MANILA, Philippines - A big public birthday bash for top network stars Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera is set at the Big Dome in August.

In the same month, ?Pinoy Idol,? the talent show co-produced by American Fremantle Media, will name its first winner at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

A red-carpet affair will be held at the GMA 7 grounds in October to launch the network?s spanking new 1,000-seat studio.

These are part of the Kapuso network?s yearlong 58th anniversary celebration, according to Wilma Galvante, GMA 7 senior vice president for entertainment.

The launch of new teleserye ?Codename: Asero? at the AFP Theater in Camp Aguinaldo last week, was also part of the elaborate festivities. And because the show?s lead actor, Richard Gutierrez, is a certified hit with kids from 2 to 12, the network is cooking up a ?Captain Barbell meets Darna? series in 2009.

Richard portrayed Teng and his alter-ego Captain Barbell in the TV adaptation of the Mars Ravelo comics novel in 2006. Angel Locsin, now a talent of rival network ABS-CBN, played the role of Darna for GMA 7 in 2005.

Who will play Darna then? ?We?re still looking,? says Galvante.

Two state-of-the art studios are being built inside the GMA 7 lot in Quezon City. ?We?re so excited to start production in our biggest studio. We will do all our live shows, musicals and pageants there,? Galvante adds.

?Pinoy Idol? finals night will be held at the 9,130-sq. m. exhibit hall of the SMX Convention Center.

Another FreMantle Media production, ?Celebrity Duets,? which had Inquirer columnist Tessa Prieto-Valdez as first-season winner, will have a season 2 next year.

?Kakasa Ka Ba Sa Grade 5?? produced by Fox Broadcasting, will air for another season soon.

Email mcruz@inquirer.com.ph