FILM Development Council of the Philippines chair Liza Diño-Seguerra, Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte and Film Development Commission executive director Ed Lejano. Quezon City Mayor Herbert M. Bautista ordered the creation of a culture and arts council said to be pursuant to a 2006 ordinance that aims to develop and strengthen the premier city’s cultural fabric.

Those who can’t get enough of the budding JC Santos and Bela Padilla team-up after the success of 100 Tula Para Kay Stella at last year’s edition of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP) have good news coming. One can get up close and personal with the duo as they are set to join the PPP Grand Fans Day on 11 August at the Liwasang Aurora in Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City. The second edition will run from 15 to 21 August in theaters nationwide.

Bela and JC have somewhat convinced people that they could be a love team after pairing up again for The Day After Valentine’s, one of the eight films featured at this year’s PPP. The duo, however, think they are not a love team and consider themselves as individual artists.

Besides the pair, the team-up of Sue Ramirez and Markus Paterson in the movie Ang Babaeng Allergic sa Wi-Fi will also be at the fan’s day. As of press time, these four along with Winwyn Marquez (UnliLife), Christian Bables and Elora Españo (Signal Rock) and Chai Fonacier, Nico Antonio and Edgar Allan Guzman (Pinay Beauty) will also be at the parade.

Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) chair Liza Diño-Seguerra announced this during the presscon for the launch of related PPP festivities that will be held in Quezon City. She added that the other films will be presented at the parade. Other entries include Bakwit Boys, Madilim ang Gabi and We Will Not Die Tonight.

These stars are descending on the city unofficially tagged as the “City of Stars” and the “Entertainment Capital of the Philippines.” Vice Mayor Josefina “Joy” Belmonte shared that she is glad the city is hosting the festivities.

“Since the city has already shown its commitment to helping local filmmakers through the QCinema International Film Festival, FDCP wanted to partner with us to further promote PPP. Although PPP will be rolled out nationwide, the conferences, seminars, float parade and Grand Fans Day will be held here in the ‘City of Stars,’” said Belmonte in a statement.

The grand fans day will be part of a bigger celebration that is dubbed as “Pista at the Park Grand Fans Day and All-Star Caravan.” The event will start with a float parade from Amoranto Stadium going towards Timog area, Maginhawa and end at the Quezon Memorial Circle. Besides the parade, there will be a bazaar featuring food sellers from Maginhawa, a renowned food crawl inside Teacher’s Village near the University of the Philippines-Diliman. The “Pista at the Park” event is free to the public.

The festival’s opening night will be on 14 August while an industry conference will be held on 17 to 18 August at the Novotel Hotel in Araneta Center, Cubao.

Quezon City itself has been holding its own film festival for six years. This year’s QCinema International Film Festival will be held from 21 to 30 October.

Recently, Quezon City Mayor Herbert M. Bautista ordered the creation of a culture and arts council said to be pursuant to a 2006 ordinance that “aims to develop and strengthen the premier city’s cultural fabric.”

The Quezon City Culture and Arts Council includes sitting officials of the government while the city’s Tourism Department serves as its secretariat.