It was his relentless disposition that endeared German Moreno to Filipino audiences for more than half a century.
The godfather of Philippine showbiz was fondly known as Kuya Germs – kuya meaning “older brother”.
In 1986, he launched the youth-focused talent programme That's Entertainment, which ran for 10 years, ushering in a new era for the local film and television industries and launching the careers of more than 200 celebrities.
He was also the country's "Master Showman", hosting a late-night variety show called Walang Tulugan with the Master Showman, broadcast every Saturday since 1997. "Walang tulugan" translates as "no sleeping".
“They always ask me: ‘Why don’t you go and retire?’,” Moreno told me in 2011, when he was 77. “My God, I’ll get even weaker.” He paused, then continued with a smile: “I started on the stage, I will die on the stage.”
It did not quite turn out that way. Moreno died on Friday in hospital at the age of 82 after suffering a stroke the previous evening.
His nephew, John Nite, who co-hosted Walang Tulugan with Moreno until his final episode the weekend before his death, said he lived a full life.
“He touched many hearts through the years, and helped make dreams come true.”
Star-maker
Moreno’s storied career began in the 1960s, when he worked at one of Manila’s small theatres as a janitor and curtain-raiser.
Later, he performed as a stage comic and made the move to television as a presenter on the long-running lunchtime variety programme, GMA Supershow.
That's Entertainment is Moreno's great legacy. The daily talent programme, featuring a revolving cast of teenage aspirants performing song-and-dance numbers, discovered most of the country's biggest stars. They include Lea Salonga, Billy Crawford and Francis Magalona.
“When you think about it, I started reality TV,” Moreno told me. “When I’m in a restaurant or in the mall, people still scream at me: ‘Walang Tulugan! Kuya Germs, why don’t you bring back That’s?’”
A caring pioneer
As word spread of Moreno’s death, the Philippines went into collective mourning. Fans expressed their grief, while former proteges wrote tributes and shared memories. #KuyaGerms trended worldwide online. In response to public demand, his wake on Saturday was opened up to fans.
Moreno’s home television network, GMA-7, said it was “deeply mourning with the entire entertainment industry. His dedication will serve as an inspiration to all.”
I witnessed such dedication first-hand when I visited the set of Walang Tulugan in 2011. Within 20 minutes of shadowing Moreno backstage, no fewer than a dozen people had approached him to ask for advice or guidance: a production assistant asking him to approve the set design, a fan asking for money, a mother asking him to make her 7-year-old son a star, and many more.
Later, Moreno shared a revelation that stunned his peers and supporters when the interview was published: he was personally paying the salaries of his co-hosts and the guests on the programme.
“I fund it all, not the company [GMA-7],” he said.
When I asked, somewhat bluntly, how much he earned, Moreno replied: “Very little. But I don’t think about that anymore. I’m OK. At this age, I don’t think about myself anymore.”
Three hours later, Walang Tulugan finished filming. As the worn-out but happy audience ambled out of the television studio, Moreno slowly walked across the stage. His back was hunched. He looked exhausted. I decided it was best not to disturb him further, and just to leave without saying goodbye.
To my surprise, I saw him walking towards where I was standing, in a far corner of the studio.
“Have you eaten?,” he asked me, concealing the fatigue in his face. “Do you want me to ask someone to get you something?”
Kuya Germs will be a hard act to follow – and impossible to forget.
artslife@thenational.ae
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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HOW TO WATCH
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
The Limehouse Golem
Director: Juan Carlos Medina
Cast: Olivia Cooke, Bill Nighy, Douglas Booth
Three stars
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
What is hepatitis?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can lead to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.
There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.
Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through exposure to infective blood. This can occur through blood transfusions, contaminated injections during medical procedures, and through injecting drugs. Sexual transmission is also possible, but is much less common.
People infected with hepatitis C experience few or no symptoms, meaning they can live with the virus for years without being diagnosed. This delay in treatment can increase the risk of significant liver damage.
There are an estimated 170 million carriers of Hepatitis C around the world.
The virus causes approximately 399,000 fatalities each year worldwide, according to WHO.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
