Kapuso Bonding: Celebrating a Bigger, Stronger GMA Presence All Over the World

Date : Nov 16, 2009 Kapuso Bonding: Celebrating a Bigger, Stronger GMA Presence All Over the World

Meet and greet with two of the hottest stars in the Philippines , Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes; Marimar and Dyesebel invading Singapore TV; a dinner-for-a-cause event; and the first international audition for GMA’s phenomenal reality show/ talent search, StarStruck – it certainly was a thrilling and joyful Kapuso bonding experience in Singapore recently.

Synergy in Action

GMA International worked hand in hand with other GMA units - GMA Worldwide Inc., GMA's Entertainment TV Division, and GMA Kapuso Foundation - for the series of events aimed at not only bringing joy to and being one in heart with fellow Pinoys abroad but also making GMA Network’s international presence even stronger.

Joseph Francia, Vice President for International said, "Over the last five years, through GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV and our syndicated programs, the number of international viewers of GMA’s topnotch entertainment and news programming has grown. As a result, we have seen a lot of these viewers wanting to participate in the various projects of the different teams within GMA Network. We are pleased to be able to connect with them through our outreach efforts."

Last October 30, Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes graced the dinner-for-a-cause at the 7107 Flavours restaurant in Marina Square. The pair lent their star power in raising donations for the victims of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

The event - hosted by BBC anchor Rico Hizon - was able to raise a total of SG$2,670.00, fifty percent of which was donated to the GMA Kapuso Foundation and remaining half was earmarked for the Philippine National Red Cross. Also present during the event was Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Minda C. Cruz.

MARIMAR and DYESEBEL in Singapore

During the dinner-for-a-cause, Dingdong and Marian were also interviewed by Starhub, one of the top carriers in Singapore. This is to celebrate the presence of GMA Network on the Starhub system with the launch of the Marian-Dingdong starrer MARIMAR on Starhub's SENSASI channel 40. Premiering very soon, the phenomenally successful Kapuso program will be dubbed in Bahasa Malay.

The following day, October 31, Dingdong and Marian were at the DXO in Esplanade for the Singapore Party-for-a-Cause organized by the Philippine Embassy with XACT! Management. The event, hosted by Lloyd Pagulayan, was highlighted by performances of various Singapore-based Pinoy artists and a meet-and-greet opportunity with Dingdong and Marian.

Singapore network Singtel Mio TV was also present during the event to interview the gorgeous stars of MARIMAR and DYESEBEL. By the first quarter of 2010, DYESEBEL will be seen on Singtel Mio TV.

STARSTRUCK Fever

During the same fabulous whirlwind weekend in Singapore, STARSTRUCK fever officially went global. From October 30 to 31, auditions for STARSTRUCK were held at the 7107 Flavours restaurant in Marina Square. The chosen one will be flown in to Manila with free accommodations and travel expenses, paid for by the show, and will join the other STARSTRUCK hopefuls as they bare their dreams in the Philippines' biggest platform to stardom.

STARSTRUCK audition frenzy continues to Middle East with auditions on Bahrain (November 3-4), Abu Dhabi (Nov. 5) and Dubai (Nov. 6). Then it hits Tokyo , Japan on November 7-8. Auditions will also be held simultaneously in the U.S. beginning in Los Angeles on Nov. 5 to 6, then San Francisco on Nov. 7 to 8 and in New Jersey on Nov. 9 to 10.

More Kapuso Bonding to Come

Kapuso bonding continued all the way to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the highly anticipated November 9 launch of DYESEBEL on Astro Prima channel 105. Dingdong and Marian were again on hand to promote their show during the press con held last Nov. 2 at the Johore Function Room in Shangrila, Kuala Lumpur. Also in the press con alongside the Malaysian press were representatives from the Philippine Embassy in Malaysia , President of Malaysian-Filipino Club, and the President of The Philippine Ladies of Kuala Lumpur.

This series of events are, of course, just the beginning of more synergy projects among several units of the Kapuso network. GMA International and GMA Worldwide Inc. are strategically working together to further strengthen GMA’s presence in the international markets. The STARSTRUCK international audition, on the other hand, is the first synergy project between GMA International and GMA’s Entertainment TV Division as GMA Network begins infusing its content production with international components.

As GMA Network's business units work to strengthen over-all competitiveness abroad, they also give thanks and celebrate with the growing number of Kapusos all over world. In the next few weeks, more big events and more fun - across the globe! - as only GMA Network can bring.