in demand for work.

***

Regine Velasquez, on the other hand, has denied she is pregnant, although, she would have loved it had it been true.

The singer has lately been complaining that her migraine is giving her a hard time, which reportedly is the reason she could not report for her shooting as frequently as she would want to for her reunion movie with Aga Muhlach, which Joyce Bernal is directing.

Although sick, Regine makes time to lend Ogie a helping hand in putting together the latter's pet project, "Kaya Natin 'To," a concert scheduled on November 14 at the Araneta Coliseum which will have almost all of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mag-aawit members and officers participating.

Not a single centavo will be paid to the participants, as proceeds of the events will all go to Ondoy's victims.

"We were able to get the Araneta Coliseum for free," said Girlie Rodis, who conceptualized the show together with Ogie. "Of course, our director Rowell Santiago is directing the show gratis et amore.

"Ang nakaka-touch, ay si Mark Lopez, our musical director," she continued, "A victim of typhoon Ondoy, too, as he and his family live in one of the badly hit areas in Pasig City, he wouldn't listen to our suggestion that we pay him even an honorarium.

"This just proves that the mang-aawit na Pilipino considers every Filipino as a kapamilya. And they have the puso na dumamay sa mga kapuwa Pilipino in times like this."

Source: Malaya