MALE HOTTIE: TONY LABRUSCA

Tony Labrusca began to rise into stardom in 2016 when he joined the talent competition "Pinoy Boyband Superstar" where in he was cut before the finals. But that did not stop him from taking a road to success. He was one of the most searched new stars from that day and remains to be one of the hottest to date.

Labrusca is the son of actor Boom Labrusca and singer Angel Jones. The 24 year old gorgeous hunk has had a steady career in TV and movies. He joined the cast of "La Luna Sangre" and landed one of the major roles in "Sino ang May Sala?" this year.

His movie career is even on a higher note with critical acclaims from several films from the day he debuted. He starred in the well-received "ML" and the Cinema One original "Double Twisting Double Back" in 2018 but made a lot of noise with the Iwant movie "Glorious" which quickly became a hit among fans of the sexy actor. He continued in 2019 with "Ang Henerasyong Sumuko Sa Love" and "The Mall, The Merrier".

He has graced several ad campaigns, fashion shows and magazine covers in the past years and with his handsome face and drop-dead gorgeous body, fans are just all in awe. He has appeared on a number of photoshoots as well and we fans can't complain. We hope his career keeps on growing this 2020 and we are eagerly waiting for what's up next to him.

MARIAH GIVES US FRESH 2019 VERSION OF ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU

Mariah Carey sure knows what we want for this holiday season. Just only a few days before her hit single "All I Want for Christmas Is You" just hit No. 1 for the first time on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, she released a brand new modern version video for the holiday tune. This comes roughly 25 years since the single's first release way back in 1994. The video is complete with ice skating Santas and Carey in her own version of a Santa suit and little drummer boy outfit. Just less than half a day from the video's release, it has already more than 900,000 views and it is expected to pile up.

With the Billboard No. 1, Mariah inches closer to the most No. 1s at the Billboard Hot 100 which now stands at 19. She is just one shy of the record of Beatles of 20 number one singles. With such hit, she is expected to grab millions of royalties yet anew. I believe no one has come close to this holiday tune as much as fame and popularity goes. Such longevity indeed. Queen Mimi is definitely still here. Happy Holidays!

Video Source. Mariah Carey Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCurpiDXSkcUbgdMwHNZkrCg

VISA-FREE ENTRY TO KOREA FOR FILIPINOS THIS 2020

Big news to Pinoy travellers. It was recently announced by The Ministry of Strategy and Finance and the Ministry of Justice on December 12 that the government of South Korea’s “Plan for Promoting Foreign Tours” will allow Philippine passport holders to enter the country, visa-free on 2020. That means Pinoy tourist can enter airports in inland areas, such as Seoul, Incheon, and Busan, for up to 5 days without a visa. But there might be a small catch. Upon entry, one must explicitly establish that the final destination would be Jeju Island. Jeju Island is already visa-free for Filipinos before this announcement.

Filipinos who have the liking of going to South Korea for vacation has been growing exponentially and this is a great news for most Pinoys. With the influx of K-pop like BTS and Blackpink and Koreanovelas flooding our local TV, many were happy with the said announcement as they will get to experience the beauty that is South Korea.

MIMIYUUUH JOINS WAZE

Much to the delight of her growing number of fans, local vlogger sensation Mimiyuuuh is now a Waze voice option. The fun new option may just be the thing for motorists to ease everyone's stress as traffic intensifies this holiday season. And call it leveling, she became only the 2nd Pinoy celebrity to be featured in the application after Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray. 

This has been a wonderful year for the rising star as she first got noticed with the "Dalagang Pilipina" craze. The video quickly became a viral meme, with various celebrities and netizens copying her. Since then, her YouTube channel has gained a massive following and has become one of the most watched channels for the year. She was a red carpet correspondent at the ABS-CBN Ball, and starred in a Preview photo shoot wearing designer line Off-White.

For more fun content you can follow and subscribe to her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP8eztbhAp7_928o3ng8rmQ

30TH SEA GAMES CLOSING DRONE SHOW WAS BREATHTAKING

The 30th SouthEast Asian Games in the Philippines ended with a bang and one of the highlights of the closing ceremony was the wonderfully conceptualized drone show at the New Clark City. All I could say is wow. Hopefully the country can keep doing hostings of this kind that could uplift the spirit of everyone watching. It is truly stunning and a wonderful site to watch. Congratulations!

Credit: Cusome TV

MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES FRANCHISE NO MORE WITH BCPI

In a big announcement after the most recent Miss Universe pageant, local pageant fans were surprised with the news that the beloved pageant is now out of the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. The franchise will now be managed by a new team - the Miss Universe Philippines Organization. Shamcey Supsup is appointed as the National Director of the organization. Albert Andrada will be  the Design Council Head, Jonas Gaffud will be the Creative Director, Lia Ramos will be the Head of Women Empowerment Committee and Charity, Atty. Nad Bronce will  be the Head of Legal Affairs, and Mario Garcia will be the Business Development/ Marketing Head.

We could only hope that it is for the best as this means pageant contestant hopefuls can easily try on 4 of the major pageants - Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International and Miss Earth as these are now under different franchise owners.

GAZINI GANADOS FINISHES IN TOP 20 OF MISS UNIVERSE 2019

Filipina bet Gazini Ganados finishes in the Top 20 in the recently concluded Miss Universe 2019 pageant at Atlanta. It was the country's 10th consecutive semifinals placement but the lowest for the past decade. It surely was a sad day for pageant crazy Philippines as our bet was seemingly left out when the Top 10 was announced. It was also sad as the country was aiming for the very rare back-to-back crowns for the Miss Universe pagaent.

Fans of Ganados are quick to go on defense to the lovely Filipina as they saw that Gazini did her best but unfortunately this is not her year. The sad development came on the heels of all our Binibini contestants not landing any crowns from the other pageants before the MU.

Despite the setback, Ganados was able to nab the Best in National Costume award in her inspired silver ensemble. It was surely a surprise for most beauty pageant analysts with some favorites also failing to finish strong - Brazil and India to name a few.

WONDER WOMAN 1984 TRAILER WOWS

In 2020, DC is turning up the heat in the cinemas and with Wonder Woman 1984, they are sure to challenge the box-office dominance next year. And the well-loved heroine released the trailer to the sequel to the well received Wonder Woman film.

Gal Gadot reprises her role as Diana/Wonder Woman in this sequel and with what we saw in the trailer, this looks promising. The greatest surprise is seeing Chris Pine's character Steve Trevor back much to the delight of his fans. Also joining the cast is Kristen Wiig as Barbara Ann Minerva / Cheetah although we have not seen her in that full Cheetah character costume. And did I mention one scene on the trailer with Wonder Woman swinging through a series of lightnings was just superb. I can't wait to see the film this 2020.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfM7_JLk-84

NO TIME TO DIE RELEASES TRAILER

The upcoming James Bond film "No Time To Die" released a trailer and fans gushed over the internet. While it will be a seemingly fitting ending to Daniel Craig's turn as the titular 007 agent, we are sure excited on this upcoming film if we are gonna be basing on the trailer alone.

The trailer shows us Bond who has left active service and is enjoying a simple life in Jamaica. But his peaceful life may have been short-lived as his friend from CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

 Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Jeffrey Wright, Léa Seydoux, and Christoph Waltz reprise their roles from previous films, with Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, and Ana de Armas joining the cast. Judging from the trailer alone we can definitely be sure this one's gonna be action packed and thrilling.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIhNsAtPbPI

"LOVE WITH FLAWS" ACTOR CHA IN-HA FOUND DEAD

The Korean show business was again struck with a sad news as this time around one of their hottest young actors was found dead. Cha In-Ha was found dead on December 3 and the cause of death has not yet been revealed. 

The 27-year-old actor, known for his bright, cheerful image, played a supporting role in the current  drama "Love With Flaws", alongside Ahn Jae-hyun and Oh Yeon-seo. This marks the 3rd time in this year that a young Korean star has died, possibly of suicide. 

His fans and friends were all mourning with the news as he is one of the hottest new finds in Korean entertainment with his career taking flight just in 2017 with several dramas that made him an instant well-beloved star among fans. It was surely a sad news to hear his untimely passing.

30TH SEA GAMES OPENS WITH A BANG

The 30th Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines opened with a big bang. A lot of praises were received with the well crafted opening that features the culture and sounds of the Filipinos. The night was filled with wonder as audiences and athletes alike were put in great awe. Several performances of local artists were featured during that night. 

World-class Filipino talents are expected to shine on the Philippines’ stage with the finest singers such as international singing sensation Apl.de.ap of Black Eyed Peas, the TNT Boys and Asia’s Nightingale, Lani Misalucha. WCOPA Grand Champion Jed Madela, musical theater actors Robert Sena and Aicelle Santos, Anna Fegi, and Asia’s Romantic Balladeer Christian Bautista will be joined by Inigo Pascual, KZ Tandingan, and Elmo Magalona.

Each member nation also paraded with our favorites beauty queens from the Philippines. A heart-touching moment also came with some of the greatest Pinoy athletes parading with the likes of Efren Bata Reyes, Lydia De Vega and Paeng Nepomuceno to name a few. The cauldron was lighted by boxers Manny Pacquiao and Nesthy Petecio. A grand fireworks display was also featured ushering in the start of the biennial games. Truly a remarkable night to be proud of.

MALE HOTTIE: BAILEY MAY

Pinoy Big Brother is definitely a place to find gems in the biz and Bailey May is no exception. This Filipino-British star auditioned and successfully entered the 10th year edition of PBB 737 (aka Pinoy Big Brother: 737) and eventually won as third runner-up (4th Teen Big Placer). 

He then ventured into TV with guestings and roles in some Kapamilya shows after PBB together with his then love-team Ylona Garcia. He also went into music and released "Bailey" his solo album with Star Magic and found success with his pop and edgy sound.

His career began to take a surprising trajectory as he joined the international group Now United and has been part of several world wide tours with the group since 2017. The group has released several singles and music videos and toured all around the world where they found solid fan bases.

We all notice how good looking Bailey is even from his young PBB days but his recent transformation has caused media frenzy and has added to his appeal across several fans. The young cute boy has turned into a hot gorgeous and sexy young guy and his recent pics are proof of how he has improved through the years. Need we say more?

AMAs NAME TAYLOR SWIFT ARTIST OF THE DECADE

Taylor Swift will truly end the year (the decade actually) on a very high note. The American Music Awards have handed over the Artist of the Decade award to superstar. The award is the cherry on top as she also broke records at the awards ceremony that night. Swift grabbed a total of 6 awards that night which puts her all-time award haul at 29. 

Through the past decade, she has proven her mark in the music industry cementing her place as one of the music greats probably of all time. She has shown that while most artists come and go, she is destined to stay. She still packs arena concerts and sells album worldwide with hit after hit. She is perhaps one of the few artists who you could definitely have a whole playlist of great music. Her commercial and critical success is unparalleled nowadays. Congratulations Tay Tay!

BTS WINS BIG AT AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS 2019

K-pop and global superstars BTS made another historical turn as they won 3 big awards at the recently concluded American Music Awards 2019. The K-pop group, made up of V, J-Hope, RM, Jin, Jimin, Jungkook and Suga, were the second biggest winners on the night, along with Khalid, who also won three awards. 

They took home the awards for Tour of the Year, Favourite Social Artist and the best so far Favourite Duo or Group Pop/Rock besting high profile groups such as Jonas Brothers and Panic at The Disco. This is a vouch of their success for this year and further proof that somehow they may have been snubbed at the last VMAs. The group were unceremoniously shut out at the VMAs all losing out to BlackPink much to the raucus of avid and loyal followers.

The Armys, BTS super duper fandom were thrilled with the group’s wins and Twitter was flooded with congratulatory messages cheering the group on.

POKEMON HITS IT BIG AGAIN

Pokemon fans rejoice. Game Freak and Nintendo once again made its presence felt with the release of its newest title "Pokemon Sword/Pokemon Shield". The very successful role-playing video game has made history anew as it bested the sales record previously set by Super Smash Bros Ultimate at the hit Nintendo Switch console.

The new game is the 8th Generation of our most beloved Pokemon characters and introduces as to a brand new region Galar with a combination of new monsters and old-time favorites as part of playing pleasure of die-hard and new fans alike. The newest generation is truly making a mark with some new features and a whole lot of playing. For sure it was a long wait before this new one hit the game stores but I am sure that it was all worth the wait.

6 MAJOR SNUBS AT 2020 GRAMMY NOMINATIONS

The list of the nominations for the 2020 Grammy Awards were recently released and while Lizzo led the nomination field with 8 nods followed by Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X with six each which came as big surprises as they belong to the young blood of this music's generation. But this year saw considerable snubs and here are some of them.

1. BTS

The Korean Boy Group superstar has turned the year 2019 into a record breaking year with 2 albums topping the Billboard charts and the guys notching their first Top 10 single with Boy With Luv. But the boys were shut out on all major categories and even in the best pop group performance category where they are regarded as shoo-ins for the past year.

2. Taylor Swift

2018's Reputation is not as well received as her previous albums but with her stellar turn in her newest album "Lover", fans were expecting her to grab nominations big-time once more. But with her being left out in the "Album of The Year" category, a lot of followers raised eyebrows. The only saving grace is that she grabbed a "Song of The Year" nomination for Lover, the only song in the nods list that is written solely by a single artist.

3. Halsey

Halsey had a breakthrough 2019 with her song "Without Me" and has been loved by all other award giving bodies and fans alike. But much like in prior years, she was again snubbed without any single nomination in the Big 4 category. Grammy love is not yet coming for Halsey.

4. Sam Smith

Smith's wonderful collaboration with Normani, "Dancing with a Stranger," was passed over for this year. Smith, who won four Grammys five years ago, hasn't been nominated since in what seems like a continuous dry spell for the talented singer.

5. Ed Sheeran

No major love for Sheeran as well this year as he was shut out in the major categories as well. Former winner Sheeran's newest album was passed out on major categories for this year which makes us think it is one of the major snubs for the year.

6. Lewis Capaldi

Although Capaldi's chart-topping song gets a nod for "Song of the Year", we can't neglect the fact that the talented young artist was surprisingly left out in the "Best New Artist" category.

NU WINS ANEW AT UAAP CHEERDANCING

The National University (NU) Pep Squad affirmed its status as a cheerdance powerhouse by coming up with one of the most dominant performances in UAAP Season 82 Cheerdance Competition at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday. They wowed the judges and audiences alike with their highly technical yet entertaining routines for them to win their second straight and 6th in the past 7 UAAP seasons.

The NU per squad was spectacular with their Pinoy Pride routine and there were plenty of applause from all the people watching. The NU Pep Squad also won the best toss and the best pyramid awards. In a day of great sportsmanship and creativity, the NU Pep Squad once again proved their dominance in the UAAP cheerdancing nowadays.

PATCH MAGTANONG FINISHES IN TOP 8 OF MISS INTERNATIONAL 2019

The Philippines bet Bea Patricia "Patch" Magtanong made the country proud as she delivered another strong showing of the country in the Miss International pageant. Patch landed in the Top 8 of the said competition. Despite not landing the coveted crown, Filipino fans were all praises as they believe she did her best in making the country proud.

Thailand's Sireethorn Leearamwat was crowned as the new Miss International 2019. Sireethorn was crowned by Mariem Velazco of Venezuela, who won the title last year. Patch was crowned Binibining Pilipinas International 2019 during the Binibining Pilipinas pageant on June 9. A University of the Philippines Law School graduate, Patch passed the Philippine bar exam after cinching her first major crown.

ION AND VICE OFFICIALLY ADMITS RELATIONSHIP

Its's official! Vice Ganda, the unkabogable superstar finally announces to the public that he and Ion are officially a pair. During the Magpasikat 2019 and anniversary celebration, Vice introduced Ion Perez as his partner much to the cheers and delight of all audiences. Both Vice and Ion are teary eyed with the announcement. All i could say is that these two great individuals deserve all the happiness in the world. 

THARN TYPE MAKES MORE BL FANS

When this new BL series, fans have been anticipating in advance. And for die-hard BL followers, you may find the titular roles familiar. Type is part of the "Love By Chance" series in 2018 much of a support/side story played by Earth Pirapat Watthanasetsiri and his love interest Tharn is not shown at all in that series but just mentioned through casual conversations and phone calls.

And although the new series gives us a brand new Type with relative newcomer Gulf Kanawut Traipipattanapong taking on the role. This is a prequel that focuses on how the two characters met and we are now shown who Tharn is and much to the delight of fans, it was Mew Suppasit Jongcheveevat who fans know with his "Mew-Art" couple in "What The Duck."

We are only on the first few episodes of the series and it is turning out to be one of the best BL series of 2019 and probably of all time. The bickering and great camera chemistry between Mew and Gulf is great to watch and we are wanting to see more of them together. I wonder what the twists will be and how their roles will become close and what they will be facing along the way. But so far, it has been good. I am now an official Mew-Gulf fan!