JEDDAH — A group of Filipino television artists will be visiting the Kingdom next week as part of a three-nation Middle East tour being organized by Orbit Satellite TV.
Coming with top “Pinoy” showbiz personality German Moreno are John Nite and R&B “prince” Jay-R, with a surprise guest from GMA Entertainment Television.
Orbit, the leading Pay-TV provider in the Middle East, yesterday said the entertainers will be performing in Bahrain, Riyadh and Kuwait from May 10 to 13.
Moreno’s “Kapuso Tour” is just one of a series of activities being organized by Orbit to promote Pinoy Plus, a package containing programs of the Philippines’ No. 1 television network, GMA 7.
Moreno and company are from GMA 7, the archrival of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp., which operates The Filipino Channel (TFC), the only Filipino channel in the Middle East until early this year.
Moreno, also fondly called “Kuya Germs by his peers,” is considered an icon in the Philippine entertainment industry and known for the title of “Master Showman.”
Jay-R, known as the “Prince of R&B,” is expected to do a lot of singing and cheering during their forthcoming sortie.
The group will first stop in Bahrain, where a free admission show has been scheduled at the Marina Club on May 10, starting at 7 p.m.
Before the show, the artists are to meet with Ambassador Eduardo Maglaya and later with fans at the Orbit showrooms in Bahrain Mall and Radio Shack, SEEF Mall. Albert Gayo is in charge of organizing the event in Bahrain.
Ken Fortun, Orbit product manager, said the “Kapuso Tour” will move on to Riyadh on May 11 to perform at the Philippine Embassy.
Organized together with the United OFW Organization led by Frank Naval and Jun Nacion, the gathering will feature not just the GMA Pinoy TV artists but will also showcase some of the best Filipino talents now residing in Saudi Arabia, said Fortun.
The cultural event is under the direction of Bagong Bayani awardee Cesar Saavedra, with the participation of the Asosasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (APM).
Organizers of the event have asked the embassy’s support for the project, whose purpose is “ to bring Filipinos closer to home,” Orbit said in a press statement.
Moreno’s group hopes to meet with Ambassador-designate Antonio Villamor, Consul Germinia Usudan, Attaché Carmelita Hidalgo and other embassy officials.
From Riyadh, Moreno and company will travel to Kuwait to perform at the City Center and Marina Mall on May 12 .
They are to meet with Ambassador Ricardo Endaya. A press conference for GMA PinoyTV with the Kuwait press is being organized for May 13.
Fortun said the Kapuso Tour, while paying tribute to the Philippines’ “new heroes” in the Middle East, will also give those who are still unaware of what’s in store for them in Orbit’s Pinoy Plus package.
In addition to the four Filipino channels, including GMA Pinoy TV and GMA-DZBB, Pinoy Plus also offers ESPN, Cartoon Network, the Disney Channel, Animal Planet, CNN and MGM.
“Orbit will also be including 24-hours of NBA (basketball) action as as part of the Pinoy Plus entertainment package,” Fortun said.
