The greatest comeback of all time

 

By Giselle Sanchez

Published May 13, 2026 03:03 pm

SexBomb Girls (NY ENTOURAGE Productions)

There are comeback stories… and then there is the glitter-bomb resurrection of the SexBomb Girls.

I bumped into their “Daddy" Jim Baltazar, on a recent flight.

Jim is the godfather that help Sexbomb bounce back like a spring, and boy, oh boy, his story wasn’t merely about producing a 25th Anniversary reunion concert, it was destiny wearing platform boots and yelling “Get! Get! Awww!”

"Actually, Rochelle Pangilinan is the only inaanak of mine in the group but now all of them fondly call me Daddy Jim. She, Sunshine, and Mia went to the office and asked if I can help produce their Anniversary concert….I decided to help them produce with the premise that Nancy Yang, Helen Yang and Susan Lim (NY Entourage Productions) will be the main producers since my expertise is Film Production and Nancy’s group is concert production,” the President and CEO of CMB Film Services whom Sexbomb girls call “Daddy Jim” recalled with a smile somewhere between fatherly pride and disbelief.

“I agreed to help produce the concert. We all believed the fans still remembered, still loved them…Araneta Coliseum was sold out! It was a smashing success. Then Nancy Yang had an idea to do round 2. I was hesitant at first but she managed to convince me , her sister Helen and Susan Lim. We sold out again so rounds 3 to 6 followed at ease because of the people’s clamor.”

That spark became the now phenomenal “Get, Get, Aw!: The SexBomb Concert,” a nostalgia tsunami that exploded far beyond expectations.

What started as a reunion concert became one of the biggest comeback stories in Filipino entertainment history.

Photos from the “Final Rawnd 6” in Moa from NY ENTOURAGE Productions

The original December 2025 show at the Smart Araneta Coliseum sold so strongly that additional shows were mounted at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, including a massive 360-degree stage productions.

Daddy Jim tells Gossip Girl , “Through the concerts, they became the first Filipino act to sell out five MOA Arena shows, with online ticket queues reaching over 100,000 fans. The audience was not merely watching, they were reliving entire chapters of their youth. I saw screaming fans dancing in their seats to 'The Spageti Song,' 'Bakit Papa?' and 'Di Ko Na Mapipigilan.' Mayonnaise even appeared to perform 'Jopay' with Jopay Paguia, creating one of the concert’s most emotional moments. Gary Valenciano, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Ice Seguerra and even P-pop sensations Bini and Alamat joined later shows, proving the group’s appeal now spans generations.”

Critics praised the precision of the choreography, the elaborate staging, and the emotional pull of seeing the iconic dancers together again. Billboard Philippines reportedly called one concert a “living, breathing testament” to the enduring power of the group.

DZRH described it as a night of nonstop dancing and nostalgia. What makes the story even more beautiful is that before the success, many producers reportedly passed on the project. Some members allegedly even invested their own money just to make the reunion happen. Now? The comeback has gone global.

Photos from the “Final Rawnd 6” in Moa from NY ENTOURAGE Productions

As of the moment the Sexbomb girls just had another sold out concert in Honolulu and will be flying to mainland USA for for more performances and planned tour legs which include the Pechanga Resort and Casino and California dates in Lincoln and Beverly Hills while Canadian cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Winnipeg have already been booked this July.

As Daddy Jim finished recounting the story, he asked me if he could thank some people that made all six concerts a smashing LP success.

I obliged.

“Thank you to Rochelle Pangilinan and all the Sexbomb Girls, Nancy, Helen and Susan and NY Entourage Production Team, all the production teams especially Directors John Pratts, Paolo Valenciano and Nico Faustino , V-Roll Media, Spective Team, and CMB Film Services Inc.”

One thing became crystal clear: the SexBomb Girls wasn't a forgotten craze. Their songs were a generation’s soundtrack. And now, with confetti cannons blazing and arenas singing every lyric back to them, the Philippines is witnessing

Peso-Dollar Exchange/Index-Report

 

HAPPINESS IN TODAY'S WORLD

By Klaus Döring

Happiness in today's world is a complex, evolving state increasingly defined by mental well-being, meaningful relationships, and resilience rather than just material success. While often seen as elusive due to modern pressures, it is considered a manageable, intentional state of contentment and purpose. Genuine happiness stems from inner peace, while many struggle by equating it with constant pleasure.

As society pressures individuals to be happy, this "new religion" of constant positivity can create an impossible, exhausting task, leading to cynicism.

Feeling that the conditions of your life are good. Enjoying positive, healthy relationships with other people. Feeling that you have accomplished (or will accomplish) what you want in life. Feeling satisfied with your life. Feeling positive more than negative.

Happiness is a state of mind. Specifically, it is a state of “well-being and contentment.”

But the definition can be tricky and assumptions about the word can cause confusion. Many don’t even realize learning how to be happy is something that can be intentionally practiced. Some people, when they hear the word ‘happiness,’ assume it is speaking of an emotion such as pleasure or joy. For them, it is what people feel in the immediate here and now.

This is the reason some people say, “Don’t pursue happiness, seek joy. Happiness is fickle and fading, joy remains forever.”

But this short-term definition of happiness is not how everyone understands the word. Some define it to mean long-term satisfaction.

In fact, when I speak of experiencing happiness in life, I am not thinking of short-term emotions at all. I think of a quality of living—a much longer-term view of the word.

Both definitions are understood to be correct and speak of different realities.

But are they really that different? I don’t think so.

After all, a long-term experience of life satisfaction is almost certainly made up of many short-term feelings of joy and pleasure. Does that mean every day is a great day with no trials, temptations, or downturns? Certainly not. But it does mean when we look back at the many seasons of life, we can look back satisfied at how we navigated them.

The long-term feeling of life satisfaction is most experienced when we embrace the emotion of joy in the here and now.

And we accomplish that by taking steps each day to be happy.

What makes you feel happy now? Doing something you're good at, such as cooking or dancing, is a good way to enjoy yourself and have a sense of achievement. Try to avoid things that seem enjoyable at the time but make you feel worse afterwards, such as drinking too much alcohol or eating junk food.

Why is being happy important? Experiencing happiness is important for our emotional and physical health. A stronger sense of happiness and wellbeing has been shown to lead to better relationships, increase social connection and contribution to the lives of others, as well as contributing to healthier physical wellbeing.

Is being happy the most important thing in life? Happy people are healthier all around and more likely to be healthy in the future. Happy people live longer than those who are not as happy. Happy people are more productive and more creative, and this effect extends to all those experiencing positive emotions.

Am I happy? Yes. Living in the Philippines for almost 28 years for good, I learned to be happy. Even during hard times. Filipinos are generally a happy people. They can smile whatever the situation. Their happy-go-lucky nature and positive mindset allow them to bounce back from the direst of circumstances, from disasters, from wars, and surely from today's global situation.

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Questions, comments or suggestions? Email me: doringklaus@gmail.com or follow me on Facebook or LinkedIn  or visit one of my websites www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com .

Why is the Filipino culture very loving, huggable, patient, fun, understanding, and warm?

 

Faith, family and friends in a nutshell

The jeepney is where it all happens. You squish yourself between total strangers everyday. No social distancing. Pure invasion of your so-called personal space. You can smell each other there. Then, you have to be patient with the endless stops along the route and the traffic jams. You need to be kind and understanding by handing over the payment of the persons near the exit to the driver and back (for the change). You need to shout “para!” (stop) in case the driver did not hear the soft voice of the passenger near the exit.

Even some houses are squished together so next-door neighbors know the troubles of each other which they can easily hear through the thin walls that separate them. “I know what happened yesterday” smiles when you see each other the next day. Chitchats are common in the neighborhood store called sari-sari.

A regular Church goer will be taught to love God with your whole heart, mind and soul and then to love your neighbor as yourself. Even love your enemies!

Families, when they can afford, celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduation, baptismals, job promotions, baby showers, baby’s gender reveal, etc. Eating together is bonding time. We are the only people who eat as much as 6 times a day!

However, we do have a mean shadow and it is the exact opposite of all of those traits. So, be gentle as doves but be wise as serpents. Especially when ìt comes to money.

In the Philippines, nobody gets jailed/arrested for not paying personal loans without collateral and promissory note. So, be very very careful in lending money to so-called friends. Only lend money which you can afford to lose, i.e. not be paid back no matter how hard you try to collect.

Overall, welcome to the Philippines and I hope you enjoy your stay in our beautiful tropical islands!

Live for the moment

 

By Klaus Döring

That means: SLOW DOWN! You/we are trying to make too many decisions NOW about which we don’t have enough information yet to make a good decision, and too many of these decisions are dependent on things which haven’t actually happened yet - and may never happen at all.

Let’s take a deep breath and step back a bit, and consider what MUST be done now, and what DOES NOT HAVE TO be done now (no matter how urgently we may WANT to do it).

Take it ‘one day at a time’: make decisions today, on what should be done TODAY. The things we are worrying about may never happen at all - and if they do, we will decide THEN.

Slow down.

Living in the present moment means no longer worrying about what happened in the past and not fearing what will happen in the future. It means enjoying what's happening now and living for today. Choosing to live in the past or the future not only robs you of enjoyment today, but it also robs you of truly living.

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”

One of the best, unforeseen consequences of simplifying our lives is it has allowed us to begin living our lives in the present moment.

Eliminating non essential possessions has freed us from many of the emotions associated with past lives that were keeping us stuck. And clearing our home has allowed us the freedom to shape our lives today around our most important values.

Choosing to live in the past or the future not only robs you of enjoyment today, but it also robs you of truly living. The only important moment is the present moment.

With that goal in mind, consider this list of ten tips below on how to live in the moment.

Remove unneeded possessions: Minimalism forces you to live in the present. Removing items associated with past memories frees you and allows you to stop living in the past. Once the past no longer has power, you can begin to live in the moment.

Smile: Each day is full of endless possibilities! Start it with a smile. You are in control of your attitude every morning, keep it optimistic and expectant. Be intentional about it and you’ll find yourself doing it every day without even realizing it.

Fully appreciate the moments of today: Soak in as much of today as you possibly can – the sights, the sounds, the smells, the emotions, the triumph, and the sorrow. These are in our daily lives but we often forget to take them in and truly appreciate them.

Forgive past hurts: If you are harboring resentment towards another human being because of past hurts, choose to forgive and move on. The harm was their fault, but allowing it to impact your mood today is yours. Let go and choose to be present in the moment instead. That was one of the most difficult points for me.

Love your job: If you just “survive” the workweek constantly waiting for the next weekend “to get here,” you are wasting 71% of your life (5/7 days.) There are two solutions: find a new job that you actually enjoy, or find something that you appreciate about your current career. By the way, I love my jobs until now at the age of 71.

Dream about the future, but work hard today: Dream big. Set goals and plans for the future. But working hard today is always the first step towards realizing your dreams tomorrow. Don’t allow dreaming about tomorrow to replace living in the moment. Dreaming about the future is only productive when combined with action taken today.

Don’t dwell on past accomplishments: If you are still talking about what you did yesterday, you haven’t done much today. There is still plenty of time to build upon past successes and create more memories and achievements for the future-you. In the future, you’ll be cherishing the memories of today.

Stop worrying: You can’t fully appreciate today if you worry too much about tomorrow. Realize that tomorrow is going to happen whether you worry about it or not. And since worry has never accomplished anything for anybody, redirect your mental energy elsewhere.

Think beyond old solutions to problems: Our world is changing so fast that most of yesterday’s solutions are no longer the right answers today. Don’t get locked into a “but that’s how we’ve always done it” mentality. Yesterday’s solutions are not today’s solutions and they are certainly not tomorrow’s solutions.

Conquer addictions: Addictions in your life hold you hostage. They keep you from living a completely free life and remove your focus from the moment. Find some help. Take the steps. And remove their influence over your life. Allow yourself to live in the moment addiction-free.

Learning how to live in the present moment is an essential ingredient in a happy life.

If you can only live one moment at a time, you might as well make it the present.

Living in the Philippines with my family for more than 28 years, I learned everything here. That's why I feel at home.

Deutsche Bank sees a “super” El Niño developing from this month until July

 MANILA BULLETIN

 

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Manila Bulletin Business

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The research arm of Frankfurt-based Deutsche Bank sees a “super” El Niño developing from this month until July, threatening to further accelerate the surge in Philippine consumer prices already aggravated by the Middle East war.

Deutsche Bank Research hiked its inflation assumption for this year to 6.5 percent from just four percent previously. This higher projection exceeded that of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) at 6.3 percent, which, if achieved, would mark an 18-year high since the 8.2 percent recorded at the height of the global financial crisis (GFC) in 2008. The German bank also revised its 2027 inflation forecast to 4.2 percent from 3.2 percent earlier. This is modestly slower than the 4.3-percent pace projected by the BSP.