'Bagong Mamahalin ng Bayan'

People's Journal
November 20, 2006

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Freehand
by Mario Bautista

THE Shaina Magdayao-Rayver Cruz love team is one of the most popular tandems today at ABS-CBN. They now topbill the new youth-oriented show, “Abt Ur Luv”, that replaces “Star Magic Presents” on Saturday afternoon at 5 p.m. Supporting them are 17 other young newcomers. “Mga bagong mamahalin ng bayan,” says Star Magic’s Rikka Dylim.

“Nakakatuwa nga kasi Ate ang tawag sa’kin ng younger ones like Empress Shuck and Zia Marquez, who are 14, and Lauren Young, who’s the youngest at 13,” says Shaina. “We play friends and neighbors in a compound of townhouses in La Brea, Fairview. In the story, I play a promdi na sad ang life kasi my mother died and my dad, a seaman, nawawala abroad. I go to Manila and live with my cousins, Empress and Carla Humphries. That’s where I meet Rayver. Noong una, magkaaway kami. May girlfriend na siya, si Denise Laurel. To make sure that all of us will be comfortable with each other, we had a two-day bonding workshop even before shooting started. That helped a lot para makilala namin ang isa’t isa and become friends.”

The eldest member of the gang is Victor Basa, who’s 21. The youngest boy is AJ Perez, who’s only 13. Denise is 19. Carla, Enchong Dee, Joaqui Mendoza, Mikki Arceo, and Dino Imperial are 18. 17 year olds are Shaina, Rayver, Aaron Agassi, Angelo Patrimonio. 16 year olds are Aldred Gatchalian, Valeen Montenegro, and Mike Lee. Aside from Empress and Zia, also 14 years old is Chris Gutierrez, Gloria Romero’s grandson who looks so much like his mom, Maritess Gutierrez.

These energetic and talented young stars will surely make your Saturday afternoons livelier.

Tag: Press