Guess who's singing on TV Saturday nights

Bus drivers, sidewalk vendors, informal settlers along the Pasig River and the bridges spanning it, as well as along the numerous creeks in the metro are definitely not glad to hear his voice doing a less-than-spirited version of the Rico Puno ditty “Macho Guwapito” on television.
Yet, the chairman of Metro Manila Development Authority, or more popularly known for its abbreviation MMDA, Bayani Fernando, is determined to stay longer than most of the other seven contestants (referred to by the GMA-7 production hands as “contenders,” as if they are in a boxing bout) that include President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s fashion designer, a former politician now full-time comedian and his half-sis ex-beauty queen and quondam runway model and occasional actress, a chef sans restaurant, a soccer player in England now on an indefinite leave, an ex-beauty queen without an international title, and a talk-show host-turned-wellness guru.
Fernando capped last Saturday’s premier episode, but definitely gave the show that much-needed boost for its ratings (it got a whopping 26.7 percentage points against the Kapamilya’s much touted top-rating Komiks (Varga) that mustered an admirable 21.7.
Celebrity Duets, folks, is back on GMA-7.
Regine Velasquez, still reeling with the success of Ako si Kim Samsoon on primetime weeknights, is back as host of the musical program with her beau (rather fiancé) singer-songwriter Ogie Alcasid.
Last Saturday’s introductory episode of Celebrity Duets gave the audience a preview of what to expect in the next 12 Saturdays beginning tomorrow.
No, there was no voting yet that happened last Saturday. The text votes will be accepted only after the show tomorrow night. So, if you have decided which among these eight you’d like to be the second Celebrity Duets grand winner (after Tessa Prieto-Valdes, last year’s winner), do start hoarding those pre-paid phone cards. But if you discover that outlets have run out of supplies, you’d know who to blame.
The eight “contenders” who each would have the chance to sing with a famous singer on the show are MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando, fashion designer JC Buendia, actor-politician Joey Marquez, supermodel-turned-actress Melanie Marquez, chef JL Cang, professional soccer player Phil Younghusband, beauty queen Carlene Aguilar, and lifestyle guru Cory Quirino.
This season’s panel of judges includes veteran concert and theater director Freddie Santos, renowned composer and arranger Danny Tan, and all-around social butterfly and Celebrity Duets’ first grand winner, Tessa Prieto-Valdes.
The opinion of these judges, each of whom are trying to pull the rug under the contenders by clowning around, won’t have any bearing at all on the potential of any of the contender to win. Remember that the winner will be determined by the number of text votes he or she accumulates after every show. The contender with the lowest vote will have no choice but to go home.
This is a contest that doesn’t focus on talent… Tessa Prieto-Valdes is the role model, if you’re not aware of it yet… but on audience impact. And if the performer can muster some gimmick or two during the performance, then that’s a plus.
Yet, it is more important that the contender is a member of a huge clan, or has a wide following… the more the better as the text votes are sure to come in.
The last one standing will not only be proclaimed as the grand winner but he or she will also have the chance to donate in whole or in part the one-million-peso grand prize to his or her designated charity.
Celebrity Duets promises to be even bigger and brighter with an added twist of originality to Fremantle’s version of the show. Catch it every Saturday after Pinoy Records only on GMA!