Lisa Tandugon: Bohol's Catwalk Queen

This is a long overdue feature for one of Bohol’s most enduring models

She is well- loved and respected in the modeling industry not only because of her signature “Maria Lisa” catwalk but also because of her warmth, sincerity and humility

She was a shy and gawky girl when I first met her in 1999. She was a candidate for that year’s Miss Tagbilaran Pageant and I was the emcee. 

It was her very first pageant experience but she made a dent by winning the Best in Evening Gown award and placing as 2^nd Runner Up to Marime Marapao

A few days after the pageant, she confessed that it was her nerves and shyness that got in the way and she swore that she would never ever join another beauty pageant

Maria Lisa in her  Miss Tagbilaran 1999 official photo

BEST MODEL OF THE WORLD- PHILIPPINES SEARCH

Two years later, my high school classmate and one of Bohol’s most talented designers, Maximiel Tallo, announced in the local papers that he was organizing a local modeling contest that would select Bohol’s bets for the nationwide search for the newly- launched Best Model of the World- Philippines Competition.

I told Maxi to get Lisa as a candidate because she had the looks, the figure and the height. Getting Lisa to join wasn’t easy but after a week of persuasion and pep talk, she finally said yes and as they always say, the rest is history

Lisa was selected as Bohol’s representative for the Visayas- wide Best Model of the World- Philippines regional finals and competed with some of the most stunning and very experienced top models of Cebu City and other key Visayan cities.

I remember telling her not to expect too much but to give it her best, make new friends and to enjoy the whole experience

LISA IS PICKED AS VISAYAS' BET FOR THE NATIONAL BEST MODEL SEARCH

During the Visayas regional finals of the modeling search and in a Cinderella- like fairy tale and against all odds and despite the lack of modeling experience and connections, our very own Lisa Tandugon of Lindaville Subdivision, Tagbilaran City was selected by the judges and the Robbie Carmona, the Philippine franchise holder for Best Model of the World national search!

She competed later that year in Manila for the right to represent the country in the Best Model of the World Model Search. She gave it her best shot and she made it all the way to the Top Ten. 

She may not have won in Manila but the experience and the exposure did open a lot of doors for Lisa.

She has done countless runway shows and has modeled for some of the country’s top fashion designers

For the past few years, she has reigned as the queen of the catwalk in Bohol. 

In between, she is also kept busy with her own business venture that takes advantage of her entrepreneurial skills and her connection of friends

GLAMOUR PHOTO SHOOT IN BOHOL

Gowns                                     :Maximiel Tallo

Photos                                     :Michael Yu

Concept and Styling                : Joseph Ven Dumadag and Maximiel Tallo

Locale                                      : Maribojoc and Loon in Bohol Province

For Lisa, Life is Like a Big Runway Fashion Show. 

You just sway then do your snap and turn. If you trip or you fall, just stand up as if nothing happened, smile and continue your walk

Thanks for the friendship Lisa!

Will Eva Santos Make The Cut Tonight?

EVA GULLE DE LOS SANTOS

Eva Santos as well as Boholanos and Cebuanos alike are  on tenterhooks as ABS CBN's The Voice of the Philippines moves to the next round tonight after Rated K

TEXT VOTES

Eva, together with 11 other semifinalists will compete in the Live Show where the top qualifier from each team will be determined by text votes 

CONTEST FORMAT

All the 24 qualifiers or six for each coach/ mentor's team have been divided into two for the Live schedules and Eva is one of the 12 who will see action tonight. 

After all three singers from each team performs tonight, there will be a break for the televiewers and live audience to send in their text votes. 

Incidentally, the other Boholano qualifier Kim Mainit will see action on September 1

The singer from each of the four teams that gets the highest text votes will advance to the Top 16. 

From the bottom two, the coach decides who will move to the next round and who will be going home

VOTING MECHANICS: For voting tonight August 25:

Text VOICE space EVA

Send to 231 for smart, talk n text.

Send to 2331 for globe, TM, SUN cellular

P2.50/vote

Max 30 votes per sim

Online: (vote.abs-cbn.com) look for the logo of The Voice

Purchase epin

P25=10 Votes
P75=30 Votes

Please share.

GOLDEN MOMENT IN TIME LAST NIGHT:

Did you see how our Golden Girl Eva blew the competition out last night with her mind- blowing performance of One Moment in Time? 

It was a goosebump experience for me. 

A very proud moment for Bohol and her family even as the TV cameras were zooming in on her very telegenic daughter Monique de los Santos and gorgeous son, the world-class karatedo gold medalist OJ De Los Santos

Anyway, here's another article on Eva Santos from Wikipedia

Eva delos Santos (born October 1, 1962) is a Filipino entrepreneur, housewife, and singer from Cebu who is currently a contestant on the first season of The Voice of the Philippines. 

Her daughter, Monique delos Santos, auditioned before her but did not advance to the battle rounds 

Before she became a mother and an entrepreneur, music had been part of Eva's life. 

Born and raised in Bohol, the young Eva moved to Cebu City for college, where she began performing. 

During her glory days of singing, she was able to perform around the country and in some major cities around Asia. 

In late 1980's, she fell in love and got married. Eva decided to put music in the backseat to give way to her life's new challenges as a wife and as a mother. 

As this mother reaches her golden years, Eva wanted to give herself a chance to continue the music where she left it off. 

She joined the competition not only for the chance of making her dreams come true, but to inspire people her age that they can still dream new dreams, or awaken passion in hiatus.

Bohol, let us unite tonight for Eva Santos

My FM Radio Deejay Memories

the iconic pic  that lured me into becoming a radio deejay

There is something magical about radio broadcasting. I first fell in love with radio when the eldest in our family Marcel Gatal now Mrs. Tony Diego became Lady Love of KISS 102.3 FM.

I remember how I used to chaperon her especially during her evening shifts at the radio station during those halcyon days of the early 80's.

Going radio gaga was the rage then in sleepy Tagbilaran at a time when RPN 9 was the only television channel that the entire city watched. Lovelorn teeners loved to tune in to radio to listen to the Top 40 songs, to make requests and to greet their friends and crushes on air.

FAST FORWARD TO 1988

I was a transferee at the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR, Cebu City) where I took up Mass Communications degree when my professor in Intro to Mass Communications, the late  Jess Vestil, the prominent broadcast and print journalist in Cebu, encouraged me to audition for a radio disc jockey's job in 93.1 Smash FM.

Of course, my initial reaction was "Oh not not me, I don't think I'm cut out to be a deejay" But Sir Jess Vestil persisted and God bless him for singling me out along with a few others to audition. I still remember how jittery I was that time. We were told to go inside the deejay's booth (one at a time of course) and what I can recall was being asked a few standard questions about myself and introduce a song.

  

After what seemed like eternity, two of us were asked to stay behind. Archie Modequillo, then the station manager informed us that we had been chosen and we were to start our training the following week.

Offhand, we were told that we were chosen on the basis of potential and not on performance (Ouch!) Sir Archie furthered that if the basis for choosing the disc jockey trainees was performance, then everybody would have failed the muster. That statement made perfect sense and really had a great impact on me so much so that it had always been my guide when holding auditions

SUMMER OF 1990

Uncle Reynald Gatal then the station manager of DYXT AM gave me a chance to spin records and be a deejay that summer in 1990.Of course being the stickler for rules and regulations, Uncle Rey had to let me take the accreditation exam for broadcasters from KBP (Kapisananan ng Mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas) which I took and passed.

How I loved playing all those songs and greeting my friends on air. It was like living my childhood dream but of course I wasn't really that into the whole deejay thing.

After a few months, I made the transfer to KISS 102.3 FM. Who would have known that 19 years later, I would be co- hosting the legendary radio station's Golden Anniversary Show?

ILOILO CITY 1992

After making a side trip to Iloilo City from a Boracay jaunt, I made a decision to audition at Ramon Jacinto's RJ 98.3 FM radio station. That decision was a turning point for me. I got the job, stayed in Iloilo City for a year and fell in love with the beauty and charm of the place

From radio disc jockey, I was promoted to Production Head whose job was to conceptualize and produce the station's radio commercials and stingers and related stuff.

On weekends, I spun records at the turn tables of The Base Disco of Sarabia Manor Hotel and that was broadcast live on the air

That Iloilo episode of my life would always be treasured! I so miss the quaint Ilonggo accent and La Paz batchoy too!

 

who would have thought that I would 
end up as a Mass Comm teacher ?

More of this on next blog    

Bohol's Jazz Duo: Gigi & Jun

Geraldine, the lead vocalist of Jazz Duo is an alluring chanteuse, a talented warbler and an explosive dynamite whose amazing vocal range and strong stage presence have been her trademark since she started in the live entertainment scene. 

Making up the other half of the celebrated duo is talented Jun whose proven virtuosity with the guitar and wizardry with the keyboard has brought him overseas including stints in cruise liners and first rate music lounges in five star hotels and resorts 

JAMMIN: L-R: Chrismael Caldo, Your Blogger, Geraldine & Jun during Mae & Bryan Bastes' Wedding 

Together, Geraldine and Jun never fail to dish out memorable performances that captivate and enthrall even the most discriminating audiences. 

They cater to almost all musical genres from Standards to Jazz, from Mainstream to Bossa Nova, from Reggae to RnB and to dance hits from the 70’s Disco Era and the 80’s 

The pair formed Jazz Duo early 2010 and had regular performing gigs at Cebu’s Plantation Bay Resort and in premier resorts in Bohol including the Bohol Beach Club 

at the Amore Visa Card Launching at Ayala Terraces, Cebu City

When asked for their most memorable gig since they started their partnership three years ago, they proudly narrated to us how during the Amore Visa Launching of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) last November 15, 2012 at Ayala Terraces, Cebu City and the Awarding & Recognition Program of Philippine National Bank Life where they were invited to provide the musical entertainment, they brought the house down and they were surprised and of course, absolutely thrilled with the appreciative guests’ clamor for an encore. 

The first time I saw them perform at a big wedding reception at one of the fabulous resorts here in Bohol, I was simply blown away especially with Geraldine’s unique interpretation of Astrud Gilberto’s pure unadulterated bossa nova classics. 

Jun’s passionate and magical guitar performance and rock star vocals sealed the deal for me. 

I have become a huge fan since then 

Presently, Jazz Duo is one of the most sought after in the live entertainment scene in Bohol especially during weddings, debuts, reunions and even in corporate affairs where their inimitable style and showmanship never fail to entertain. 

When asked what makes them click, both Geraldine and Jun chorused 

”You can never go wrong with a strong sense of professionalism, hard work, and excellent customer satisfaction” 

Cheers then to Jazz Duo as it continues to weave musical magic and rhythmic artistry

For Bookings, please contact them at 09274883658/09103342737

HERE'S AN INTERESTING TRIVIA: 

Did you know that during her younger days, Geraldine Bojo also known as Gigi was once a candidate for the most coveted beauty title in Bohol?

Yes folks, Gigi competed in the 1996 Miss Bohol Sandugo Pageant

She represented the Municipality of Bilar in the most prestigious beauty competition of the province where she emerged runner up to Lianne Reyes Canoy of Maribojoc.

Two days before the Coronation Night, a separate event was held for the Talent Competition. Her dazzling vocal stylings, stage presence and showmanship made her the unanimous choice for Miss Talent

That's me in the left photo as the pageant emcee with Geraldine Bojo- Obina, Miss Bohol Sandugo 1996 Runner Up and Miss Talent. The photo on the right was shot December 2012 or a difference of 16 years

Our 17 year old friendship started during the 1996 Miss Bohol Sandugo Pageant considered as the most controversial edition of the pageant but then, that is another story