Donna Cruz recording a new album

If the fans of Donna Cruz are excited of her return to recording, the singer herself is doubly excited to revive her singing career. The original multi-media star is doing a brand new album under Star Records which is jointly produced by the record company and her Cebuano husband, Dr. Yong Larrazabal, who is very supportive of her wife’s desire to go back to her first love – singing.

Donna returns to singing after 17 years. She said the timing is just right because her kids are now grown up and they are also excited about her singing again. She is doing a pop album that includes original compositions and revivals to be released next year. She has already recorded two songs, and she will be back in Manila on December 6 to resume recording.

When Star Records posted on their Facebook page that Donna is doing an album with them, her fans immediately took to social media and expressed their elation. During her yearly Christmas party with fans, Donna told them the good news about her much-awaited comeback.

Some of her fans are also requesting Donna to do a teleserye. But that might be too far-fetched since the singer is based in Cebu with her family. For now, the release of the album is something her fans can look forward to.

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Can Director Carlo J. Caparas transform Andi Eigenmann into a box-office star? That question will be answered with the opening of “Angela Markado” today in theaters nationwide.

Direk Carlo and his wife Donna Villa produced the remake of “Angela Markado,” one of the most popular novels of the director famous for helming massacre movies. Direk Carlo made Dawn Zulueta a box-office star when she played the title role in “The Maggie dela Riva Story.” The movie was a big hit when it was released and put a stop to the slump that the showbiz industry suffered that time.

Let’s face it, Andi’s box-office record isn’t something she can be proud of after she did a film on a ghost tale based on the ill-fated Manila Film Center. The movie was a disaster and she is pinning her hopes that this remake of “Angela Markado” will make up for that box-office misfire.

Direk Carlo believes in Andi so much because she was a real trouper on the set. Playing a rape victim is not for the fainthearted, but no matter the hardships she encountered, there was hardly a word or whimper of protest from the talented daughter of Jaclyn Jose and the late actor Mark Gil.

No wonder, Direk Carlo has nothing but praises for Andi in “Angela Markado,” which was first turned into a movie by Lino Brocka with Hilda Koronel playing the lead. With no offense meant to Hilda, when asked to compare her performance with that of Andi’s, Direk Carlo said Andi’s was much better. He also believes that Andi could possibly win a string of acting awards for her work in “Angela Markado.”

Featured in the movie as Andi’s rapists are Paolo Contis, Epy Quizon, Polo Ravales, Felix Roco and CJ Caparas. Also in the movie are Bret Jackson, Bugoy Cariño, Myka dela Cruz and Buboy Villar.

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The home of the nation’s biggest Pride Celebration will once again play host to this year’s convergence of LGBT groups, people’s organizations, and other civil society representatives.

On December 5, the City of Stars stages the 2nd LGBT Pride March in Morato, Quezon City. The event draws support from the QC government under the aegis of the Quezon City Pride Council. For this year, the Pride March team promises an exciting lineup of activities like the Pride parade, a pride program that includes awarding of competition winners, an LGBT Fashion Show and the Jungle Party Circuit that will culminate the celebration. Several LGBT groups and community-based organizations and allies coming from different cities and provinces will join the march.

This year, the Pride organizers underscore the theme: “Magkakaiba at Nagkakaisa” (Diverse and United). The LGBT Pride March believes in diversity and finds common ground in the plurality of the community. This turns parallel to the city’s aim of mainstreaming gender rights and diversity and that of popularizing LGBT issues and struggles through the celebration of both local and international LGBT events.

“We know that the best way to change people’s perspective is to continuously educate the public on gender awareness and rights and this could be done first by supporting the visibility of LGBT people. Celebrations such as the Pride March are one way to realize that aim,” says Mayor Herbert Bautista.

This year’s Pride Celebration is also made more significant by forging ties with other partners who believe in the equality of everyone, everywhere. MOOVZ, the largest LGBT social network platform and Jungle Party Circuit are all set to join this year as Pride partners to make the event even more memorable.