I DON’T know how I became friends with Iza Calzado. Honestly. Maybe it’s short-term memory loss but I really cannot remember how we were introduced or where or by whom. We’re even friends on Facebook. Even there, I cannot remember if I invited her to be my friend or vice-versa. Or if we poked each other or whatever people nowadays do to get more friends.
Not that I have any issues about us being friends. In fact, I’m quite honored that Iza considers me as one. Checking on her Facebook profile, her other friends include Mariel Rodriguez, Bianca Gonzalez, Bianca Araneta, Solenn Heusaff, Georgina Wilson and Roderick Paulate. Sorry, ka-level ko sila!
It was also through my cyber-stalking her that I learned Iza recently celebrated her birthday. This year marks her last birthday as a single woman as she is currently engaged and soon to marry the gorgeous Ben Wintle. They truly deserve each other.
On to my cyber-stalking: Iza was tagged in a number of photos. Many of them are from her recent Cinemalaya entry Distance, commending her for her sublime performance. Other photos that tagged Iza are from the shoot or from the presscon of her latest soap, Ngayon at Kailanman.
Set to premiere on ABS-CBN prime time and headlined by Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto, Ngayon at Kailanman features a timeless story about the power of love, according to the press release of the program. It’s an ode to classic Filipino soaps about star-crossed lovers who must fight the odds to be together.
Iza plays the mom of Julia and while this is quite impossible to happen in real life (Iza would have given birth to Julia at 14), she doesn’t mind playing mom roles. Why should she have qualms when others younger than her have already done it. Moreover, as an actor, Iza knows that it takes more than the age of a role to make her feel fulfilled with her work.
Good for you, Iza! And while I wasn’t able to greet you either by texting you or sending you a direct message on Facebook, allow me to greet you here in this little space of mine a “Happy Birthday!” and congratulations in advance for your upcoming wedding.
****
MORE entertainment choices await Filipino families as ABS-CBN TVplus, the country’s pioneering digital terrestrial television (DTT), has launched five new channels in Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna and Metro Cebu. Adding to its current channel lineup are two new exclusive channels—Asianovela Channel and Movie Central—plus MYX, Jeepney TV and O Shopping. O Shopping, a home TV shopping channel, will be accessible permanently free of charge, while the other four new channels will be on free trial until December 31. Asianovela Channel is the first and only channel on digital free TV that will feature classic and blockbuster Asian dramas and movies, all dubbed in Filipino and uncut.
Meanwhile, Movie Central, the first all-English movie channel of ABS-CBN on TVplus, will give families a daily dose of Hollywood blockbusters in their original language and in various genres to give every member of the family choices.
From cable television, the 24/7 Jeepney TV comes to ABS-CBN TVplus to give families a chance to go down memory lane as it airs a rich collection of classic and well-loved Kapamilya shows. It will also give them daily catch-up viewing of same-day episodes of Magandang Buhay, It’s Showtime and ASAP.
These new channels give families value for money because, for the price of only P1,499, they can already enjoy more quality content without the monthly fee.
Meanwhile, other areas in the rest of Luzon and VisMin can look forward to enjoying the new channels, as ABS-CBN TVplus will roll out these new channels to the rest of DTT coverage areas soon.