On not wishing for Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards to be a real-life couple

With the seemingly unquestionable box office triumph of Hello, Love, Again, a number of movie fans are most likely now wishing that its lead actors, Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards, become sweethearts for real. But almost as surely, there are showbiz followers who do not nourish that wish. A real romance between Bernardo and Richards can affect their respective careers, each may be said to be at its highest point so far. Intertwining their real lives with their showbiz careers can lead to complications that can wear them out with so many other relationships they have to deal with and sustain for their wellbeing.

We have in Bernardo and Richards possibly the most wholesome and most decent showbiz idols. They are not known to have “secret” vices as many superstars in the country had in the past. They were secretly either into drugs or into alcohol even if they were into amorous relationships with someone who wasn’t their on-screen sweetheart.

We personally do not wish Bernardo and Richards to become sweethearts in real life. But we don’t also wish Bernardo to reunite with ex-boyfriend Daniel Padilla. They seem to have learned to be happy and well without each other and it may be the best for them. Padilla is reported in ABS-CBN press releases to be doing very well in the tapings of a series which he top-bills with a very prominent support cast.

2025 CinePanalo Film Festival

What we wish for Bernardo and Richards is for each of them to do a film for the quite young CinePanalo film festival within the next few years to boost the appeal of the country’s most positive and most wholesome film festival.

The world is stuck in the belief that only narratives that have darkness, injustice, doomed failure and unjust deaths make engrossing films that viewers will swarm. In the Philippines, only CinePanalo has begun to assert that stories of people who don’t get entangled with greed, carnal pleasures, influential beings who are perverts of one kind or another are also quite interesting. 

CinePanalo’s festival director Chris Cahilig recently stressed that they welcome films in all genres presented positively and wholesomely.

Intoned Cahilig: “The genres include comedy, drama, romance, historical, sports and action, animation, musical, science fiction, adventure and even documentary. However, the selection committee will automatically reject concepts in the horror, fantasy, sex and suspense genres.”

Meanwhile, CinePanalo which is mainly sponsored by the Puregold chain of supermarkets has forged a tie-up with CMB Film Services Inc., a widely recognized provider of cutting-edge lighting and camera equipment in the Philippine film and television industry.

The partnership grants equipment rental to the eight film projects for the 2025 edition of CinePanalo. The partnership gives the eight competing filmmakers access to top-tier resources, and spur them to take their creative visions into new heights.

With over 30 years in the industry, CMB Film Services Inc. achieved its status as a trusted name in film and television by consistently providing the tools and the expertise required to make local productions reach international stature.

The noteworthy alliance will thus allow CMB Film Services Inc. to further pursue its goal of supporting Filipino filmmakers and enthusiasts, specifically benefitting Puregold CinePanalo’s full-length grant recipients through state-of-the-art equipment and expert technical assistance.

In carrying out this collaboration, CMB Film Services Inc. will work closely with festival organizers and filmmakers to finalize the equipment to be rented — and the rental terms. This includes certifying that all provided equipment meets the necessary quality and safety standards, is delivered on time to the film locations, and is properly maintained.

Moreover, CMB Film Services, Inc. will offer technical support and equipment repair services throughout the rental period, ensuring a seamless production experience. 

The 2025 CinePanalo Film Festival will screen eight films at Gateway Cineplex 18 in Cubao from 14 to 25 March in 2025. Each filmmaker received a grant of P3 million for their production. The eight entries were selected from 121 submissions. The eight filmmakers and the titles of their entries have been announced previously and the list include two women, Baby Villarama and Tarah Illinberger (a half-Filipino who has been an award-winning film editor in the country for years now).

The festival will also include a shorts competition of 25 student filmmakers each receiving a P150,000 grant to create their film.

“We were thrilled with the success of last year’s Puregold CinePanalo Festival and are incredibly excited to partner with Puregold this year,” said Jaime G. Baltazar, president and managing director of CMB Film Services Inc. “As part of the industry, we believe in helping Puregold attain its goals. We know that Puregold CinePanalo is making history in film and we want to be part of that.”

On the other hand, Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, senior marketing manager of Puregold, expressed her gratitude for partnerships that drive Puregold CinePanalo Films to achieve the highest quality.

“Such collaborations are crucial in sharing our vision of excellence,” Piedad asserts. “We laud CMB for their commitment to bring forward exceptional cinematic experiences.”