Efren Peñaflorida: World-Class Hero Plus: Jay-R releases "Holiday of Love"; "Paranormal Activity" is this year's sleeper hit

The heavy downpour notwithstanding, R&B Prince Jay-R had a successful promo tour of his Christmas album titled “Holiday of Love” last Saturday at Eastwood City. The singer performed with gusto several songs from his album, just short of singing all the songs in it. He was likewise very thankful to the people who came to watch his mini-concert even if it was raining hard.

Included in the Christmas album of Jay-R are well-loved Christmas songs like “O Holy Night,” “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “Give Love on Christmas Day,” “Sleigh Ride,” “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “The Little Drummer Boy” and many other Christmas carols that we know by heart. It also has two original songs by Jay-R.

The singer happily revealed that he’s spending Christmas with his family in the United States. “My parents are not getting any younger and I would like to spend more time with them, even during Christmas time. Besides, most of my relatives are abroad and it’s good to see them during this time. Christmas is the perfect time to reunite with your loved ones,” he said.

Jay-R is leaving for the US with his rumored girlfriend, GMA 7 artist Krissa Mae. They are leaving together with Jay R’s pamangkin. Krissa Mae also misses her family in the States and she’s looking forward to visiting them.

“But Krissa and I might not be spending Christmas Eve together but we are definitely attending an after Christmas party in their home,” the singer disclosed.

Jay-R is likewise excited over the forthcoming benefit show titled “Pilipinas, Kaya Natin ‘To” to be held on December 5 at SM Mall of Asia concert ground. This is the first time that a concert of this magnitude is being staged with more than 80 of the top singing idols in the country participating.

He is likewise elated that artists who participated in recording the song “Kaya Natin ‘To” composed by Ogie Alcasid took the time to visit his own studio where the song was recorded. He was overwhelmed by the number of artists that participated in the recording in the CD, whose sales (as well as the proceeds of the concert) would be donated to Gawad Kalinga and are meant to help the victims of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

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It’s saving the best for the closing decade as “Paranormal Activity” hits the local screens to scare Filipino moviegoers like never before. Even Hollywood great Steven Spielberg felt haunted by the sleeper hit that won’t make anyone sleep. The movie became America’s number one movie just on its third week and is now hailed one of the scariest of all time.

Written, edited and directed by first-timer Oren Peli, the film, which debuted at Screamfest to a surprising reception, is now the toast among horror movie fans and critics around the globe.

The project took root back at Peli’s home during a seven-day shoot sprint in 2006. Featuring convincing acting from Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Mark Fredricjs, Amber Armstrong and Ashley Palmer, the indie-overachiever shows a middle-class couple residing in a suburban tract house being disturbed by a creepy thing that goes active in the middle of the night.

Locally distributed by Viva International Pictures, “Paranormal Activity” opens on December 2.

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What very pleasant news, indeed, that Filipino teacher Efren Peñaflorida won as the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year. His victory came with a cash prize of $100,000, plus $25,000 for being one of the finalists of this unique search.

Even if he became a gang member when he was still young, Efren embraced education, opting to continue with his studies and to finish a degree against all odds. The former World Vision sponsored child was motivated by his dream to teach young kids in the slums and in the streets. These days, his dream is being fulfilled through his “pushcart classroom” which is being run by the organization he established—the Dynamic Teen Co.—which has around 10,000 volunteer members who teach reading, writing and personal hygiene to over 1,500 less fortunate children.

“My message to children of all races, please, to embrace learning and love it for it will embrace and love you back and enable you to change your world,” said Efren Peñaflorida, now a 28-year-old teacher in Cavite, in his speech.

“Each person has a hidden hero within, just have to look inside you and search it in your heart and be the hero the next one in need,” he added.

The top 10 CNN Heroes, chosen by a blue-ribbon panel from an initial pool of more than 9,000 viewer nominations, were each honored with a documentary tribute and introduced by a celebrity presenter.

CNN anchor Anderson Cooper hosted the star-studded awarding ceremony at the Kodak Theater, attended by about 4,000 people and will air on CNN at 9 p.m. EST on Thursday and on CNN International and CNN en Espanol.