Kapuso's special 55th annniversary treat for regional press

As it was, GMA 7's special attention and warmth toward local press did not end with the Kapuso Weekend last May. The network giant flew a number of regional press people to the capital recently to take part in its grand 55th anniversary festivities.

It became a rare gathering cum bonding time of print media that came from the metropolises outside mega Manila: Cebu (this writer, Mimi Lijauco, Dodong Morallo and Orly Cajegas) Dagupan (Miraflor Vira), Davao (Dr. Gary Sicam, Nelson Bagaforo, Mrs. Marietta and Diana Siongco, and Amy Cabusao), Baguio (Malen Catajan and Tina Sales) and Iloilo (Francis Angelo, Vincent Alocada and Katherine Depol).

The regional media activities included an extensive tour of studios and sets of several of their top-rated programs - the inimitable "24 Oras," showbiz-oriented "S-Files," laugh-a-minute "Bahay Mo Ba 'To?" and the hard-to-miss, enchanting realm of "Encantadia." At the latter, the multi-million production which has its main, 1,900 square meter big set located within the six-hectare Mariwasa compound in Pasig City, we had free-roaming chitchats with Bobby Andrews, Cindy Kurleto, Iza Calzado and Polo Ravales, who interestingly was celebrating his birthday.

Lunch interviews with GMA 7 head honchos and celebrities such as chairman, president and CEO Atty. Felipe Gozon, executive vice-president and COO Jimmy Duavit, one of the pillars of the network's news and public affairs, Mike Enriquez, and other TV personalities like Susan Enriquez, Pia Archangel, Tonipet and Ivan Mayrina also took place.

The regional press also witnessed the theatrics-laden press conference of "Sugo" which introduced Cebuana Isabel Oli as the love interest of lead actor Richard Gutierrez and attended the jam-packed Sine Totoo, a half-day showing of award-winning episodes and documentaries of GMA's news and public affairs programs at SM Megamall.

But the highlight of the five-day Kapuso jaunt would have to be the 55th Anniversary held at the Aliw Theatre last June 25 that kicked off with the Oscars-like parade of celebrities, who alighted from luxury vehicles and marched down the red carpet; a cocktail party-cum-star gazing session much to our delight, and which culminated with a musical extravaganza and awarding of the first-ever Kapuso Viewers' Choice Awards, an all-out SMS promo that gave viewers the power to vote for their favorite GMA 7 artists in eight categories.

The tour was seamlessly facilitated by the corporate communications department headed by Butch Racquel.