FIL'N IT UP WITH MiG mini-diary
November 2013
Now that MiG has completed his run with ROCK OF AGES - MANILA, he returns to the Philippines to co-host FIL IT UP, a two part travel show featuring the Philippines top vacation destinations, seen through the eyes of Sophie Sumner and MiG. In the upcoming weeks this new page on mig-music will be updated with pictures, video, mini-diary entries, as well as other mig-music exclusives. In the meantime, check out the FIL IT UP press articles/videos below...
FIL IT UP
FIL IT UP, a two part travel show featuring the Philippines top vacation destinations, seen through the eyes of Sophie Sumner and MiG.
Part 1, Sophie Sumner, Touring the Philippines One Fashion Find at a Time. Weekly episodes will unravel Sophie’s journey as she immerses herself in the culture and synergy of people and their sense of style.
Halfway through the season, Sophie Sumner will rendezvous with MiG to kickstart Part 2, a new journey featuring MiG.
Part 2, in a compelling fusion of the travel and music, join MiG as he traces his Filipino roots through the sites and sounds that abound the Philippine archipelago. FIL IT UP will show MiG rocking it out at the hottest entertainment spots, jamming with homegrown talents, enjoying the fiesta beats and even the natural symphony of different offbeat destinations. Your ultimate guide to the most happening scenes, places and people, as experienced by MiG.
*FIL IT UP to air on Saturdays beginning Saturday 31 January 2015, 9.45pm to 10.15pm (PHT), on GMA News TV... Stay tuned to mig-music for updates on international air date/time/station...
FIL IT UP trailer
FIL'N IT UP WITH MiG mini-diary sneak peek's
23 January 2014 Ok, I hope you can stay with me for this entry as it’s going to be a doozy. This one will span a couple of weeks as I have been all over the Philippines yet again…and should be in New York right now if it wasn’t for the fact that all flights to NYC have been cancelled due to the Arctic Vortex that has again hit the city, so I am still in Manila for a few more nights. This year of 2014 has already been an incredible one with all the traveling I have done.
First of all I flew to Bohol. A place that was devastated by earthquakes and then ravaged by typhoons. It was a jewel in the crown for the Philippines, but now it is in much need of love and attention to help rebuild itself to its formal glory. There is still so much to see and do there, and I hope we can bring much needed focus to its journey to redemption. Spending the last hours of 2013 on a raft off the coast of Bohol was absolutely breathtaking. Many thanks to all at the magnificent ANANYANA Resort for their wonderful hospitality!
Weather delayed us from getting to our next destination which was Cagayan De Oro, so we went straight to the beautiful island of Camiguin. This place was awesome in so many ways, and even the little islands around the main one was so worth exploring. From the White Island (literally a white sand bank sticking out of a very blue ocean!) to the idyllic paradise of Montigue Island, there was never a dull moment. From gasping at the utter beauty and serenity to scuba diving with giant sea turtles, and jamming with the governor of the island, I will never forget my time there.
Then we went to Cagayan De Oro, where I do believe I had the most unexpected yet uplifting musical inspiration of the trip so far, hanging out with a band consisting of 6 tribes, I brought my rock influence to their party, yet found myself totally enthralled and immersed in what they were playing. Their voices haunted me, their rhythms moved me and their spirituality captivated me. I wanted to become the 7th tribe, but ended up just being a fan!
And then we find ourselves in the legendary Boracay Island! There is so much expectation about this place, it being heralded around the world as one of the most beautiful beaches on Earth…and it did not disappoint! From the powdery white sand and bright blue crystal clear waters, an endless array of restaurants and nightlife as well as pristine havens, Boracay earns its reputation every single visit! I have visited this place before, but it never gets old! I manned up on the first day there and found myself jumping off 60 foot cliffs at Ariel’s Point, sailing across the Pacific at sunset, and even jamming on the beach with new found friends from Poland to Moscow to San Francisco. It’s such a feel-good vibe as soon as you land. No wonder some people decide to NEVER leave! I also was so blessed to have my brother and his two sons their too! Much family time!!
And then we went to Cebu…to Oslob. Just when I thought I had seen it all, done it all, I get to do this:
Yes, that’s me, MiG swimming with giant whale sharks! So much for my chronic fear of sharks. This totally blew my mind!! Such gentle, peaceful giants that made me jump when I saw their size but they were so playful, my fear turned into pure joy and awe. Oslob is one of the few places in the world that you can interact so freely with these amazing creatures. Words fail me…It was life-changing.
So as I’m waiting for the snow to stop and JFK to re-open, I recover from my adventures with PHIL IT UP. My filming here is over. It’s time to piece together this incredible adventure and present the world what we have witnessed. I’m sure you will agree with me how spectacular the Philippines is. It is where I was born, where I started, where I come from and the more I discovered my homeland, the more I discovered me.
28 December 2013 I trust you all had a wonderful Christmas season! I am waiting at Heathrow to board my PAL flight back to Manila for more PHIL IT UP madness!! So much to do, but I so loved spending my time in London, and Pentyrch, Wales. But hi ho... Off to work I go! 16 hour straight flight back to Paradise. Not a bad way to commute!
On a foggy joggy morning on top of The Garth in Pentyrch, Wales
21 December 2013 As I am here in London, the theatre community here is still reeling over the incident at the Apollo Theatre, where the roof caved in, bringing down the balcony. My thoughts go out to the injured, wishing them a complete and speedy recovery. In the meantime, I have posted more behind-the-scenes pics in the PHIL IT UP gallery, so you can see what I’ve been up to recently. I am scheduled to return to the Philippines for more filming after Christmas. It’s getting pretty close to the big day, and I hope you are all getting into the spirit. I am sorry to those in the UK that would have liked to have caught up with me, but as I am editing PHIL IT UP at every opportunity, I am so totally fighting the clock with a deadline. I hope you can understand and that I can catch up with you next time! I just hope you do not forget those less fortunate than yourselves, and remember that the Philippine Red Cross still need urgent funds to continue to take care of the devastated families affected by Typhoon Yolanda. All those who need your help, please keep them in your thoughts and prayers… xxx
10 December 2013 We shot the opening sequence for PHIL IT UP at RSVP studios in Parañaque, Manila, and I was really quite excited to see this show becoming more and more a reality! It truly feels like we are getting things together for the show. Everything we do gets more and more exciting. But we are taking a break from the shooting schedule for a few weeks, from now until after Christmas. So I boarded a Philippine Airlines 16 hour direct flight to London, and l landed just in time to get myself into town to watch Lucie Jones in the new musical, AMERICAN PSYCHO. What an amazing show! A brilliant production of a genius new work, with an awesome cast. I would be very surprised if this show does not get a full and successful run on the West End, and should even transfer to Broadway. I loved it. SO proud of my Lucie Jones!! I will miss all my new friends in the Philippines, but I am thrilled to be here in London for Christmas. So much more to do for PHIL IT UP, but for now I'm going to take a much needed break...
MiG shooting for PHIL IT UP
A PAL Big Bird
THE FILIPINO MAFIA!
5 December 2013 Today we pay respects to a true legend, an international hero, a symbol of triumph of the human spirit and an ambassador of peace and freedom. We say goodbye to Nelson Mandela. He will never be forgotten and always revered. May he rest in peace.
MiG and friend @ San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Old Manila
3 December 2013 I'm here at the rehearsals for a charity event at Resorts World, Manila called 'KAMI NAMAN ANG TAYA' (translates to "it's our turn"), to raise money for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda. I'll be singing with some top class Filipino talent, including the newest Filipino star, the winner of THE VOICE of the Philippines MITOY. It promises to be a very emotional yet beautiful night. I hope we can raise a lot of money. But the real stars of the show will be the 100 survivors who will be on stage with us throughout the concert. Most of them have lost everything. It's time to rebuild. It's our turn.
MiG with Mitoy, THE VOICE of the PhilippinesMiG with Mitoy, THE VOICE of the Philippines
2 December 2013 Just came back from a weekend on Mindoro Island. Oriental Mindoro, to be precise. It was an adventure which I will never forget, and almost didn’t survive. As we sailed into Puerto Galera, I marveled at the beauty of this majestic island of such diversity. From the pristine beaches to the rugged mountain ranges, the beauty and simplicity of life here is overwhelming. I witnessed a cock-fight which is something I do not wish to witness again, in the same way seeing a bull-fight in Spain would have me going once, but only once. It’s an age-old Filipino tradition, and not for me to judge, but to accept. Yet immersing myself in the culture of the place, I felt compelled to try everything on offer. Which brought us to the Arigoy River to try white water kayaking. Now, I have been white water rafting in Taupo, New Zealand before, and canoed over a 10 metre waterfall, so looking at this river, I thought it would be a snap. Yet when it comes to the forces of nature, one must never underestimate our mortal limitations. In a group of 5 kayaks, 4 of us hit a point where we were thrown out of our boats. However, for some reason, I was carried away further than most, hit some big rocks on the way and dragged under and further than anybody else. I found myself, missing the safety ropes thrown at me, and continued to be carried away and under by the torrent. There was actually a point where I thought to myself, that this could be it. This could be my last moment, and this is how I end my journey, after being thrashed against rock after rock and dragged under again and again. It was not until the river calmed down, that I could actually swim to shore. Exhausted, bruised, cut and slightly in a bit of shock, I suddenly found myself surrounded by my minders and rescuers, who had frantically run over jagged rocks and cliffs to come to my aid. I was unlucky yet very lucky to tell the tale, and a little embarrassed about how much of a commotion I made. When we got to home base, there were ambulances, rescue trucks, police and even the Mayor Marvic Feraren had come to make sure that I was OK. I even received a call from a distressed Governor Alfonso Umali. It was an adventure, and a triumph and a reminder of how fragile we all are. As we remember Paul Walker today, (one of my favourite actors, may he rest...) we must never take our life for granted. I am lucky to be here to tell the story. Live each day as though it was the last. My time is definitely not up yet!!
MiG with the Mayor of San Teodoro, Marvic Feraren and the Oriental Mindoro Police, Ambulance and Rescue Squad
28 November 2013 So as Thanksgiving comes and goes, there is so much to be thankful for. Even here in the Philippines, after all the heartache with Typhoon Yolanda, people here are still counting their blessings. It reminds me never to stop appreciating what we have. I have been very blessed in so many ways and I thank you all for your support and love. You PHIL me up with love...x
25 November 2013 So we're back on location in Tagaytay, after an exhaustive post-production process. Just rode my first Jeepney ride to oblivion, and jammed with some of the local kids at the Mahogany Markets. Needing a strong Kapeng Barako coffee right now... #philitup #itsmorefuninthephilippines
21 November 2013 We are having some time off shooting while we put together the pilot for the show. I have spent days now in front of the computer, rendering the massive video and audio files and turning them into a cohesive narrative. There is so much footage to sift through, I feel like I am never going to get out of this room alive! But I am loving the whole post-production process and am like a pig-in-poo in the studio. After having a close-encounter with a python, and staring down the eye of a tiger, anything just seems a little strange after my incredible Filipino adventures. The cool thing is, we have still so much to do! This beast is growing day by day…it has become bigger than anyone of us expected.
MiG off the coast of Anilao, Batangas, about to do some Filipino Scuba Diving
17 November 2013 The city of Vigan, Ilocos Sur is so charming...like an old Spanish town that time forgot and has preserved its awesomeness. Just about to cruise the Mestizo River. A real Jungle Cruise. Disneyland got nothing on this!! #philitup #itsmorefuninthephilippines
MiG on the Mestizo River
Calle Crisologo in Vigan City
MiG selfie at the Church of Paoay, Ilocos Norte, Philippines
15 November 2013 After an amazing day in Anilau, we took an EARLY flight to Laoag, gateway to Ilocos Norte, in northern Luzon Island, Philippines. It's a perfect day, with so much on the agenda today to cover. Getting a chance to visit parts of the country I never even knew existed. This gig gets better and better!!!! #philitup
15 November 2013 Diving in Anilau, Batangas was sublime today! Probably the best dive in my life!! The visibility was endless in the warm, clear blue waters, with such an intense bio-diversity of sea wildlife and coral. My dive master John Dizon and dive buddies Miles Roces and Penny Punla made sure I made the most of my experience, all the way down to 80 feet deep. I have sunburnt knees, but apart from that am leaving Batangas full of beautiful memories. I am still swimming in the after-glow...
12 November 2013 Today I am starting the editing process for PHIL IT UP. Starting to put together all the shots from all the locations is going to be challenging but what we have filmed so far has me SO excited about this project. Yesterday we shot in BATANGAS and I immersed myself totally in the coffee culture of that province...LITERALLY! You'll see what I mean when you see the show. All is going well and we are progressing well. We may have to extend the shoot as there is just so much to see and do here in the Philippines. The people here are so full of love and warmth. I am so proud to be a Filipino...x
MiG at THE FARM, in San Benito, Batangas, Philippines
10 November 2013 As the clean up begins after Typhoon Yolanda, the true tragedy is beginning to unfold. They estimate over 10,000 casualties, with the entire island of Leyte in ruins. Not one building survived the 300km+ winds, with hundreds of thousands of people becoming homeless, losing everything, let alone loved ones. This is a disaster of biblical proportions, and the Philippines has been hit hard. Really hard. But it won't break them. They survived centuries of occupation and persecution, and savage storms and earthquakes. The Filipino spirit will triumph I'm sure, and they will move on, but for now, they bleed. Charities have been set up and may I please point out these in particular:
Show you care about the Philippines’ Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) victims by donating to the Calamity Assistance and Relief Endeavors program (CARE) of Feed The Hungry Philippines http://feedthehungryphil.org/appeal-for-super-typhoon-yolanda-victims
You can also donate to UNICEF at http://unicef.org
Thank you for the love and concern and all the well-wishes. We are totally untouched by the storm here in Manila. It's business as usual here as we head off to the province of RIZAL to continue filming for PHIL IT UP.
As it's Remembrance Day all over the world, let's not forget those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. But also please do not forget the Philippines...
8 November 2013 As Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan ravages the Philippines, we can only hope and pray that it passes quickly and that no more casualties will arise. Only when the storm passes will we know the full extent of the damage, but it is a big storm on every level. I fear there will be many casualties and those who had little to begin with, would have lost everything. There will be much to repair and rebuild and I hope when we are called, that we will rise to the challenge of helping the victims heal from the carnage. My thoughts and prayers go to all those in the thick of the storm. In Manila, we are safe and can only hang on until rescue efforts can begin. Please keep the Philippines in your thoughts. The resilience of the Filipino is being stretched to breaking point, but they will overcome. But they need our help…
MiG with students from the TESDA Women’s Center
7 November 2013 They are expecting the strongest storm of the year to make landfall in the south of the Philippines in the next day or so. We are taking this all very seriously. Our plans to travel to Mindoro Island this weekend have been moved to a later date. We are just staying put in Manila, which should be relatively safe. Just don’t want to be either in the air or on the sea when Typhoon Haiyan hits. Mother Nature can be brutal and unjust and I just pray that the storm will pass without any casualties or serious damage. All care is being taken, as you can never assume that the predictions are exaggerated. Better safe than sorry is always the way to be when dealing with tropical typhoons. So to all our Filipino friends, please be safe!! The first day of filming yesterday for PHIL IT UP was a great success and we caused a stir wherever we went. Sophie does stand out a little among the Filipino crowd and the buzz she created at the Divisoria yesterday was amazing! Everyone we bump into for this project is so excited about what we are doing here and I am so proud that we are showcasing the great and often overlooked awesomeness of this beautiful country. Let’s hope Mother Nature feels the same way we do about the Philippines and just will calm down…May I also take this opportunity to direct you to Dennis Sy and my appeal to help the 'WeServe Medical and Evangelistic Team’ to help the victims of the Bohol earthquake. Looks like they will need all the help they can get as Typhoon Haiyan makes it a double whammy: http://dsymusic.com/DSYMusic/Bohol_Campaign.html
Sophie Sumner and MiG ride a ‘Calesa’ through the streets of Luneta, Manila
6 November 2013 Start spreadin' the news...we start filming today! All is set, the pieces are in place, we're up early and we're ready to roll!! It's time to PHIL IT UP!!!!!
David Weinholdt, Sophie Sumner & MiG #hamitup #philitup !!!
4 November 2013 As I am getting ready to shoot PHIL IT UP around the Philippines, I just wanted to share with you another live video from my record launch at the HIGHLINE Ballroom. Here is BLOWN AWAY...x
3 November 2013 So, 1 hour flight from New York to Toronto; 6 hours in transit; then 4 hour flight to Vancouver; 2 hour transit; then a 13 hour flight to Manila; 2 hours to go through customs, immigration and collect luggage...all worth it! I'm here in Manila. It's been a great journey, but I'm going to bed! Xxx
30,000 ft above the Philippines this morning at dawn
1 November 2013 HERE I GO AGAIN… I seem to sing that song a lot, and just when I think I’m settled and staying put for a while…HERE I GO AGAIN! Today I fly to the Philippines again to start work on the upcoming TV show PHIL IT UP. I cannot wait to see the incredible wonders the country has to offer, and I cannot wait to showcase the beauty of the Philippine Islands to the world! I will miss New York for all it’s awesomeness, but I have to say, today’s cloudy windy weather has me only dreaming of the white sandy beaches of the Boracay. Stay tuned…xxx
© MiG Ayesa, MiG-Music.com 2016