I LOVE McLisse—both the loveteam and their fans.
McLisse is the mash-up of the names of McCoy de Leon and Elisse Joson. They met in the Pinoy Big Brother house and that’s when their love story blossomed. People couldn’t get enough of how cute they are as a couple. Elisse was nursing a broken heart then and McCoy inadvertently fell under her spell. Why not? Elisse is charming. She also has one damn pretty face. Meanwhile, McCoy is one of the members of the popular Hashtags. Girls and gays adore him because he has one handsome face, but what makes him über-hot is that he is the last person on earth to know that he’s good-looking.
McCoy and Elisse are always smiling. I have a feeling that even if I pull their hair, they’ll just flash me their pearly whites and go on as if nothing happened. McCoy and Elisse are good together. They are really today’s cutest couple in the industry. But what I admire most of the two is that this loveteam is one of the most hardworking in showbiz nowadays. I worked with them recently on a project and even though both only had two hours of sleep that day, they carried on with nary a complaint. In fact, both were very grateful and gracious for the project, and I really love them for that. Unlike other stars who think it’s my privilege to work with them. As if.
Meanwhile, their avid supporters are also called McLisse. As in they proudly say, “McLisse ako!” the same way one says, “Pilipino ako!” or “Pinoy ako!”. It’s already a part of their identity and they’re damn proud of it. I love them too because they love the McLisse with so much gusto. The Mclisse supporters are numerous that when they were mobilized on Twitter to trend a certain hashtag, they made sure it zoomed to the top position. They are also passionate toward McLisse that if McCoy or Elisse decides to run for president tomorrow, they will win in a landslide. I love the McLisse because they love McLisse!
So, to McLisse, the tandem and their supporters, keep on spreading the love.
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Rocky Gathercole’s client list looks like a gay’s wet dream: Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Beyonce, among others. Why not? He caught their eye with his cutting-edge, avant-garde designs.
But beyond the glamour of Hollywood, Rocky has an inspiring story. In fact, his life story was featured recently in ABS-CBN’s Maalaala Mo Kaya. Abused by his father and abandoned by his mother, Rocky lived in the streets of Lawton until he found a job as a waiter. He then went to the Middle East and worked as an apprentice in a dress shop. Eventually, he made it to the US, where he got to work with top designers and created gowns for celebrities.
The designer’s experience as a young boy inspired him to champion the advocacy of Bantay Bata 163 via a fashion show and fund-raising dinner, which will happen on August 12 at the Philippine International Convention Center. The fund-raising dinner is presented by Metro Society and Lifestyle Channel, and copresented by Okada Manila, Pass It Forward and the Quezon City government.
According to Rocky, his other celebrity friends, like Dennis Quaid, Thalia, Ashanti, Akon, Ceelo Green and Jennifer Lopez have pledged to help his cause one way or another.
The fashion show cum fund-raising dinner will be a testament of the colorful life of Rocky and a statement that child abuse must be stopped. It’s also an invitation for more people to support the cause of Bantay Bata 163, a flagship program of ABS-CBN’s Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation.
For those who do not know, the Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation’s Bantay Bata 163 has been doing beyond rescue, scholarship and outreach services, as it responds to the alarming issue of online sexual exploitation in the country, especially in the area where poverty is evident.
Now on its 20th year, the Filipinos’ go-to hotline to report child abuse is taking a step forward in the fight against online sexual exploitation of children, through upgrading the 163 hotline and increasing it online presence to ensure the safety of children, amid cases of cyberbullying and child pornography in the country. Moreover, it will also conduct a rehabilitation of the Children’s Village and initiate workshops and trainings to reinforce skills and introduce new techniques toward becoming better parents.
According to United Nations Children’s Fund, 8 out of every 10 Filipino children and adolescents are in danger of being sexually abused online, making the Philippines one of the hotspots for online child-sexual abuse. Through the fund-raising dinner, Bantay Bata hopes to continue to protect and save more children from child abuse.
For inquiries, call 411-0856.