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Thursday, February 25, 2010

Maja Salvador



MAJA SALVADOR: THE FACE OF 2010

By ANA KRISTINE B. VALENZUELA

MOD January - February 2010

PROUDLY, Maja Salvador proclaims that she is now a woman. The 21-year-old actress thinks so, not only because of age, but also because of the characters that she now plays. “Sa business kasi na ‘to ang dami ko na ding napagdaanan. Halos madami na rin akong roles na ginawang pa-tweetums. For me, ngayon challenging itong ginagawa kong mature roles na kailangan kong panindigan at ipakita sa lahat ng tao na kaya kong gawin,” she says.

She shares that she instantly fell in love with her character, Celine, in the afternoon soap Nagsimula sa Puso. “Malayo siya sa mga ginagawa ko dati. Challenging siya. Gusto ko kasi parati akong nacha-challenge,” she says. “Kailangan mo talagang ma-challenge para mailabas mo ‘yung best mo at para makita ng mga tao na mahal mo ‘yung ginagawa mo.”

Admittedly, she first found it hard to shift to a more mature role, but slowly, she became more comfortable with Celine.

She said it was all because of directors, Malou Sevilla and Darnell Villaflor, who gently not only encouraged her but also took care of her, especially when it came down to shooting the show’s more intimate scenes. “Wala naman pinapakita. Kumbaga, kissing scene lang tapos ‘yun na. Nag-kiss tapos higa na. Kumbaga alaga pa din,” she says. “Alam ko naman na hindi ako bibigyan ng project ng ABS na hindi ikakatulong ng career ko.”

What drew her more into doing the project was that the ‘90s movie it was based upon was produced by Charo Santos-Concio, ABS-CBN president

Unknown to many, Charo and Maja have a special kind of relationship as Charo was the one who discovered her. “Hinanap ko kasi ‘yung dad ko noon, tapos lumabas ako sa The Buzz. Swerte, dahil nanood si Miss Charo. Tapos parang may nagsabi sa ‘kin gusto daw akong makilala ni Miss Charo, ‘yung batang naghahanap ng tatay niya. After nu’n, meeting. Du’n sa meeting, sabi n’ya siya daw ang mag-o-open ng window para maging star ako,” she says.

A promise which Santos and ABS-CBN is now fulfilling as Maja is tagged a string of labels: Horror Princess, Dance Princess, and even Princess of Billboards.

Maja says her career is just where she wants it to be. She says, “Kahit hindi naman ako bida binibigyan ng bida roles, nararamdaman ko na special naman ako sa ABS. Hindi naman ako napapabayaan, kasi pag walang show, may movie. Pag walang movie, may soap. Hindi ko nararamdamn na walang nangyayari sa career ko.”

If there’s one thing that Maja hopes for in her career, it would be longevity, like the one that people she looks up to in the industry--Vilma Santos, Maricel Soriano, Sharon Cuneta, and Judy Ann Santos--has. Where her career is going, she trusts fully in her handlers. “Management ang nagde-decide, tapos tatanungin ako kung okay sa ‘kin. Ayun, pag-aaralan ko kong kakayanin,” she says.

As for future projects, genre would never be a problem for this gifted young actress, who has a new show with Sam Milby this year. “Gusto ko ma-experience lahat, kahit action movies,” she says. And yes, she prefers challenging roles like a prostitute and would like to veer away from the generic type of protagonist—the poor girl that everyone pities. Instead, she would like to play a “palaban na character,” just like Celine.

Or just like Maja herself. As a celebrity, she has been a victim of intrigues, but Maja has risen above them all. She says, “Hindi ka naman magtatagumpay kung wala kang pinagdadaanan para maging strong ka para marating mo ‘yung kong nasaan ka man ngayon.”

With such strength, Maja will definitely more this year and in the coming years.


Maja-cal Love

On love: Dapat pinag-iisipan kasi pag pinasok mo ‘yan, hindi lang naman ‘yan ‘yung boyfriend-girlfriend na wala lang. Siyempre may mga responsibilities ka din na kailangang pagdesisyunan na todo-todo, hindi laro-laro lang. Pagpapahalaga din siya sa sarili mo at pagbibigay importansiya sa taong nagmamahal sa ‘yo.”

On making the first move: “Hindi, Maria Clara ako, eh. Minsan nga may magtatanong sa ‘kin, ‘O, lumabas na kayo?’ ‘Kiniss ka na ba n’ya?’ Ako naman, ‘Hindi no!’”

On kissing on a first date:Hangga’t maari, hindi.”

On telling a guy that you like him:Ay, hindi. Hindi ako nagsasalita. Masungit pa nga ako, eh.”

On her ideal Valentine’s Day:Sa Korea. Gusto ko ‘yung simple lang.”

On her ideal guy: “For me, mahalaga ‘yung may sense kausap.”

Maja on Her On-Screen Partners

Jason Abalos: “Energetic.”

Rayver Cruz: “Bro.”

John Pratts: “Dynamite on the dance floor.”

Carlo Aquino: “Friendship.”

Coco Martin: “The actor.”

Sam Milby: “Bulol.”

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Phoemela Barranda

Sister-Speak with Phoemela Barranda
‘Fashion is how you express yourself’
By ANA KRISTINE B. VALENZUELA

Published MOD January- February 2010


PHOEMELA Barranda admits that her first five years in show business
had been a learning phase. Now, the former model has found her way
around it, assuming duties as entertainment anchor in TV Patrol World
and co-host in The Buzz with ease.

Now, Phoem is back in her modelling roots as the endorser of clothing
line Get Laud! Here, she talks about fashion, her beauty secrets, and
making her late mom proud:


Making a Statement. “Fashion for me is the way you express yourself.
It’s okay to follow the trends, but you have to make your own
statement.”

Old and New. “My style is simple and stylish. I keep classic clothes
and I update them with trendy accessories. I mix and match. It’s
important for my clothes to be simple in a way that you can play with
them. Off course, the material is also important.”

Body Check. “When dressing up, I always consider my body type. Look
at the mirror and see if your clothes flatter your body.”

Fashion Icons. “I like the style of Sienna Miller. I also like the style of Heidi Klum--for
a mom, she has good taste. Sa local scene, I’ve always admired Anne
Curtis and my friend Angel Aquino, of course.”

Taking It All Off. “I’m not really makikay. I’m really tamad for a
beauty regimen. But since I wear makeup every day, when I get home,
I remove it immediately. Makeup wipes are an essential
for me. Pagdating ko sa car kailangan nai-remove ko na yung makeup.
Pero at home, simple facial wash and moisturizer lang ang ginagamit
ko. Keep your skin clean lang talaga. I also see to it that I put on a
sunblock in the morning and moisturizer in the evening.”

Non-stop Learning. “In the first four or five years that I’d been
in show business, I was still learning its culture. Iba kasi siya
from modeling. Now I’m so happy that I know everyone from the press
to the artists. With hosting, I have to learn a lot and I hope that I
get a lot of opportunities to showcase my talent. Happy naman ako
because of my shows. I also have a new show with Shop TV on cable. If
I get acting jobs this year, okay sa ‘kin. I want to do Maalala Mo
Kaya.”

Making Her Momma Proud. “It’s hard for me that my mom is not with me
anymore. I’m an only child, and my dad passed away in 2001. I still
miss my mom pero iniisip ko na lang na yung mga pangarap niya
natutupad na naman na and that I’m making her proud now. Iyun na lang
yung lagi kong iniisip: whatever I do now, I have to make my mom
proud.”

No Wedding Bells. “Getting married naman is not the answer just
because you’re getting old or something. My partner Ira (Cruz,
guitarist of Bamboo) and I are in good relationship naman. I don’t
want to rush things.”

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Cyber Romp

published Mod January- February 2010

By ANA KRISTINE B. VALENZUELA



WITH a handful of Filipino men leaving for overseas work, the women they left in their home country resort to phone calls to ease the absence of their men.

Not wanting to have large phone bills, they opt for the much affordable instant messaging. Most of the time, these long distance lovers’ exchanges consist of longing for each other--and having suggestive verbal sex.

With the help of a keyboard, a web cam, and a mic, a man and a woman can experience near euphoria through virtual sex: zero physical contact, just simply giving one’s self pure erotic pleasure.



CYBER SEX TIPS


Be Game. At first it may be weird to be doing it with a computer, but if you surrender yourself, you’ll find yourself in a great situation. Just remember to keep your doors locked.


Give in to Your Fantasy. Start by telling him your fantasy, or where and how you would want to do it with him. If he doesn’t have a webcam, describe to him what you look like. The more seductive you claim yourself to be—even if you’re just wearing your favorite pajamas—the better.

Flash Forward. If you have a webcam, flash him. Or for a little foreplay, do a little sexy striptease for him.

Tease Him. If you have a mic, breathe heavily into it so he can imagine that you are very much into the fantasy.

Type-O. If you don't have a mic or a cam, worry not. Describe the things that you are doing to yourself by typing with one hand. The other hand is for you, silly. Type in things like the way your hand gushes through your body for sexual pleasure.