AS EDSA People Power Commisioner for Music, Ogie Alcasid is now busy preparing for their concert “BaliKaBayani” that aims to raise funds for OFW’s who returned from Libya and are jobless now. This will be held at the Araneta Coliseum, 7:30 p.m., on Thursday, April 14, with tickets ranging from only P50 to P1,000.

“Para mas maraming manood,” he says.

Their list of guest performers from OPM (Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit), of which Ogie is the president,  is impressive: Lea Salonga, Noel Cabangon, Christian Bautista, The Company, Spongecola, Aegis, 6Cyclemind, Salamin, Jim Paredes and Buboy Garovillo, Mark Bautista, Dingdong Avanzado, Duncan Ramos, Faith Cuneta, Ryan Cayabyab Singers, Jamie Rivera, Juana Change (or Mae Paner), Gary Valenciano and Ogie himself who’ll be directing it.

“Marami pang madadagdag diyan so it’s really going to be a star-studded show,” he adds. “We’d like to thank the J. Amado Araneta Foundation as they donated the use of the Big Dome for free. Mga P800,000 din ang natipid namin doon.”

He doesn’t get any salary as commissioner. “Abonado  pa nga ako, but I’m enjoying it kahit wala akong kinikita. It gives a different kind of fulfilment.”

Is this in preparation for politics? “No, definitely not. I’m not cut out for that. Talagang I just love doing this kind of volunteer work. Sa OPM, we’re also holding a singing contest in cooperation with PAGCOR. 4,000 auditioned and we’ll choose 12 finalists who’ll undergo intensive training and seminars. We’ll have the finals on June 12. Next year, our project is for songwriters. We’ll start at the grassroots with Ryan Cayabyab training music teachers all over the country to teach songwriting and performing to their students. Then we’ll choose 17 finalists from the country’s 17 regions.”

Ogie and wife Regine also help the Kapuso Foundation with their Ukay-Ukay project at World Trade Center from April 15-17 where celebrities donate their unused clothes, bags, shoes to be sold at the bazaar. The earnings will be used to build 50 classrooms each year in poor barangays in the country. Film producer Mother Lily Monteverde already donated P1 million to this worthwhile cause.

Is it true wife Regine is now preggy? “No. Umaatake na naman ang migraines niya so I told her to rest muna. We’re supposed to visit my kids in Sydney sa Holy Week but di na siya sasama so she can rest. Babalik na lang ako agad dito in time for her birthday.”

GELLI RELUCTANT SHOWBIZ TALK SHOW HOST

GELLI De Belen was surprised when GMA News TV Channel 11 offered her to be one of the new hosts of “Tweetbiz Insiders. “Pinag-isipan ko munang mabuti kung tatanggapin ko,” she says. “Kasi artista rin ako, baka marami akong itatago. O baka marami akong makaaway na kapwa ko artista. But after a while, I decided to try it kaya tinanggap ko. Ngayon, I’m enjoying it kasi masaya ang mga kasama ko. Ang feeling ko, nagkukuwentuhan lang kami sa show at ang dami kong nalalamang bagong chismis from my co-hosts Lolit Solis and Tim Yap, and our reporters led by Gorgy Rula and Ronnie Carrasco. Actually, ako 'yung insider ng showbiz na puwede mo sabihing outsider sa show kasi madalas, di ko nasusundan 'yung latest issues na pinag-uusapan o kaya, when they show a newcomer, I ask, sino 'yan?”

So what has she got to offer in the show? “My candidness. Natutuwa nga ang mga kasama ko kasi makapal ang mukha ko in asking questions na di nila matanong sa guests namin. I did ‘Sis’ naman for 8 years kaya alam ko’ng limit ko as a host. But I also try to take the point of view ng mga kapwa ko artista as I believe there are always two sides of the story, para balanse.”

WHO ARE MM AND MJ?

TWO of the most popular members of the boy group XLR8 are twin brothers MJ (Mel John) and MM (Mel Mar) Magno who are now given their biggest break on TV as the roving co-hosts of Ali Sotto and Papa Jack in the new morning talk show, “Star Box”, that starts airing on Monday.

Born on Feb. 22, 1991 in Sta. Ana, they moved to Sta. Rosa when they were four. MJ is older by one minute. They auditioned with Kuya Germs at 16 and they were quickly hired as singer-dancers in “Walang Tulugan”. They were introduced as the Master Showman Twins. But MJ decided to go back to college, taking up architecture at MAPUA. MM became a part of ABS-CBN Star Ma-gic and performed in “ASAP.” When MM learned Viva Records is putting up a boy group, he convinced MJ to audition with him and both were taken to be part of XLR8. They gained a lot of fans in “Party Pilipinas.” How do they differ? “MM is more buff than me as he works out a lot,” says MJ. “Ako kasi, ang hilig ko is to write my own songs and I’m now slowly building my own music studio where I record my own songs. Some of the songs I wrote were included in the XLR8 album.”

Did they also audition for “Star Box”?  “No, it was just offered to us so we’re really thankful to GMA na kinuha kami.”

Does he have a girlfriend? “I’ve had three girlfriends before but as of now, pareho kami ni MM na walang girlfriend as we’re so busy, we just don’t have the time.”

YAYO TALKS ABOUT WILLIAM, BARON

YAYO Aguila and Dominic Ochoa play the parents in the youth oriented ABS-CBN show, “Good Vibes”, that airs tomorrow after “ASAP”. It seems only yesterday when Yayo was introduced by Viva as part of the new stars in “Bagets” in 1984 while Dominic was introduced by ABS in one of the first batches of their Star Circle discoveries.

“Ngayon, kami na ang magulang ng bagong stars,” says Yayo. “Kaya parang anak talaga ang tingin ko sa mga batang ito, led by Sam Concepcion and Enrique Gil. Masuwerte nga kaming adult members ng cast kasi magagaling silang mga artista kaya hindi kami nahihirapan sa set.’”

So how’s her hubby William Martinez after he had a stroke? “Okay na siya. Nag-taping na siya uli for a new show sa TV5.”

Are they still pursuing the acts of lasciviousness case against Baron Geisler? “Yes, our next hearing is in May. Nakakainis na nga sa sobrang tagal. Nakasama ko si Baron sa “PBB” and I’m happy nagpa-rehab siya. Napanood ko nga siyang ini-interview sa TV and I’m glad inamin na niya ang mga pagkukulang niya. At least, alam na ng tao na totoo 'yung ipinaglalaban ng anak ko. I’m really proud nga of my daughter Patrizha as she’s the one na unang nagreklamo about him and encouraged other women to speak up against him also. Sana, paglabas niya, magbago na talaga siya ng tuluyan at 'wag nang magkamali uli.”

As for Dominic Ochoa, he doesn’t mind playing father roles as he will soon be a dad himself. His wife is now four months pregnant. “Excited nga ako to be a father,” he says. “Natutuwa ako sa teeners na kasama namin  dito sa ‘Good Vibes’ kasi ang dami nilang fans. Tuwing taping, dumarating sa set na ang daming dalang pagkain kaya lagi kaming busog lahat. Aside from this, kasama rin ako taping   new teleserye,  ‘Kapalaran’.”

ALARMING TIMESLOT

THE people behind “Startalk” has reason to be alarmed. They’re often beaten in the ratings game by their rival. No  it’s not “Entertainment Live” of ABS-CBN that rates lower than them. The toprater in their slot is TV5’s “Sabado Sineplex”, full length Hollywood flicks translated into Tagalog. Last Saturday, “Startalk” got 3.7%; “E Live”, a measly 1.8% and “Sabado Sineplex,” featuring “Iron Man” got a high 5.2%. It’s good GMA is able to recover in the ratings game with the perennially well loved “Wish Ko Lang.” Their new primetime show, Marian Rivera’s horror-comedy “Spooky Nights Bampirella” is also a winner. It rated 11.4% against “Maalaala Mo Kaya” that got 9.3%.