Diego Loyzaga is Derrick in Mara Clara

Diego Loyzaga Montano finally appears in Mara Clara starting this Monday, April 4, 2011.(Or anytime next week)

A teaser for Mara Clara's episodes next week has started airing since last night and Diego is already part of it.

And a lot of viewers are excited of Diego's first ever appearance in a soap opera.

The anticipation actually started when it was reported in March that Diego, who is the son of actor Cesar Montano and former actress Teresa Loyzaga, signed a 3-year exclusive contract with ABS-CBN and will join the Mara Clara cast.

Diego Loyzaga will play the role of Derrick, which was originally portrayed by the late Rico Yan in the 90's version of Mara Clara.

Are you excited?

To excite you even more, check out his photos with Mara (Kathryn Bernardo) on the set of Mara Clara:

Photos courtesy of Biboy Arboleda

Diego Loyzaga Montano, new Kapamilya, joins 'Mara Clara' cast

Diego Loyzaga Montano is the latest addition in the cast of the "getting more exciting" teleserye 'Mara Clara'.

Carlos Diego Loyzaga Montano is the 15-year-old son of multi-awarded actor Cesar Montano and former character-actress Teresa Loyzaga.

And just like his parents and even aunt Bing Loyzaga, Diego is also entering showbiz as a new Kapamilya talent.

He just signed up a 3-year exclusive contract with ABS-CBN and his first
project is a major role in the hit teleserye "Mara Clara".

Some viewers believe that Diego will be playing the role of Utoy, the one who found and saved Mara from the explosion.

The character of "Utoy" has already been introduced in the soap thru mentions of the name since Wednesday episode, but the one who portrays it is yet to come out.

It could be Diego, but there's a stronger possibility that he is most likely to play Derrick, the role originally portrayed by the late Rico Yan.

Whatever his role will be, many viewers (particularly the teen viewers) are already excited with the entry of Diego Montano in "Mara Clara".

Such a cutie!

Aljur Abrenica to play "Machete" on TV remake

It's official! GMA 7 has finally picked Aljur Abrenica to play Machete on its TV remake.

For sure, it rings so good to Aljur Abrenica's fans who have been campaigning for it since the news broke out early November that GMA 7 has bought
the rights to do a TV version of "Machete".

When I also first heard of it, I had no one in mind but Aljur Abrenica. He's the perfect choice. (If it's on ABS-CBN, Zanjoe Marudo is best suited for the role.)

In the movies, Machete was first portrayed by Cesar Montano in 1990 and
then Gardo Versoza in 1994.

Aljur is only 20 years old and therefore the youngest and the freshest Machete ever. (Cesar was 28 and Gardo was 25 when they played the
role.)

On ABS-CBN, the role of Machete was played by Derek Ramsay in "Super Inggo" and Joseph Bitangcol in "Komiks Presents: Machete", but the GMA version will be the first full teleserye remake of "Machete".

Aljur revealed on Showbiz Central today that he's already working out to achieve the Machete bod required for the role.

Showbiz Central also got to interview the original Machete, Cesar Montano, about Aljur as the new Machete and he's also convinced that his "Ilumina" co-star fits for the role. "I think Aljur will do it better than I did," he said.

Photo courtesy of Cosmo Mag

Cesar Montano, Sunshine Cruz's marriage "on the rocks"? Or they parted ways already?

Are Cesar Montano and Sunshine Cruz having marital problems anew?

Sunshine is keeping her Twitter followers wondering since last night as to what problem she's facing right now?

Her tweets last night suggest she has a major major problem:

"Walang pagsubok na hindi ko kakayanin...God's on my side I know :) have a wonderful night tweeps. Please pray for me."

"I don't deserve any of this but I know God has a purpose why this happened."

Sunshine then later assured her Twitter fans that she's okay, "Tweeps, I'm ok. May pinagdadaanan lang na alam kong kakayanin ko...Ako pa! Thanks in advance for the prayers. Love you guys!"

Then Sunshine changed her profile pic on Twitter, from a picture of her husband Cesar to a picture of Shine with her 3 lovely daughters.

Whatever that problem is, I just hope that Cesar's extra hot cover for FHM Philippines Collections this September 2010 has nothing to do with it.

Photo courtesy of Summit Media

Bianca Manalo, Cesar Montano on FHM Philippines Cover for September 2010

After Maggie Wilson, Carlene Aguilar and Priscilla Meirelles, another beauty queen is gracing FHM Philippines and this time, it's Venus Raj's predecessor Bianca Manalo.

Binibining Pilipinas-Universe 2009 Pamela Bianca Manalo graces the cover of FHM Philippines for its September 2010 issue.

As an FHM cover girl, it affirms Bianca as a promising star in showbiz today, after conquering television via "Magkaribal" and an episode on "MMK".

I hope Sandra Seifert will be the next beauty queen to cover FHM.

Back-to-back with Bianca in the same issue of FHM Philippines is the mag's special men of style edition. Last year, it was Robin Padilla who was the cover guy, but for this year, it's Cesar Montano.

FHM Philippines Septemer 2010 issue is now available in newsstands and magazine stores nationwide.

GMA 7 - "Home of the Losers"? How come?

GMA 7 is now being branded by some people as the "Home of the Losers". Why?

That's after PEP posted on Twitter that Edu Manzano is set to host a game show in the Kapuso station.

Edu lost in the 2010 National Elections when he ran as running mate to
Presidential Candidate Gibo Teodoro.

And breaking his promise that he will retire in showbiz after the elections, here he is now going to host a new game show not on ABS-CBN
where he stayed for the longest time but on GMA 7. And true to what happened to him in the elections, Edu's new show reportedly will be
titled "Atras Talo Palaging Panalo".

Edu has actually been rumored to switch networks since Cesar Montano also transfered to GMA mid-July. And just like Edu, Cesar also lost in
the elections as Bohol Governor.

With that, some people are calling the Kapuso network as "Home of the
Losers" as it continues to welcome those who lost in the recent elections.

Aside from Edu and Cesar, other losers in the elections are also cast in some GMA shows, just like Ara Mina (Ilumina), Anjo
Yllana (Eat Bulaga), Joey Marquez (Kaya ng Powers), Lito Atienza (Maynila) and Aiko Melendez (Basahang Ginto).

Despite the new tag, GMA however also takes pride of having in the network those who won in the elections: Sen. Bong Revilla (Kap's Amazing Stories),
Christopher De Leon (Ilumina), Yul Servo (Trudis Liit) and Manny Pacquiao (Show Me Da Manny).

"Ilumina" pilot leads People Ratings in Mega Manila for August 02, 2010

GMA 7's "Ilumina" has lead the competition on its pilot day, August 02, 2010, based on AGB People's Ratings in Mega Manila.

"Ilumina" stars Rhian Ramos, Aljur Abrenica, Jackie Rice and comebacking Kapuso Cesar Montano.

The said tele-fantasya ranked on top with 14.9% beating all the rival programs.

However, when it comes to National TV Ratings released by Kantar Media, "Ilumina" failed to beat competitions and ranked only 7th over-all.

TOP 10 PRIMETIME SHOWS (AGB People Ratings Mega Manila, August 02, 2010):
1. Ilumina (GMA) 14.9%
2. 24 Oras (GMA) 14.7%
3. Agua Bendita (ABS) 14.3%
4. Endless Love (GMA) 14.2%
5. Noah (ABS) 13.6%
6. Pilyang Kerubin (GMA) 13.5%
7. TV Patrol (ABS) 12.2%
8. Magkaribal (ABS) 12.1%
9. Rubi (ABS) 10.0%
10. Momay (ABS) 8.5%

TOP 10 PRIMETIME SHOWS (Kantar Media Nationwide Ratings, August 02, 2010):
1. Noah (ABS) 35.8%
2. TV Patrol (ABS) 32.5%
3. Agua Bendita (ABS) 32.1%
4 & 5 Momay (ABS), Magkaribal (ABS) 23.8%
6. 24 Oras (GMA) 23.6%
7. Ilumina (GMA) 23.0%
8. Pilyang Kerubin (GMA) 20.3%
9. Endless Love (GMA) 18.3%
10. Rubi (ABS) 17.4%

Last Saturday, ABS-CBN's newest variety show Pilipinas Win Na Win aired its first episode and it won versus GMA 7's Eat Bulaga in Kantar Nationwide but not in AGB Mega Manila:

Eat Bulaga - AGB: 9.9%, Kantar: 14.8%
Pilipinas Win Na Win - AGB: 8.7%, Kantar 22.9%

Para sa Pamilya! Cesar Montano comes back to GMA 7

"Pamilya" was the reason cited by Cesar Montano why he left the Kapamilya network and moved back to the Kapuso station.

Even before Cesar signed contract with GMA 7 yesterday and talked about his family as the reason why he needs to work and grab the Kapuso offer, his wife Sunshine Cruz already shared about it on Twitter last week.

One of her tweets was, "What if there's no definite offer from 'them'? What if an offer serves, a few months of our future?"

Sunshine also surveyed her Twitter followers back then by asking, Kapamilya or Kapuso?, with most of the respondents telling Cesar to stay with the Kapamilya.

Obviously, they didn't listen and as a family man, Cesar has grabbed the offer of GMA 7 which could secure the future of his kids maybe for the next 3 years and probably, until he decides to run for a government position again in 2013.

And if in case he loses again in 2013, we wouldn't be surprised if he comes back again to ABS-CBN.

That's actually the trend in Cesar's showbiz career.

After he lost during the Senatorial Elections in 2007 (he also lost big TV endorsements), Cesar went back to ABS-CBN after short appearance on "Asian Treasures" and a supposedly lead role with Richard Gutierrez in "Lupin", both on GMA 7.

And after losing again, this time for his gubernatorial bid in the May 2010 Elections, he's coming back to GMA.

So maybe Cesar should not run anymore in 2013 so he could not lose his endorsements and his earnings. And a bright future will be assured for his family.

As a new Kapuso, Cesar will do a teleserye with Aljur Abrenica, Rhian Ramos and Christopher De Leon, and a sitcom which is possibly a reunion with Maricel Soriano, as reported by PEP.

Cesar Montano's son Christian Angelo dies

Christian Angelo Manhilot, 2nd child of actor Cesar Montano, died today in Quezon City after he was found with gunshot wound on his head at their residence.

Both ABS-CBN and GMA reported about it this morning and according to the reports, Christian Angelo was rushed to the hospital at 6:18am today but he was declared dead on arrival.

Angelo's father Cesar, who's running for a governatorial seat in Bohol, reportedly is now on his way to Manila.

Christian Angelo is believed to have committed suicide by self-inflicted gunshot to his head. Initial investigation says it got something to do with a love problem he has with his girlfriend.

He was 23 years old.

My deepest condolences to his family!

***

During his younger years, Angelo appeared in two of his father's movies: "Bullet" in 1999 and "Ligalig" in 2006.