22
filipino globe
community
May 2008
Quarterly winner bags personal computer, qualifies for grand raffle draw
A lucky customer has won the first weekly draws for customers who prize. At stake is a loan waiver meeting their financial needs,” it
personal computer put up for grabs have successfully applied for its worth up to $15,000. said.
in the Prime Credit quarterly raffle loan products. Prime Credit, one of the market For more details about the lucky
draw. The promotion runs from April 1 leaders in providing financial draw promotion, customers can call
Allan V Retxx also bagged $300 to June 30. services, said it will continue to 2810 0255 or send an SMS to 9169
worth of cargo-fee credits and All eligible customers, including offer unsurpassed privileges and 9389.
became eligible for the grand lucky the previous six lucky draw benefits to customers. One local SMS will be charged
draw. winners, are entitled to enter the “This is in line with our quest to for each transmission by the mobile
Prime Credit holds seven bi- final round and vie for the grand deliver the best service possible in phone network service provider.
Victor Neri
gets rockin’
and dealin’ in
Hong Kong
Former movie star mixes business with music in a
dream career that is attracting an entirely new breed
of Filipino followers, as Gabby Alvarado reports
A
ction star. Hunk. Award on a conference table in his business
winner. Victor Neri is all suit.
these things to the Filipino He is now a consultant and
moviegoer – until one discovers that endorser for One Finanz, whose chief
he also R-O-C-K-S. executive is a longtime friend and
Victor is currently the drummer of former business partner of his dad.
the Hong Kong-based multicultural “Iba ang buhay sa movies, sa
rock band Gong Wu. James Li Xu entertainment. Lahat ibinibigay sa
By day, Victor
– half-British, half-Chinese – is the iyo. People work for you. Then you
Neri is a
group’s lead vocalist with Korean Joe enter an office setting like this and
workaholic
Choi on guitar and Gavin Ho on bass you work with people,” he says.
corporate man
as a replacement for Peter Gardiner. And then there’s Gong Wu, whose
as a consultant
“Nakilala ko sila sa gimik-gimik,” members had no idea Victor was a
at a Filipino-
says Victor, the star of such films as movie star back home until they saw
owned financial
Notoryus and Ex-Con. Filipinos staring at him whenever
services
“Lahat kami may trabaho dito. they went out as a group.
company. By
So we meet for practice after work “May cultural clashes din,” he says
night, and
during his
once or twice a week. Matagal nang of his band mates.
free time, he
tumutugtog lahat. Everyone is into “Pero merong common language of
is a member
arranging and composing songs.” expression which is English and, of
of the Hong
Gong Wu had a well-received first course, the music. Ang kagandahan
Kong-based
gig at the Fringe Club last March. dito we are all adults. Matatanda na
multicultural
That was followed by performances kami para intindihin pa ang away.
rock band
at Club Cixi and The Wanch early Sabi ko nga sa kanila nung pagpasok
Gong Wu.
this month. ko, pantay-pantay lang kami. Pag
Raw metal rock, that’s how the meron sa kanila na ang tingin mas
band describe their music. magaling, aalis ako.”
If I come back,
Victor, 31, has been working with Victor had released a self-titled
the offshore investment firm One album when he was 17 but his
I want to go into
It’s business as usual
Finanz for nearly a year. Rather interest in drums – and jazz, not rock
directing more.
An actor needs to be a chameleon. guest at Sunday gatherings of
than join established Filipino bands – started when he was eight.
He must be able to take on Filipino associations, has been
here, the showbiz veteran settled His father was a drummer too and Right now I’m
different roles. And so it is with invited to openings of basketball
Victor Neri, the corporate man. tournaments and has sat as one
in comfortably with Gong Wu, for their Alabang home had a drum set.
whom music is mostly for fun and He does not rule out a return to
concentrating
The former teen idol, action hero of the judges of Smartone’s Miss
and arch-villain of the TV fantasy Barkadahan beauty pageant.
not a career. the Filipino entertainment industry
more on concepts
series Panday holds a regular job “Very warm and welcoming ang
Once a mainstay of the youth- – but he prefers staying behind the
at Wanchai-based One Finanz as mga Filipino dito. Para ka din nasa
oriented program Ang TV, Victor camera, just like ABS-CBN bigwig
and writing consultant and endorser of the Pilipinas. Pag naiinip ako minsan,
metamorphosed into a mature Johnny Manahan, the creator of Ang
character actor by the late 1990s. He TV. Manahan provided a grown-up
scripts
company’s Suweldo Protektado nagpupunta lang ako sa World-
insurance scheme for Hong Kong Wide,” he says.
took home the Best Supporting Actor Victor valuable training on being a OFWs. He also had no trouble adjusting
trophy in the 2003 Metro Manila director and doing production work.
VICTOR NERI Unknown to most, Victor, to life at One Finanz because while
Film Festival for his portrayal of an Given a chance, Victor would like
On a potential movie comeback whose family once owned a it is a Hong Kong company, he
activist in the Joel Lamangan film to direct in a project Jericho Rosales
brokerage firm, holds a degree in points out, “it is run by Filipinos.”
Filipinas. and Mylene Dizon, both ABS-CBN
liberal arts and political science Victor also relishes the fast-
Hungry for fresh challenges, Victor contemporaries.
from the University of Asia and paced life in the territory.
decided that same year to concentrate “If I come back, I want to go
Pacific. He plans to go back to “Isang taon pa lang ako dito,
on a life geared toward the corporate into directing more. Right now I’m
school in September with an eye parang ang bilis ng oras. Parang
world. concentrating more on concepts and
on acquiring a diploma in legal everybody is always in a rush. Para
studies. siyang New York.
By 2005 he was as comfortable writing scripts,” Victor says.
In Hong Kong, Victor has “Ayoko kasi ng relaxed. I’m a
appearing in popular tele-seryes like “Di ko pa rin maiwan fully ang
immersed himself quickly in work workaholic. Mas nae-energize ako
Panday and Bakekang as he is sitting movies. Nasa dugo ko na.”
and an OFW’s life. He is often a pag may pressure.” G Alvarado
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