How Willie helps make people’s wish come true

Their names are Jack and Aurora Reyes. Like many married couples, they dream of a bright future for their two young children. They’re just like any typical Filipino couple except for one thing – they’re both HIV positive.

But thanks to the show Willingly Yours, Jack and Aurora, who have become unemployable due to their illness, now own a tricycle that Jack drives around the neighborhood. Aurora also uses it to bring around the studded toys that she sells.

The show’s host, Willie Revillame, is overwhelmed by the show’s impact on its viewers. "People come up to me to say thank you. They say that their lives have been changed because of the show," Willy enthuses.

Willy tapes for Willingly Yours four days a week. "Imagine I have a daily noontime show. After MTB, an ABS-CBN van waits for me to take me to as far as Ilocos up north or sometimes farther down south in Mindanao. But I have no complaints. Once you meet these people and you see how their eyes light up when they see us, you forget all the stress."

In its one year on air, Willingly Yours has helped people like nine year old Lovely Castro who wanted to help her mother from the daily chores of picking and selling kangkong. After a hearty lunch with Lovely, her mother and the rest of the family, the show gifted them with vegetables, fish and canned goods – enough stock to start a small sari-sari store.

Willie says that the show is a natural extension of his character. "Ever since, matulungin na talaga ako. Musikero pa lang ako sa Birdland eh I’ve been generous na to the waiters and bartenders. Willingly Yours is just a fulfillment of my desire to be able to share blessings with other people."

Regarding competition, Willie takes it in stride and says, "I wish that all networks will have a show like ours. It would mean helping more people and giving a sense of hope to more viewers."

Willingly Yours recently celebrated its 1st anniversary. "I’m so happy that the show has reached one year and I’m hoping that this can go on forever."

Fresh Talents

Michelle Ayalde, Glaiza de Castro, Maoui David and Karel Marquez’s average age is 14. But while they’re in their pubescent years, they all sing about love and heartbreak!

But these girls say that they are simply singing beautiful love songs. And truth to tell, there are very few good songs, girls at 14 can sing in shows as opposed to the abundance of songs about love, heartache and goodbye. Don’t young people actually think and act older in this generation?

Well, these girls will be featured every Sunday in ABS-CBN’s ASAP Mania. Michelle, Glaiza, Maoui and Karel are now regular performers of the noontime variety show and are featured in their own portion called Full Circle.

"Full Circle is a concept of Ms. Joyce (Liquicia, ASAP Mania executive producer)," shares Maoui. Every week, we’ll be belting out popular songs of Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and many more. Eventually, we’ll also be singing other kinds of songs besides ballads. It’s very exciting.

Maoui, who was first launched as part of the Star Circle Batch 10 wishes that the group will one day record an album. Her musical influences include Michael Jackson, Britney Spears and Justine Timberlake. She doesn’t write songs yet but has already begun to write poems.

Maoui, who has a crush on Cogie Domingo, says she will sing for him the M2M ditty Dear Diary. "It talks about someone who wishes she can be his girl and that she can show him what real love means."

Oh, how kids grow up really fast these days!