Last week, “ASAP in Honolulu” created buzz online as our social media feeds were flooded with photos and video updates from Kapamilya stars who flew all the way to Hawaii. The country’s longest-running musical variety show reached out to our kababayans abroad with the help of ABS-CBN Global (TFC, The Filipino Channel). The touring Kapamilya team and Foundation officers reached out to the community in the City of Honolulu.
From left, ABS-CBN Foundation International (AFI) Managing Director Jerry Bennett, ABS-CBN North and Latin America (NOLA) Head of Operations and Retail Kerwin Du, NOLA Head of Sales & Distribution Ray Olano, NOLA Managing Director Jun Del Rosario, Hawaii Governor David Ige, ASAP cast member and first TFC goodwill ambassador Martin Nievera, ALFKI Managing Director Susan Afan, concurrent Global and NOLA Head of Corporate Affairs & PR Nerissa Fernandez, AFI Head of Operations Alma Magsombol and AFI Head of Administration Issa Gelasio. (Photo by Sthanlee Mirador/Star Studio)
Interesting to note from both officials is their acknowledgement of Filipinos as the largest Asian group in the Hawaii state and second largest in the City of Honolulu. One of every four Hawaiians is Filipino. Hawaii is the only state to have Asians as its largest ethnic group, making the Aloha state a majority-minority state. Governor Ige and Consul General Jimeno exhorted the team to celebrate and share Filipino culture and values, to come together as a community and make an impact to fellow Filipinos and those in the communities they live in.
From left, Nerissa Fernandez, Issa Gelasio, Tessie Canilao and Mina Bautista of the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, concurrent ABS-CBN Global Head of Theatricals and NOLA Head of Production John-D Lazatin, concurrent ABS-CBN Global Head of Events and NOLA Head of Events, Ad Sales & Trade Marketing Ricky Resurreccion, Consul Joyleen Santos, Jerry Bennett, Susan Afan, Consul General Joselito A. Jimeno, NOLA Managing Director Jun Del Rosario, ASAP celebrity and cast representative Randy Santiago, Alma Magsombol, Ray Olano, Kerwin Du and Alvin Afan. (Photo by Jeffrey De Mesa/Philippine Consulate General Honolulu)
Both officials were also invited by ABS-CBN Foundation Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc. (ALFKI) Managing Director Susan Afan to visit ABS-CBN’s Bantay Kalikasan (Nature Watch) sites the Philippines: to Governor Ige as part of their common advocacy for ecotourism, and to Consul General Jimeno as part of the annual Ambassador’s Tour, a flagship tourism and business opportunities project of all Philippine Foreign Service Posts in the U.S.
“In Hawaii, we hang loose.” ABS-CBN and Philippine Consulate officers do the shaka, thumbs up and peace signs. (Photo by Sonny Martinez)
Meanwhile, ASAP stars were enthusiastically welcomed by fans at the airport, by local radio stations that they visited, and had fun in some Hawaiian tourist destinations.
At KNDI Radio 1270 AM are Zsa Zsa Padilla and Ogie Alcasid with Bryan Munoz, Edna Butay, Amelia Cabatu and Mary Cordero. (Photo by Pam Castillo/TFC Live)At Pinoy Power Radio KPRP 650 AM are Inigo Pascual, Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber with Israel Savellano, Emmie Ortega Anderson and Mori Antonio. (Photo by Pam Castillo/TFC Live)Fans greet Kim Chiu at the Honolulu airport. (Photo by Maile Llaneza/TFC Live)Maja Salvador surrounded by fans upon arrival at the Honolulu airport. (Photo by Alvin Gomez/TFC Live)From left are Edward Barber, Maymay Entrata, Yeng Constantino, Kyla, KZ Tandingan and Morissette. (Photo by Olivia Zarate/ASAP)From left, concurrent ABS-CBN Global and NOLA Head of Corporate Affairs & PR Nerissa Fernandez, ABS-CBN Foundation International Managing Director Jerry Bennett and Chief Development Officer Jennifer Oyer of The Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division at the latter’s office where areas of global partnerships were explored by both parties. (Photo courtesy of The Salvation Army)
