HERE are three new Pinoy BL series that remind us that love can be found when and where you can least expect it – and you can watch them for free on WeTV and iflix.

QUARANTHINGS: THE SERIES (2020) CAST: Royce Cabrera, Kyo Quijano

DIRECTOR: Pancho Maniquis

Quaranthings: The Series follows the friendship of two boys, and how they find themselves falling in love in the midst of a lockdown. When the community quarantine started, those who could, went back home. That’s what all four housemates of Judah and Rocky did. The two people who hardly exchanged two words in the past were the ones left behind. With school out for the overachieving and competitive Judah and no odd jobs for the hardworking and street-smart breadwinner Rocky, they need to find something to keep them going everyday. Unable to do the things that give them meaning, can they survive being alone together? Or will they find meaning with each other.             Watch the series on WeTV.

BENXJIM (2020)         

CAST: Jerome Ponce, Teejay Marquez
DIRECTOR: Easy Ferrer

Benjamin is given an ultimatum – become financially independent in the Philippines or move to America to live with his family. While trying to navigate his way to adulting, he learns that his old neighbor and childhood friend, Jimson, is moving back home to spend Enhanced Quarantine with his family. The guys rekindle their friendship and find something deeper. BenXJim follows the story of two people who go from strangers, to friends, to lovers and back to strangers, but with more memories between them.

Watch Ben X Jim on WeTV and iflix.

MY EXTRAORDINARY (2020)   

CAST: Enzo Santiago, Darwin Yu
Director: Jolo Atienza

MY EXTRAORDINARY follows the colorful story Shake and Ken, two college students who are trying to find a way to express themselves despite society’s many expectations. Ken is a sophomore – popular and good-natured. Shake is a shy freshman and university scholar. After a nasty encounter during a basketball game, the two young men find themselves drawn to each other. While Shake and Ken’s close friends support their growing relationship, Sandee, Ken’s childhood friend, becomes envious and outs him to his conservative widowed mother. This puts a strain on their budding romance, while tension continues to mount at home. Shake and Ken find themselves parting ways, but could this really be the end for these two?

HAVE an incredible Hollywood experience with FOX Movies this January 2021.

Here’s a roundup of 8 exciting and new movies to add to your must-watch movie list:

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The Gentlemen: An American expat tries to sell off his highly profitable marijuana empire in London, triggering plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail in an attempt to steal his domain out from under him.

Starring: Matthew Mcconaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Michelle Dockery, Premiered January 2, 9pm

The Assistant: A searing look at a day in the life of an assistant to a powerful executive. As Jane follows her daily routine, she grows increasingly aware of the insidious abuse that threatens every aspect of her position.

Starring: Julia Garner, Owen Holland, Jon Orsini, Premiered January 4, 9pm

American Woman: A woman raises her young grandson after her daughter goes missing.

Starring Sienna Miller, Christina Hendricks, Aaron Paul, Premieres January 7, 7pm

Inheritance: A patriarch of a wealthy and powerful family suddenly passes away, leaving his daughter with a shocking secret inheritance that threatens to unravel and destroy the family.

 Starring Lily Collins, Simon Pegg, Connie Nielsen, Premieres January 9, 9pm

Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island: The enigmatic Mr. Roarke makes the secret dreams of his lucky guests come true at a luxurious but remote tropical resort. But when the fantasies turn into nightmares, the guests have to solve the island’s mystery in order to escape with their lives.

Starring: Michael Pena, Maggie Q, Lucy Hale, Premieres January 23, 9pm

Family: An emotionally stunted aunt struggles with her 13-year-old niece, who wants nothing more than to run away from home and become a Juggalo.

Starring: Taylor Schilling, Kate McKinnon, Jessie Ennis, Premieres January 25, 9pm

Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer: When Chris Watts tearfully pleaded to television cameras for the safe return of his missing pregnant wife Shanann and their two young daughters, dark secrets loomed just beneath the surface.

Staring Ashley Williams, Sean Kleier, Brooke Smith, Premieres January 28, 7:25pm

The Wretched: A defiant teenage boy, struggling with his parents’ imminent divorce, faces off with a thousand-year-old witch, who is living beneath the skin of and posing as the woman next door.

Starring John-Paul Howard, Piper Curda, Jamison Jones, Premieres January 30, 9pm

MAHALIN, IGALANG AT ALAGAAN ANG IYONG MGA MAGULANG KUNG NAIS MONG GUMINHAWA AT LUMAWIG ANG BUHAY!

Iyan ang pangako ng Diyos na mababasa sa aklat ng Mga Taga-Efeso 6:1-3

Sabi nga ng ilan, maging maramot ka na sa iba, huwag lang sa iyong magulang.

Isa iyan sa hiwaga ng buhay. Kapag minahal mo ang iyong magulang, tiyak na giginhawa ang iyong buhay!

Napatunayan ko ang pangakong iyan sa Bibliya sa katauhan ng isa kong kaibigan. Isa na ngayon siyang matagumpay na businesswoman. Noong panahon na walang may gusto sa kaniyang mga kapatid na alagaan ang kanilang tatay na may malubhang sakit, buong puso niyang inako ang responsibilidad na alagaan ito. Kahit abala siya sa trabaho ay nagagawa niyang asikasuhin at ibigay ang mga pangangailangan ng kaniyang ama. May punto pa nga na pati love life ay isinakripisyo niya alang-alang sa kaniyang tatay na maysakit. Pero makikita sa pamumuhay niya na siya ay maginhawa. Lahat ng pasukin niyang negosyo ay nagiging matagumpay. Parang ipinu-provide ng langit ang lahat ng kaniyang pangangailangan para matustusan ang mahal na gamot ng kaniyang tatay. Iginugol ng kaibigan kong ito ang malaking bahagi ng kaniyang panahon sa pag-aalaga sa kaniyang ama. Katuwiran niya, hindi ito naging pabayang ama sa kanila. Inaruga niya ang kaniyang ama hanggang sa huling sandali ng buhay nito. At bilang gantimpala, naging matagumpay na negosyante ang aking kaibigan. At hindi lamang iyon, biniyayaan siya ng napakabait at responsableng asawa at masayang pamilya.

Kabaliktaran naman ito ng isa kong kakilala na napaka-sutil na anak. Barumbado ito at kung makasagot at parang hindi magulang ang kausap. Pinagdadamutan rin nito ang kaniyang magulang. Katuwiran niya ay may pamilya na siya kaya hindi niya obligasyon na magbigay sa kaniyang magulang. Siguro ay sunud-sunuran rin sa asawa. Pero kumusta ang buhay niya? Tila ang ilap sa kanila ng suwerte. Magkaroon man siya, pero hanggang doon lang. Sapat lang. At madalas ay kulang. Minalas rin siya sa kaniyang napangasawa.

Sa dalawang sitwasyon na aking nabanggit, malinaw na makikita ang kaganapan ng pangako sa Bibliya.

Mahalin mo ang iyong magulang, at ikaw ay giginhawa sa buhay.

Naging maginhawa ang buhay ng kaibigan kong negosyante dahil naging mabait siya sa kaniyang magulang. Sinuklian ng good karma ang kabutihan niyang ipinakita sa kaniyang amang maysakit. Kabalintunan sa isa kong kakilala na hanggang ngayon ay hirap sa buhay dahil walang pagmamahal sa kaniyang magulang.

Ang hamon, madali lang sabihin na maging mabuting anak, pero mahirap gawin. May mga pagkakataon na talagang makakasagot tayo sa ating mga magulang, lalo na kung ang ating magulang ay immature. Sa ganitong sitwasyon, alalahanin na lang natin na ang ating mga magulang ay naging bata rin at may mga unresolved issues sa kanilang kabataan na nadala nila hanggang sa kanilang pagtanda. Sadyang may mga magulang na masasabi nating “hilaw pa” para maging isang magulang. Ang hamon ay nasa atin bilang mga anak. Kahit gaano pa kasama o ka-iresponsable ang ating magulang, OBLIGASYON AT TUNGKULIN NATIN NA SILA AY IGALANG.

Kapag ako ay nagagalit sa aking magulang, humihinga ako ng malalim o kaya ay kinakagat-kagat ko ang aking dila para mapigilan ko ang sarili ko na makasagot ng pabalang. Kahit minsan ay nasa katuwiran ako, hindi ko pinipilit ang pananaw ko. Hinahayaan ko na lang aking magulang sa kaniyang mga sinasabi. Katuwiran ko, wala namang mawawala sa akin kung manahimik ako. Mas malaki ang mawawala sa akin kung hahayaan ko ang sarili ko na bastusin ko ang aking magulang. Hindi ako perpektong anak, pero isa lang sinisigurado ko—hindi ako sumasagot ng pabalang. Hindi ko rin pinagdadamutan ang aking mga magulang. Hangga’t kaya ko ay ibibigay ko sa kanila. At naniniwala ako na isa iyon sa dahilan kaya maginhawa ang aking buhay. Dahil hindi ako naging barumbadong anak.

Tayo ang kabuuan ng ating mga magulang. Tayo ang totality ng genes, DNA at chromosomes ng ating tatay at nanay. Kung binabastos natin at pinawawalang halaga ang ating mga magulang, para na rin nating winawalang hiya ang ating sarili.

Kaya laging alalahananin ang pangako sa biblya: MAHALIN, IGALANG AT ALAGAAN ANG IYONG MGA MAGULANG KUNG NAIS MONG GUMINHAWA AT LUMAWIG ANG BUHAY! (REY DELEON)