Katrina Halili on Moving On: "Nadapa ako, bumangon ako, at inayos ko ang buhay ko!"

Kapuso actress Katrina Halili is back in showbiz refreshed and with a renewed spirit. And in her return, she tells her own story in an episode of the GMA drama anthology, "Magpakailanman," which airs this Saturday, January 26.

Barely a few years ago, in the midst of the sex video controversy the actress was involved in, the public saw a devastated Katrina Halili.  But now, a mother of a beautiful baby named Katrence (her daughter with boyfriend Kris Lawrence), Katrina has clearly moved on from her past and is ready to embrace new challenges life has in store for her.

"Nadapa ako, bumangon ako, at inayos ko yung buhay ko. Kapag nagkamali ka, hindi mo na kailangan sabihin sa mga tao na mabuti kang tao, kailangan mo lang itama ang pagkakamali mo at ayusin ang buhay mo," said Katrina.

Katrina hopes that by telling her story through the episode, she would inspire other women who may be going through very tough times to rise and move on with their lives.

"Gusto kong maisip nila na kapag may pinagdaraanan sila sa buhay e maikumpara nila sa bigat ng pinagdaanan ko. Yung tipong sasabihin nila na, 'Kaya ko 'to, si Katrina nga mas matindi pa yung pinagdaanan niya and yet kinaya niya, ako pa kaya?'," she explained.

Katrina and Kris will be starring as themselves in the said episode entitled "Ligaw na Diyosa: The Katrina Halili Story."  Also starring are Anita Linda, who portrays as Katrina's dear grandmother; Allan Paule and Timi Cruz (as Katrina's parents) and Marky Lopez (as Katrina's assistant and confidant).  Katrina and Kris' daughter Katrence will also have a cameo appearance (as herself) in the latter part of the episode.

Don't miss "Ligaw na Diyosa: The Katrina Halili Story" on "Magpakailanman" airing this Saturday, January 26, after "Kap's Amazing Stories" on GMA-7.(www.tvseriescraze.blogspot.com)

What Convinced Katrina Halili to Allow "Magpakailanman" to Feature her Story?!

 

Katrina Halili rose from being a Starstruck aspirant to being a TV goddess whose beauty and gorgeous body graced the covers of glossy magazines, tickling the fantasies of men and becoming the subject of envy among many women.  But as she reached the peak of her career, one scandal knocked her down to a ground deeper than where she had started.

A year later, she tried to make a comeback in showbiz but it was cut short when she announced that she was pregnant with Kris' baby.

Now, with a bouncing baby girl to inspire her and a supportive boyfriend to back her up, Katrina is back on track and is determined to make her story a source of inspiration.

"Actually ang hirap nga. Noong una pumayag ako kasi para sa akin okay lang na gawin nila yung life story ko kasi alam ko na merong matututunan ang mga tao sa mga nangyari sa akin, pero ang sabi ko huwag lang ako ang gaganap bilang sarili ko," shared Katrina.

Katrina had a valid reason for initially declining to portray herself in the episode.

"Tingin ko kasi magkakaroon na naman ng issue at ayaw ko na ng gulo, ayaw ko na ng may issue kasi nananahimik na ako diba? Pero ininsist nila sa akin na ako na lang tapos nung nabasa ko na yung script okay naman pala siya, hindi siya yung tipong pagmumulan pa ng panibagong issue at hindi naka-focus din dun sa dating issue," she explained.

Since the sex video scandal she was involved in was a major pivot point in her life's story, including it in the episode is inevitable.  Katrina, however, clarified that the episode will not dwell so much on that incident.

"Parang dinaanan lang.  Kasi kung hindi mo dadaanan, parang magkakaroon ng question sa utak ng mga manonood na parang, 'So ano ang nangyari?' So dinaanan lang," the actress said.

The "wounds" caused by the incident may not have completely healed yet and dramatising the scandal on TV could stir another round of discussion about the almost forgotten issue.  But Katrina is not deterred.  Instead, she is determined to make her life story a testament that every one deserves a second chance.

"Kaya rin talagang gusto ko siyang ilabas ay para ipakita sa mga tao na yung mga problema ay kayang daanan lahat 'yan, at lahat tayo -- kahit sino ka man -- ay binibigyan ng problema pero iba-iba lang. Kahit ano pa man 'yan, kayang lagpasan 'yan at makakabangon tayo," she said.

"Gusto kong ipakita sa kanila na eto ako, OK pa ako ngayon, nakakaharap ako sa tao kahit alam kong hindi naging maganda ang past ko.  Hindi ko ipinagmamalaki yung past ko pero tao lang ako, nagkakamali din ako pero at least sinusubukan kong mag-improve ako," she added.

Watch "Ligaw na Diyosa: The Katrina Halili Story" this Saturday (January 26) in "Magpakailanman" after "Kap's Amazing Stories" on GMA-7.(www.tvseriescraze.blogspot.com)

Kapuso Teleserye Lead Stars Dingdong Dantes, Marian Rivera, and Sen. Bong Revilla Heat Up Sinulog Festival!

Dingdong Dantes of "Pahiram ng Sandali"

Marian Rivera of "Temptation of Wife"

This weekend, GMA Network proudly brings its biggest primetime stars - bannered by Box-office King Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., Primetime Queen Marian Rivera, and two-time Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Best Actor Dingdong Dantes - to Cebu to join in this year's celebration of the Sinulog Festival.

On Friday (January 18), Marian, who is also FHM's cover girl for the magazine's 150th issue, will be joined by the rest of the Temptation of Wife cast - Dennis Trillo, Glaiza de Castro, Michelle Madrigal, Bettina Carlos, and Rafael Rosell - in the Kapuso Mall Show at Gaisano Capital-Casuntingan, Mandaue City at 3:00 PM and the Kapuso Night at the Ayala Terraces Cebu at 5:00 PM.

Meanwhile, at 6:00 PM, the festive mood extends all the way to Western Visayas particularly in Kabanlakan City, Negros Occidental with the Sinulog Sa Kabanlakan: Kapuso Fiesta. Set to grace the event are Indio's Alden Richards, Forever's Isabel Oli, comic duo Moymoy Palaboy, and Queen of Soul and Party Pilipinas mainstay Jaya.

Then on Saturday (January 19) at 3:00 PM, appearing together with Dingdong for the Kapuso Mall Show at Gaisano Grand Fiesta Mall, Tabunok are his leading ladies from Pahiram ng Sandali - Max Collins and Lorna Tolentino.

On the same day at 4:00 PM, Pahiram ng Sandali's Kristoffer Martin, Paroa: Ang Kuwento Ni Mariposa's Barbie Forteza, and Forever's Isabel Oli will give Cebuanos an additional treat via the Kapuso Mall Show happening at Gaisano Grand Mall Mactan.

Bong Revilla of "Indio"

The excitement further intensifies as the cast of the newest Kapuso epicserye Indio featuring Sen. Bong, together with Alden, Jennylyn Mercado, Ehra Madrigal, and Rhian Ramos join Dingdong, Max, and Lorna in another engaging Kapuso Mall Show at SM City Cebu Event Center at 5:00 PM.

On Sunday (January 20), one of the festival's highlights - The Sinulog Grand Parade - which will tour along the major streets of the city, is about to become merrier and all the more vibrant with the Kapuso stars' participation. Sen. Bong and Rhian join the parade from 8:00 AM to 12:00 NN, while Alden and Ehra take over the spot from 1:00 to 6:00 PM.

GMA Central and Eastern Visayas Station Manager, Ms. Ann Marie O. Tan, says: "January is a busy month for us Cebuanos as this is the time of the year when we come together as one with pride for our beloved patron saint, Senyor Sto. Niño. And I am very positive that my fellow Cebuanos are thrilled that GMA Network is joining in the fun and excitement brought about by this one-of-a-kind festival."

The full details of the Network's participation in the 2013 Sinulog Festival will be featured in the two-part special of the weekly travelogue "Let's Fiesta" airing on February 10 and 17 via the Network's regional stations in Bicol, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Dagupan, Ilocos, GenSan, Bacolod, and CDO.(www.tvseriescraze,blogspot.com)

Bonding Moments of New Moms Sunshine Dizon, Katrina Halili, and Regine Velasquez-Alcasid in 'Sarap Diva' This Saturday!

Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid gets intimate with her guests, new moms Katrina Halili and Sunshine Dizon, this Saturday on GMA’s most entertaining food show, Sarap Diva!

Baby Nate Alcasid’s first birthday party is fast approaching and a party is already underway! And both Katrina and Sunshine will share their favorite dessert recipes for Baby Nate’s celebration. 

 

Aside from her Nutty Coated Crunchie and Banana Sampler recipes, Sunshine will also share her real-life experiences in raising her two babies, while Katrina will speak about her entertaining and challenging experiences in raising baby Katrence with her partner Kris Lawrence. The three new moms will share stories and honest reactions to the criticism that they get about their weight, how they are currently working on getting back into shape, and their future plans as new mothers.

And in true Diva style, Regine will perform an inspiring number for all mothers, who like all three of them, go through the daily ups and downs, bitter challenges, and the overwhelming sweetness of motherhood.

Join the fun conversations, enjoy the delicious food, and sing along with Regine in Sarap Diva this Saturday, 9:40 A.M., on GMA!
(www.tvseriescraze.blogspot.com)

It's Official: Lorna Tolentino Returns to GMA-7!

Veteran and grandslam actress Lorna Tolentino today signed an exclusive contract with media giant GMA Network and is set to star in an upcoming drama series with Dingdong Dantes and Kylie Padilla. 

In a contract signing held this morning at the GMA Network Center, GMA Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, President and COO Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr. and Entertainment TV OIC Lilybeth G. Rasonable formally welcomed Tolentino back to her home network. 

In an interview after the signing, Tolentino said she feels blessed to be back in GMA-7 and that she is thankful to the Network for always opening its doors to her.

"I'm happy to be back.  As always naman, kung sino yung magbibigay sa atin ng mas magandang offer o mas magandang show, as an actress, yun ang pipiliin natin.  Pero I am happy kasi [GMA] is my home na rin, home naman nating lahat ito," says Tolentino.

Atty. Gozon, on the other hand, said that Tolentino is "very, very welcome" in GMA. "Si Lorna ay very very welcome sa atin dito sa GMA-7 sapagkat siya ay isa sa pinakamagagaling na artista na kilala natin.  At nung maghiwalay naman tayo noong nakaraan ay naging maganda naman ang ating usapan," he said.

"Lorna is not only a fine and versatile actress, she is also extremely talented and very professional.  At tayo ay natutuwa na maski nawala siya sa atin for a while ay bumalik na siya," said Duavit.

Tolentino's last project in GMA before she left was the showbiz-oriented talk show "StarTalk," which is celebrating its 17th anniversary this month.  She will guest in the show's anniversary special on October 20. She clarified, however, that she won't be back in the show as co-host, although she is open to hosting a non-showbiz talk show. Her original comeback project was the primetime series, "Haram," which the management of the network decided to shelve several weeks ago due to its highly sensitive topic. She and the rest of the cast of the series, however, will be starring in another family drama.

Asked about the possibility of being paired with Dingdong Dantes in a sort of "May-December" love story, Tolentino has no hesitations about the idea except for its possible time slot.

"Ok lang, kaya lang delikado ang konti ng tema, baka hindi pupuwede sa early na timeslot if it's going to be a May-December love story," she said.(www.tvseriescraze.blogspot.com)