ctor Piolo Pascual may have trotted the globe — shows, concerts, film shootings in the United States, Guam, Australia, Rome, The Netherlands, Spain, Greece, Norway, and Italy — but at the end of the day, Piolo always comes home.

"The Philippines will always be my home," says Piolo. "After I was chosen as a member of Star Circle Batch 3, I lived for a year in California with my mom. It was when I returned to the Philippines that my career kicked off and all things fell into place for me."

Home for Piolo also means being with the people he loves, and in places that he has grown accustomed to. Wined and dined just like any famous celebrity, Piolo also always goes back to his other "home" — Max's.

This is what's depicted in his latest television commercial for the popular Filipino restaurant chain known for its famous fried chicken.

In his "Around the world" TV advertisement, Piolo is shown munching a piece of Fried Chicken at Max's as the commercial segued to his journey across different people and ends up dining in again at Max's Restaurant with his buddies as they continue to enjoy that perfect blend of great food and excellent service.....the main reason why he always comes back to Max's, the restaurant he truly loves.

Long before he started endorsing Max's, Piolo already had a long-standing love affair with the restaurant.

"I distinctly remember that the reception of the first wedding I attended as a coin bearer was held at a Max's restaurant," he reveals. "That was when I discovered Max's fried chicken — sarap to the bones! I love Max's not only because of the excellent food, and perfect ambiance but also because it has been part of Filipino culture and tradition," Piolo enthuses.

Piolo recently celebrated ten years in showbiz, five of which he has endorsed Max's starting 2002, just as his career was beginning to bloom. He is most identified with Max's television commercials (such as the runaway hit Episode 1,2,3 with young actress Isabel Oli playing his childhood sweetheart) and the popular Piolo standees displayed within over 100 branches of Max's all over the country.

The new TVC mirrors Piolo's successful foray into showbiz: He has traveled all over the globe, risen to stardom and acclaim, but he never forgets his roots, and the place that he calls home......Max's.

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Bayani does a ‘Palos' on Cesar-Sunshine woes

Comedian Bayani Agbayani called Cesar Montano his best friend, family and brother in front of the entertainment press who cornered him during the thanksgiving party of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada for his 2007 MMFF Best Actor Award at the Acacia Restaurant in Greenhills.

Bayani's terms of endearment only displayed how closely bonded he and Cesar are, but when he was asked about the marital woes between Cesar and Sunshine Cruz, he shrugged his shoulders and said he knew nothing about it! In other words, he tried to evade the question a la-Palos.

Palos is the main character in ABS–CBN's newest TV action series of the same title starring Cesar Montano. He is a popular fictional character who is known to outwit, escape and slide out of danger and from his enemies easily. Thus when confronted by the press, according to Bayani, he never knew about issues involving his friend until he arrived in Manila from a trip abroad. He also stressed that he doesn't read the papers nor watch the news anymore that's why he's not updated with showbiz news.

"Ang problema kasi ng isang mag-asawa, hindi na dapat pinapakialaman ng iba," he opined.

He added that he was even surprised that his name was dragged to his friends' alleged marital problems. Bayani was suspected as the person in a blind item who confirmed Cesar's alleged extra-marital affair with a Brazilian model in fear that Sunshine would divulge Bayani's "affairs" to his pregnant wife Len-Len.

"Okay naman kaming lahat. Nagte-text pa nga sa akin si Mareng Shine lalo na nang di siya makakapunta sa affair ko," beamed Bayani. "You can even talk to my wife and she'll tell you wala kaming problema."

He revealed that after finding out about his involvement in the Cesar-Sunshine quarrel, he immediately cleared things with his friend Cesar.

"Yun ang una kong ginawa. And okay kami ni Cesar. Kapatid ko siya, pamilya at kaibigan," he quipped.

So is he helping Cesar straighten up his marriage?

"Kaya naman ni Cesar kung anumang problema dumating sa kanya. Yung problema ng isang mag-asawa kakayanin nila. Kaya kung hindi siya lumalapit sa akin, ibig sabihin kaya pa niya. Pero kung lalapit siya, buong puso kong ibibigay ang tulong ko," replied Bayani.

Bayani is confident that his friendship with Cesar Montano was never strained by the issues surrounding his friend's marriage problems at the moment. And definitely there would be no "Mano-Mano" between them!

Bayani Agbayani, by the way, is in the Aga Muhlach sitcom "That's My Doc," which airs every Sunday late night.

On the other hand, "Palos," which has Cesar and Sunshine in the lead roles along with Jake Cuenca, Roxanne Guinoo, Jodi Sta. Maria-Lacson, Gloria Romero, Carla Humphrey, Dennis Padilla, Vandolph, Jay-R Siaboc, Wendy Valdez, Ron Maloles, Regine Angeles, Julia Barretto and Bernard Bonnin, is scheduled for airing before the end of the month. The action series is under the direction of Trina Dayrit, Erik Salud and Toto Natividad.

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