Fresh from their win as Artista Academy Best Actress and Best Actor, Sophie Albert and Vin Abrenica flew to Dubai to entertain Filipino fans last December 1 during the annual “Bayanihan Festival” held at the famed Zabeel Park, one of the largest and most modern outdoor parks in Dubai. TV5 International and its partner Orbit Showtime Network (OSN) were among this year’s sponsors of the annual Filipino get-together.

The young couple—now known as SoVin to their fans—were thrilled to be part of this exciting event. It was their first international trip together since their big win. “Sobrang excited po talaga [kasi] makikita na namin yung mga Kapatid natin sa Dubai,” Sophie revealed. “Tapos siyempre first time po namin magkakasama ni Vin [na magtravel] together.”

Sophie and Vin weren’t the only artists present during the event. Dingdong Avanzado, Jessa Zaragoza, and Jon Santos were also there to entertain our kababayans. The Kapatid stars and their guests braved the rare Dubai rain to entertain the Pinoys at the event. Dingdong serenaded the audience with an a capella version of his hit song, “Basta’t Kasama Kita,” while wife Jessa sang her ever-famous “Bakit Pa”. Veteran comedian Jon Santos provided the laughs with his hilarious stand-up comedy routine.

That same evening, another show was held at the Boracay Club of Asiana Hotel where all the artists graced the event much to the delight of the packed venue. Vin performed “Hinahanap Hanap Kita” with the hotel band and Sophie got everyone dancing with her rousing performance of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.” The Artista Academy couple shared the stage as they joined the crowd in dancing “Oppa Gangnam Style”.

During their downtime, Vin and Sophie had the chance to go around Dubai and visit iconic landmarks like the Burj Al Arab and the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa. It was indeed a memorable trip not only for Sophie and Vin but also for the Filipinos who shared their time with them.

TV5’s international channels Kapatid TV5 and Aksyon TV International are available in the Middle East and Europe via OSN.