By Ronald Constantino
UNOFFICIAL BUT – Many years back, then Councilor Dingdong Avanzado introduced a resolution naming Quezon City the City of Stars. The late lamented German “Kuya Germs” Moreno was the prime mover of the resolution. The QC council passed it, but it was, for one reason or the other, not officially proclaimed.
Even if unofficial, Quezon City is, in fact, the City of Stars.
Consider: The two biggest networks, GMA and ABS-CBN, are in QC, very near each other. Within the ABS-CBN compound are Star Cinema and Star Music.
Also in QC are the government station, PTV, and two sequestered channels, RPN and IBC.
PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association), the country’s premier stage group, is also in QC.
Ditto Mowelfund, Film Academy of the Philippines, Regal Studio, Araneta Coliseum, where local and international stars hold concerts, and where boxing bouts are mounted. Remember the “Thrilla in Manila?”
Newest venue for concerts and plays is the Kia Theater.
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MALLS, MALLS, MALLS – Nearly half of all cinema houses in Metro Manila are inside malls in Quezon City.
SM North, Sta. Mesa, Fairview, Tandang Sora, Novaliches, Gateway, and Ali Malls, UP Town Center, Fisher Mall, Ayala Terraces, Trinoma, Vertis North, Eastwood, Robinson Novaliches.
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OFFICIALS – The mayor of QC is an actor, Herbert Bautista. Also the congressman of its 5thdistrict, Alfred Vargas.
White Plains is home to Senate President Tito Sotto and Helen Gamboa, Lorna Tolentino, Caridad Sanchez, Eddie Gutierrez and Annabelle Rama.
Charo Santos lives in La Vista. In nearby villages reside Jericho Rosales, Claudine Barretto, Randy Santiago, Yayo Aguila, Willie Revillame, Albert Martinez, Grace Poe, Cesar Montano, Joey de Leon, Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson, Carlo Aquino, Maja Salvador, Coco Martin.
