It’s a mall world for Kapamilyas

Do you know that media and entertainment company ABS-CBN has been staging mall shows every other week, if not once a week? 

Those shows are dubbed as “Bida Kapamilya,” some of which are headlined by a Kapamilya star as big as Jodie Sta. Maria of the ongoing hit series Lavender Fields. Sta. Maria led the show at a mall in Laguna. 

Currently among the mainstays in the mall shows that will be staged nationwide are the Top 4 winners in the latest edition of Pinoy Big Brother (PBB Gen 11), headed by grand winner Sofia “Fyang” Smith (yes, a Fil-Brit like Anthony Jennings and Bea Alonzo). Some of their housemates also join the mall shows — and they are pleasantly shocked that people know them and they turn up in droves at the mall to watch them. 

Fyang (ABS-CBN refers to them in their nicknames) and the three other members of the Big 4 winners top-billed the show at Vista Mall in Balanga City in Bataan on 22 November. Those three are the girls Rain Celmar, Kollete Madelo and Kai Montinola. (Yes, all 4 Big Winners are girls, and they won mainly through viewers’ text votes.)

Former housemates JM, Jas, Jarren, Binsoy, Dylan, Dingdong, Patrick, JP and Marc also brought joy to Kapamilyas in Bataan, together with event hosts DJ JhaiHo, Ralph Malibunas, Eris Aragoza and Criza Taa of the Kapamilya YouTube show “Zoomers.” 

The Vista Mall show lasted three hours — from late afternoon till the evening. And an hour or two for selfies with the fans. (You can’t be a hot idol in the country, if you don’t indulge the fans with selfies).

The Kapamilya staff discovered, though, that the fans demonstrated their bayanihan spirit by organizing free rides to-and-from the venue to show support to their favorite Kapamilya stars.

A “Bida Kapamilya” show featuring the stars of the hit primetime serye Lavender Fields, PBB Gen 11 housemates was held on 7 December in a mall at Taguig City.

The “Bida Kapamilya” event aims to bring ABS-CBN programs and artists closer to Filipinos nationwide and express the company’s sincerest gratitude and love for their continued support through the years — despite the broadcast company’s having lost its franchise. ABS-CBN really used to be the country’s largest network. 

Meanwhile, the Kamilya PR staff reminds the public not to miss any episode of ABS-CBN Studios’ FPJ’s Batang Quiapo, Lavender Fields, every weekday, plus ASAP and Rainbow Rumble every weekend by tuning in to Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (YouTube and Facebook), A2Z and TV5.

The staff also encourage TV viewers to be part of the fun and laughter during noontime by catching It’s Showtime Mondays to Saturdays on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (YouTube and Facebook), A2Z, GMA and GTV.

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Julia Barretto, Carlo Aquino and the cast of Hold Me Close must be bannering mall shows, too, to promote Viva Entertainment’s entry to the 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival. 

But, then, that doesn’t mean Viva can’t schedule a simple media affair to launch Barretto as endorser of one product or another. (Viva Artists Agency, a division of Viva Communications, Inc., manages Barretto for some years now, after she left ABS-CBN.)

We were invited to Barretto’s launch as endorser of Pina beauty soap held at the soap’s company offices at BGC recently. She turned up quietly glowing but bubbly (oh, boy, no pun intended!).

The company making Pina beauty soap claims that the product keeps the skin hydrated because it contains extracts from water melon. It seems to be the only soap with such extracts. Water melons are known to be effective body hydrators. 

Barretto blurted to the scribes that if Pina soap could talk, it would say: “Your skin is more hydrated than ever!” In response, she said she would give it an award, which she cleverly called the “Box Office Soap.”

Since she loves the sun, the actor has been searching for products that suit her lifestyle. As an actor, a travel program host, and a beach enthusiast, she seeks products that not only keep her hydrated but also protect her skin. 

“We need to hydrate inside to complement the other products we use on our skin. When you’re under the sun, your skin is exposed to the elements and can get dry, so a soap that protects my skin from harmful elements and keeps it moisturized is essential,” Barretto intoned. 

Pina products include Pina Light Soap, Pina Glow Soap and Pina Glow Lotion. The Pina Light and Pina Glow soaps are recognized as Best Skincare Soaps at the Mega Beauty Awards 2024.

Barretto stressed: “What I love about their product is that it doesn’t have a drying effect. From my experience, the ingredients have a moisturizing effect, and you can feel the difference when you rub your skin — it goes from rough to smooth. This product makes you glow, especially if you use it consistently, and it’s very affordable.”

Pina executives asserted that Barretto is the perfect ambassador for Pina, praising her as the embodiment of a true Pina beauty — confident, empowered, youthful, yet sophisticated. 

“Pina first collaborated with beauty queens and asked them what ingredients they wanted in a soap, so they said collagen and niacinamide. That’s what we did. Now with Julia on board, we’ll be able to share the products with a wider audience,” a Pina executive said.

The name Pina is derived from FiliPINA, symbolizing the importance the brand places on Filipino heritage and culture. And for her part, Barretto wants to grow with the brand. 

“They are very passionate and driven. A big factor is they want to give back to the community. That’s a great motivation to make something work,” she said.

Pina products are available at SM Malls, All Day Supermarket, Magic Mall, Sta. Lucia Mall, Unimart, Makati Supermart, and online via Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shops.