SYNOPSIS

Based on a true story Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Forest Whitaker) finds himself morally and intellectually challenged by Piet Blomfield (Eric Bana), a convicted murderer serving a life sentence in prison and seeking redemption for the atrocities he committed. Tutu must fight to hold together a country threatening to tear itself apart once again without losing himself in the process.    Does crimes against humanity, deserves Forgiveness?

Cast:

Oscar Winner Forest Whitaker (Eogue One: A Star Wars Story, Black Panther, Lee Daniel’s The Butler), Eric Bana (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), Star Trek, Troy and Hulk)

From the Academy Award nominated Director Roland Joff’’e (The Killing Fields, Scarlet Letter & Captivity)

____________________________________________________________

INTRODUCTION ABOUT THE MOVIE “The Forgiven”

The post-apartheid story, Written and Directed by Academy Nominated Roland Joffe and Co-written by Michael Ashton was based on Ashton’s play The Archbishop and The Antichrist. The film thriller drama follows Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s (Whitaker) work as President of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in post-apartheid South Africa, and his struggle with a brutal murderer Piet Blomfeld (Bana) over concession and redemption.

Described as a story of redemption and forgiveness this film was shot completely in Cape Town, South Africa. Mostly filmed in and around the city, the film crew on many occasions had to endure long days and nights in one of the world’s most dangerous prison facilities, Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison, where Nelson Mandela himself spent his years between 1982 and 1988.

Based on the play, The Archbishop and The Antichrist, Roland Joffe, together with Michael Ashton wrote the film’s original screenplay. Craig Baumgarten together with local South African producing partner Zaheer Goodman-Bhyat from Light and Dark Films, and with blessings from the Archbishop himself.

“Archbishop Tutu’s story is poignant and timely” added producers Craig Baumgarten and Zaheer Goodman-Bhyat. “It reminds us of his gift of forgiveness and the healing it brings, and we are honored to tell this story.”       Distributed by Crystalsky Multimedia.

Watch "The Forgiven" official trailer here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=PUCcY_szLww

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, kicks off the Summer season with Shopee 4.4 Summer Bazaar from March 21 to April 4. Shopee will fuel the Summer excitement with special contests and activities lined up across Shopee platforms, offering huge prizes including four free round-trip tickets to El Nido and ₱100,000 in cash. In addition, users can enjoy over 1 million deals, flash deals from ₱44 from top brands and retailers, and ₱4 million in Shopee coins on Shopee Quiz.

Martin Yu, Associate Director, Shopee Philippines, said, “Summer is one of the most awaited times of the year in the Philippines, and we are thrilled to kick it off with the Shopee 4.4 Summer Bazaar. Summer is a time for fun and adventure for Filipinos and in line with this, we have introduced challenges and activities across all Shopee platforms to engage and entertain users at Shopee 4.4 Summer Bazaar. In addition, users can enjoy over 1 million deals on Shopee from leading brands and sellers to enjoy greater cost-savings. We look forward to a fun Summer at Shopee and we invite all Filipinos to join us at Shopee 4.4 Summer Bazaar.”

Score Huge Prizes for Summer at Shopee

From March 25 to April 5, Filipinos can fuel their Summer hype with the brand-new in-app game, Shopee Summer Quest. Users can accumulate points by completing various activities daily on the Shopee app, including checking in, playing Shopee Shake, and purchasing selected products. The top-ranking users on the live in-app leaderboard will receive a grand prize of ₱100,000 cash, as well as prizes worth ₱4,000 from top brands, namely Anker, MET Tathione, Maybelline, The Playbook Store, Silverworks, Huawei, Honor, A&S, Unilever, Mossimo, Mass, Snail White, Black + Decker, Stanley, and Meizu.

From March 22 to April 4, Shopee will also launch the nationwide Shopee Human Flatlay social media contest. Users stand a chance to get four round-trip tickets to El Nido by posting creative photos of them and their friends featuring Summer products from Shopee on Facebook and Instagram, with the hashtag #ShopeeHumanFlatlay.

15 Days of Sizzling Promotions with over a Million Deals

• Up to 90% off leading brands from all categories, including Maybelline, Dove, Surf, Realme, Huawei, Pedigree, Hanford, and Seaoil.
• Flash deals starting at ₱44 across all categories from the hottest brands and sellers. Up to 10 rounds of flash sales will be available daily to give users greater cost-savings on their favorite items.
• ₱4M worth of Shopee coins to be given away on Shopee Quiz. Users can participate to earn coins daily with upsized sessions on Shopee 4.4 Games Day on March 26; Shopee 4.4 Quiz Tuesday on April 2; and the peak on April 4.

San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez 

It was my very first time to see personally and be this close with the beauteous Mayor of San Juan City, Ms. Guia Gomez. In her age, turning 76, this coming April 20, her looks doesn't define it. She really looks so much younger and her aura is so light, positive and vibrant.

The first thing I noticed about her was that she was so open about herself and share fondest memories of herself, her family and son, current Senator JV Ejercito. She happily admitted that she loves pastries and sweets. Her love for food and her passion for cooking had really something to do with Sen. JV's appetite. She shares that her son, really loves her special Bacalo, which she only cooks once a year, during Holy Week. Aside from that, Sen. JV also adores her Bulalo (Visayan version), Adobo. Callos and Relyenong Bangus (also my fave too!).


When asked about her daily routine, she comes early in the morning to her office in San Juam City Hall and she also shared that she was never late and very punctual. During night time, she's fond of watching movies and trying to avoid tv series that could be addictive and make her get hooked to it (she has a point actually). Right now, she watches "Asia's Got Talent," which she finds very entertaining. 

More than five decades of service has never dampened Country Bankers’ commitment to providing simple and affordable insurance for Filipino families.

When Country Bankers Life Insurance Corporation’s (CBLIC) was established on March 28, 1965, founding president Jose E. Desiderio, Sr. began addressing insurance needs in rural areas, catering to small and medium business entrepreneurs, farmers, fishermen, and public school teachers - a market that had been untapped in the ‘60s.

Today, the Desiderio family’s third-generation members continue to uphold this legacy of accessible insurance to low-income Filipinos with Country Bankers Insurance Group senior vice president and general manager Geraldine Desiderio-Garcia at the helm.

“We have made insurance very simple. While we offer basic insurance products, we try to be as relevant as possible to the market we serve,” says Garcia.

Country Bankers found its niche as the choice insurance provider in the countryside that allowed rural folks to avail of an affordable, reliable insurance plan that had previously been unavailable to them.

CBIG’s micro-insurance products help educate Filipinos on the benefits of insurance by promoting its value to a broader market. A larger consciousness on the advantages of insurance is instrumental in protecting disadvantaged Filipinos, who face heavier burdens during times of catastrophe and financial distress.

CBIG also has two subsidiaries: CBLIC, a life insurance provider, and Country Bankers Insurance Corporation (CBIC) for non-life insurance products.

“There have always been hurdles to overcome, but we remain committed to addressing the needs of the common Filipino. Through the years we have proven to be reliable insurers by reaching out to our target market and giving them insurance that works for them,” says Atty. Romeo G. Velasquez, president of CBIG.

Today, CBIG continues to develop a wide array of insurance plans that are not only practical and relevant, but also provide the necessary support for plan holders in times of need.

Among these is the Classic Benefit Plan, offering insurance protection up to age 96 and is payable in a three-, five-, seven-, or ten-year period. Alalay sa Buhay (ASB), on the other hand, provides renewable one-year insurance to individuals 13-70 years old for only Php 365, with natural and accidental death benefits. ASB is also available for families and seniors, with ASB family being renewable up to age 70 for principal insured and covers up to 3 to 5 family members for only Php 750 for one unit.  ASB for Seniors covers individuals ages 71-80 and offers insurance for one year for only Php 1,000 for one unit.

“I want our company to be known as a “company with a heart,” and one that can be relied upon to follow through with its commitment. Our promise is to keep delivering what we’ve pledged to give,” concludes Garcia.

As CBLIC continues to evolve as a company, it stays true to its core values - sincere, dependable service to farmers, fishermen, small and medium business owners, employees, and teachers, mostly from rural areas. CBIG remains a reliable ally to Filipinos seeking security for themselves and their families, though its life and nonlife products.

For inquiries please visit us at Country Bankers Centre, 648 T.M. Kalaw, Manila or call us at tel. nos. 523-8611 for life insurance and 524-0621 for nonlife insurance.

If you are looking for ways to observe fasting and abstinence this Lenten Season, you may want to try this ‘hidden gem’ in the menu of Mang Inasal.

Try the Mang Inasal Bangus Sisig which a number of foodies claim to be really “Bangusarap!”

Savor this delightful dish of sizzling bangus chunks, seasoned with special spices, ideal this Lenten Season.

During Easter and for the rest of the year, you can still have your fix of Bangus Sisig, together with other Mang Inasal favorites like the Chicken Inasal, Halo-Halo, Pork Sisig, Palabok, Molo Soup and New Iced Gulaman. Visit any of the over 500 stores of Mang Inasal nationwide or place your orders at #733-1111.

From March 6 to 8, Shopee users can access exclusive deals from leading L'Oréal’s brands, including a limited edition beauty box exclusively available on Shopee

This International Women’s Day, Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, partners L'Oréal, the world leader in beauty, for Shopee’s first regional Super Brand Day. In celebration of women and sharing beauty for all, Shopee users across seven countries will be treated to an exclusive range of deals from the top three Women’s Internationally Favorite L'Oréal brands from across the world – L'Oréal Paris, Maybelline New York, and Garnier – that serve the need of female shoppers at every age range and beauty profile. Themed Women's Day, Live Your Beauty, the L'Oréal x Shopee Super Brand Day will run from March 6 to 8, and will feature unbeatable L'Oréal offers, giveaways and a limited edition beauty box exclusively available via the L'Oréal Official Store on Shopee Mall.

Chris Feng, Chief Executive Officer of Shopee, said, “Last year, we launched Super Brand Day as an avenue to recognize our key brand partners, and also to offer our users access to exclusive deals and products from their favorite brands. This collaboration with L'Oréal marks the first regional installment of our Super Brand Day series, and the tie-in to International Women’s Day makes it even more meaningful. We are proud to support L'Oréal’s belief in celebrating women and beauty for everyone, and we are confident that this Super Brand Day will be a great success.”

As an International Women’s Day special, Maybelline New York will also be launching a limited edition Empowered Box exclusively on Shopee, containing the latest shades of Maybelline New York’s best-selling lipstick, the Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink. Each limited edition Empowered Box contains two Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink lipsticks and a Maybelline SuperStay Eraser.

The L'Oréal x Shopee Super Brand Day will feature three days of themed beauty deals, with each dedicated to one of three leading L'Oréal brands; L'Oréal Paris, Maybelline New York, and Garnier. Key highlights include:

Shopee users can also stand to win additional discounts and special prizes by taking part in the L'Oréal-themed Beauty Ninja game, and a series of social media giveaways. Users who shop from L'Oréal Paris, Maybelline New York, and Garnier official stores on Shopee on March 8 also stand a chance to be one of three lucky raffle draw winners of a year’s supply of products from the brands. Finally, Shopee will host a special Facebook Live session on March 8 with Filipino online stars Doll Up Mari; and Kristine Roces, also known as RealAsianBeauty, to give away a wide array of best-selling products from L'Oréal.

All L'Oréal products can be found via the L'Oréal Official Store on Shopee Mall. Products under Shopee Mall come with 7 days return, 100% authentic guarantee, and free shipping.

Shop the L'Oréal x Shopee Super Brand Day: https://shopee.ph/m/super-brand-day.
Download the Shopee app for free on the App Store or Google Play Store.

About Shopee

Shopee is the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. It is a platform tailored for the region, providing customers with an easy, secure and fast online shopping experience through strong payment and logistical support. Shopee aims to continually enhance its platform and become the region’s e-commerce destination of choice.

Shopee has a wide selection of product categories ranging from consumer electronics to home & living, health & beauty, baby & toys, fashion and fitness equipment.

Shopee, a Sea company, was first launched in Singapore in 2015, and has since expanded its reach to Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. Sea is a leader in digital entertainment, e-commerce and digital financial services across Greater Southeast Asia. Sea's mission is to better the lives of consumers and small businesses with technology, and is listed on the NYSE under the symbol SE.

 

SINGAPORE (March 1, 2019) – David Foster gave 10-year-old Eleana Gabunada a standing ovation and his Golden Buzzer after she gave a rousing rendition of the classic Barbara Streisand’s “Rain on My Parade.”

“There’s a lot of people much older than you that could sing that song, but they don’t understand the genre…but somehow at age 10, you understand your mission, and you understand your job and there’s no doubt in my mind that if you want to be on Broadway one day, you will,” David Foster exclaimed.

Anggun was equally floored by her performance, proclaiming that Eleana performed like a “baby Streisand”.

“I think you’re the only act that made David stand up,” Jay Park added.  

Eleana grew up listening to David Foster’s music and she was definitely thrilled to receive a Golden Buzzer from him.

The Golden Buzzer will send Eleana Gabunada straight to the Semi-Finals in March where she will have a shot at the USD100,000 grand prize and the winning title.

Watch the encore telecast of this episode on Saturday at 7:20pm on AXN. New episode of Asia’s Got Talent airs every Thursday at 8:30pm on AXN. To follow the journey of this season’s acts, check out #AXNAsia and #AsiasGotTalent.

To watch extended highlights of Asia’s Got Talent and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, fans can subscribe to the official AXN Asia YouTube Channel at www.YouTube.com/AXNAsia.

www.AXN-Asia.com/AsiasGotTalent

AXN has also teamed up with Google to add a Google Assistant Action of the show experience, where fans can playfully interact with the hosts and learn more about the show, the judges and the acts on their mobile devices. Fans can activate the Google Assistant and simply say “Talk to Asia’s Got Talent” to get the conversation started.

Asia’s Got Talent is supported by regional sponsors Princess Cruises, the official cruise line of Asia’s Got Talent; Great Eastern, the market leader and a well-established trusted brand in Malaysia and Singapore, and GoDaddy, the world's largest cloud platform dedicated to small, independent ventures.

Marina Bay Sands, Asia’s leading business, leisure and entertainment destination, is the official destination partner of Asia’s Got Talent.

Asia’s Got Talent is the 67th adaptation of the Guinness-World-Record-breaking hit “Got Talent” format, which was created by Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment and is co-produced by FremantleMedia. The “Got Talent” format is officially the most successful reality TV format in history and currently airs in 186 countries.

AXN is a leader of regionally produced original content in Asia, with notable ratings successes including two record-breaking seasons of Asia’s Got Talent, five seasons of the award-winning The Amazing Race Asia; The Elements: Cosentino; Adventure Your Way; Cash Cab Asia and Cash Cab Philippines; The Apprentice Asia; Cyril: Rio Magic; Cyril’s Family Vacation: Hawaii Edition; and Cyril: Simply Magic.

Launched first in Asia in 1997, AXN is a global channel brand with a presence in Latin America, Africa and Europe. In Asia, the channel is enjoyed in 133 million households across 21 territories and is available in both SD and HD. AXN Asia is wholly owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment and managed by Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia.

About Sony Pictures Television

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) is one of the television industry’s leading content providers, producing and distributing programming worldwide in every genre and for every platform. In addition to managing one of the industry’s largest libraries of award-winning feature films, television shows and formats, SPT is home to a thriving global production business operating 21 wholly-owned or joint venture production companies in 12 countries around the world. Sony Pictures Television is a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company.

Belladonnas and CliqueV Back to Back Concert entitled "This Is Me." held at the SM North Skydome last February 23, 2019 

The fresh and young girl group, Belladonnas and the newest boy group CliqueV (Click 5), had a successful concert last Saturday, February 23 at the SM Skydome. Both groups were the latest addition to the 3:16 Events and Talent Management under their lady manager and owner Ms. Len Carillo.