Piolo Pascual Co-produces Manila Film

Piolo Pascual ventures into movie production as he co-produces a new movie coming out this year.

Piolo is co-producing the film along with a group of businessmen. He is also starring in the movie, which is titled Manila and is a twinbill of two different stories inspired by two classic movies directed by the late masters of Philippine cinema -- Lino Brocka's Jaguar (1979) and Ishmael Bernal's City After Dark (1980).

In the urban jungle movie, Piolo will be joined by Rosanna Roces and Jodi Sta. Maria for the City After Dark-inspired film (to be directed by Raya Martin) and with Jay Manalo, Alessandra de Rossi, Anita Linda, and Jiro Manio for the Jaguar-inspired film (to be directed by Adolf Alix Jr.).

The two-in-one movie is set to be released for showing before the year's end.

Piolo Pascual Look-a-Like

Apparently, Piolo Pascual, perhaps the most popular Filipino actor of today, has a fairly close look-a-like. His name is Rico Lazaro.

He played as Piolo Pascual's double in the indie film Chopsuey. Rico Lazaro admits that his resemblance to the actor is his main ticket to showbiz.

Rico Lazaro was also one of the contestants in the first ever Mister Philippines competition which was held at Palacio de Maynila in Roxas Blvd. It was at that event that Rico was "discovered" for his somewhat close resemblance to Piolo.

Piolo First Filipino Invited to Paris Film Festival

Piolo Pascual's era in showbiz has not yet ended. In fact, things just keep getting better and better for Mr. Pascual. Recently, he was selected as the first Filipino to attend the Paris Cinema International Film Festival.

Piolo joins the likes of Juliette Binoche, Orlando Bloom, Jackie Chan, Johnny Depp, Jean Rochefort, Tim Roth, Oliver Stone, and Robin Wright Penn, who are sikat international celebrities who have been invited to the film festival in the past.

Apparently, this year, after honoring South Korea in 2006 and Lebanon in 2007, the Paris Cinema IFF will be honoring the Philippines. And along with Piolo Pacual, Sharon Cuneta will also be attending the event, in connection with her recent film "Caregiver."

New Smart Buddy Commercial: Piolo, Angel, Kim, Gerald

Smart Buddy has just released its new "Me na Me" tv commercial featuring former endorser Angel Locsin and its new endorsers Gerald Anderson, Kim Chiu, and Piolo Pascual.

Jay Contreras, lead vocalist of the popular Pinoy rock band Kamikazee, is also in the commercial.

View the 60 second-long SMART Buddy ad below:

Laban o Bawi? Bawi Daw; Lolit Retracts Piolo-Sam Statements

Lolit Solis has always been controversial in the past, most notably from the 1994 Manila Awards Festival Scandal with Gabby Concepcion and Ruffa Guttierez taking the brunt of her conniving. Today, Lolit remains a talent manager and also a columnist.

Recently she got into a rut with her "Sofitel eyewitness account," when she apparently wrote some false statements in her column regarding popular actors Piolo Pascual and Sam Milby. She reported that she saw the two whispering to each other at the poolside of Sofitel Hotel on October 12, 2007. Promptly afterwards, Piolo and Sam replied with a P12- million libel case.

After seven months, Lolit seemed to scream "Bawi!" and longer "Laban!" as she retracted her statements in the article, saying, "There's no factual basis on my article which came out. I am extremely sorry for dragging the names of Sam Milby and Piolo Pascual. I am sorry for the hurt and embarrassment I've caused."

Indeed she is, especially after envisioning herself in jail, which may have been the result if she had been more stubborn. But the old lady seemed to not be so hard-headed, to the delight of Born-Again Christians Piolo and Sam.

Piolo and Sam apparently didn't want to see the 61-year old taken off to jail, as Piolo was also reminded that his mother was around the same age.

Apparently relieved, Lolit said, "Thankful ako, kasi ilang beses na akong nakagawa ng kasalanan, e. Ilang beses na akong nakagawa ng pagkakamali. Pero every time na nakakagawa ako ng pagkakamali, may mga taong sumusuporta sa akin. May mga taong nasa likod ko, pinapalakas ang loob ko.

"Akala ko noon, wala na ako pagkatapos ng scam. And yet, dahil sa suporta ng mga alaga ko, mga tao sa industriya na naging kaibigan ko, nalagpasan ko 'yon. 'Eto rin, napansin ko, nagkaroon ng polarizing. May naniniwala kay Piolo at Sam, may naniniwala sa akin. Pero in the end, ang mahalaga, sabi ko nga, may mga laban na ipaglalaban mo nang patayan. Pero may mga laban na, bakit ko ba ipinaglalaban 'to wala namang kakuwenta-kuwenta?"

"At 61 years old, sabi nga ni Joey [de Leon], parang hindi na bagay na pumpunta ako sa mga hotel. Nangangako ako, hindi na ako papasok ng hotel!" she ended in jest.

Good idea.