Ogie Alcasid is turning 50 tomorrow, but his birthday celebration will be on Sept. 9. It’s going to be an ’80s-themed party, where guests are required to wear their killer ’80s outfits and put on their dancing shoes. (I better unearth my Madonna attire.) The winning pair will win a special prize.
The singer also requests guests to be at the venue by 6 p.m. so we can all watch the sunset together.
Ogie is one friend I truly cherish. He more than lives up to his hit song, “Nandito Ako,” because you can always count on him to be there for you, above and beyond the call of duty.
One of my fave “Ogie moments” is when he volunteered to be the “host” of my birthday party program. He even brought two of his protégés, Lara Maigue and Davey Langit, to perform for us. Then, he sang a few songs and did a duet with his wife, Regine Velasquez. Their number was the highlight of the night.
Happy Birthday, dear Ogie! You were truly born wonderful.
Beachside bash for Mama Nena
Speaking of birthdays, my second mom, Amalia Fuentes, has the same birthday as Ogie. Mama Nena is still recovering from the stroke she had in Korea two years ago.
Our fave hairdresser, Oskee Cabeltis, told me that when he visited Mama Nena recently to dye and cut her hair, she showed so much improvement and spoke more clearly. If plans materialize, the Muhlach family might take their beloved matriarch to her beach house in Tali for her birthday celebration.
Being in her “happy place” would surely work wonders for Mama Nena. She’s a born fighter, so I know that she’ll be back in the groove soon enough.
‘Pista’ party
I had a blast at the “barrio fiesta”-themed thanksgiving party of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP) at White Space. Kudos to Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) chair Liza Diño and National Youth Commission (NYC) chair Aiza Seguerra for the success of the industry’s newest festival.
It was touching to watch Aiza serenade Liza with “Araw Gabi”—and their tight hug said it all.
At the Pista fête, I teased Jerald Napoles if he was feeling insecure about Empoy Marquez’s newfound fame after the box-office success of “Kita Kita,” since they’re both comedians. “Not at all,” he quipped. “I’m a fan of Empoy.”
Ryza Cenon told me that her next movie will be a rom-com with JC Santos.
Interestingly, Jason Paul Laxamana, the director of PPP’s top-grosser “100 Tula Para Kay Stella,” is keeping the Twitterverse abuzz with his reactions to negative feedback for his film. That’s Laxamana’s prerogative. But constructive criticism can be put to good use if it’s taken as an encouragement, instead of a correction. Bashers are an indication that you’ve already arrived.
May PPP become an annual celebration of Filipino artistry, because no great story must be left untold.