FREEHAND by Mario E. Bautista
WE SAW MALOU CHOA FAGAR, ”Eat Bulaga” exec accompanying her talent, Maricel Soriano, on the set of “Pilyang Kerubin”. We asked her if it’s true Vic Sotto and Pia Guanio had broken up. “Honestly, I don’t know,” she says. “You know me, I don’t pry into the private lives of our talents. But I’m happy kasi ang daming nag-aabang ngayon sa show to see kung totoo ba o hindi.”
Viewers also watched out for Pia in “Showbiz Central” last Sunday but she’s absent, allegedly to nurse a broken heart. It’s said Pia has confided the truth to her closest friend, including her manager June Rufino, but she still won’t talk about it openly. Because she chooses to be mum about the subject, various stories are circulating. One says she learned Vic is dating another girl. Another says Vic actually proposed marriage to her but she demurred, saying she’s not ready to settle down and lose her freedom. Still another story says it’s Pia who found another guy who she’s supposed to be meeting abroad while she’s taking a vacation from ‘Eat Bulaga’. We’ll only know which of these speculations is true when she returns and becomes more willing to talk about the real score between her and Vic.
Because she was absent in “Showbiz Central” last Sunday, Pia missed the special birthday presentation of her co-host John Lapus, with another ladies man taking the lie detector test in the Don’t Lie to Me segment, Joey Marquez.
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SARAH GERONIMO turns 22 on July 25 so “Hating Kapatid” is her special birthday presentation. “As birthday gift, wish ko panoorin sana ito lahat ng fans who supported my films with John Lloyd Cruz, both blockbusters,” she says. “First movie ko ito with Ate Juday and I feel so lucky na makasama siya sa movie at naging magkaibigan kami. Napakabait niya, tinuruan pa kong mag-bake ng cookies. She has lots of advice na talagang akmang-akma sa’kin. Isa na rito yung sinabi niyang huwag magpa-pressure tungkol sa lovelife dahil darating din yun at the right time, just like her na 30 na nang mag-asawa and found the right man in Kuya Ryan.”
We heard that Sarah will be shooting the last film in her three-part series with John Lloyd before the year is over as it will be the special Valentine presentation of Star Cinema co-prod with Viva.
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WE SAW Mon Confiado at the gala night of “Pink Halo-Halo”. We know he is in Joel Lamangan’s “Sigwa” as a military agent who penetrates the rebel movement and Gil Portes’ “Two Funerals” as the best friend of writer Benjie Felipe. Is he also in “Pink Halo-Halo”? “No, I’m just here to support Direk Jay Altarejos kasi I also have a movie with him, ‘Laruang Lalaki’, where I play a gay role,” he says.
Mon is one of the few actors who appear on both GMA-7 and ABS. He just guested in “Momay” then he was also in “Pilyang Kerubin”. He has also finished a new movie about the Cebu dancing prison inmates which is intended for international release. He’s now preparing for another film for Director Jon Red where he’ll gain weight and play a balding 60-year old man.
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VIVA’S ALL girl teen group, Pop Girls, got their second endorsement after Sisters Feminine Napkins. This time, they’re the models for the one-stop beauty shop, Beauty & Butter, that just opened at the 5th level of SM Megamall and is affiliated with Rubby Sy’s Flawless. The Pop Girls sang two of their hit tunes at the opening that also saw Richard Gutierrez (endorser of Flawless) and Fabio Ide as special guests.
Beauty & Butter offer free use of their IPad when you avail of their nail spa and head-to-toe beauty services. It’s managed by Rubby Sy’s son, Mikael Coyiuto, who wants it to be a more reasonably priced beauty clinic for teeners and people with minimal budgets. He’s obviously right in his decision as even men now flock to their shop for their grooming needs. Beauty & Butter have branches in Mall of Asia and SM San Lazaro.
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RAYVER CRUZ was ordered at the presscon of “Cinco” not to answer any questions about Sarah Geronimo to whom he was linked before, but it’s okay to ask him questions about Cristine Reyes, to whom he’s being linked now. So is true he and Cristine are about to admit that they’re on after they’ve been exclusively dating for sometime? As expected, Rayver uttered the now familiar line of evasive stars: “We’re just friends.” He adds they’re not really exclusively dating. “We do go out, pero di kami lang but group of friends kami.” How about Maja Salvador who’s his leading lady in the “Mata” episode of “Cinco” that opens today nationwide? “Ganun din. We’re just friends.”
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NEW DIRECTOR Kim Garcia is lucky he has a good ensemble of actors who delivered sterling performance in his debut film, “Magkakapatid”, even if most of them play underwritten characters due to a script that lacks adequate exposition. Kim says it shows that there’s nothing like a tragedy to bring back estranged family members together, but what he forgot to articulate is the reason why they drifted apart from each other in the first place. Despite this shortcoming, Ces Quesada manages to give a quiet but effective portrayal as the ailing mom whose younger son killed the older one. Also touching are Raquel Villavicencio and Banaue Miclat as a mother and balikbayan daughter who have issues to settle with each other. The most well defined character is that of Nico Antonio, the deranged younger son. It’s made clear that he’s been suffering from mental imbalance since childhood and has a split personality as Caloy and Cardo. Nico does justice to his demanding role and gives a superb performance as the psychotic character. We won’t be surprised if he’d get nominated as best supporting actor at Cinemalaya Awards Night on Sunday. If he’d have no strong rival, he might even bag the award itself.
WE SAW MALOU CHOA FAGAR, ”Eat Bulaga” exec accompanying her talent, Maricel Soriano, on the set of “Pilyang Kerubin”. We asked her if it’s true Vic Sotto and Pia Guanio had broken up. “Honestly, I don’t know,” she says. “You know me, I don’t pry into the private lives of our talents. But I’m happy kasi ang daming nag-aabang ngayon sa show to see kung totoo ba o hindi.”
Viewers also watched out for Pia in “Showbiz Central” last Sunday but she’s absent, allegedly to nurse a broken heart. It’s said Pia has confided the truth to her closest friend, including her manager June Rufino, but she still won’t talk about it openly. Because she chooses to be mum about the subject, various stories are circulating. One says she learned Vic is dating another girl. Another says Vic actually proposed marriage to her but she demurred, saying she’s not ready to settle down and lose her freedom. Still another story says it’s Pia who found another guy who she’s supposed to be meeting abroad while she’s taking a vacation from ‘Eat Bulaga’. We’ll only know which of these speculations is true when she returns and becomes more willing to talk about the real score between her and Vic.
Because she was absent in “Showbiz Central” last Sunday, Pia missed the special birthday presentation of her co-host John Lapus, with another ladies man taking the lie detector test in the Don’t Lie to Me segment, Joey Marquez.
**********
SARAH GERONIMO turns 22 on July 25 so “Hating Kapatid” is her special birthday presentation. “As birthday gift, wish ko panoorin sana ito lahat ng fans who supported my films with John Lloyd Cruz, both blockbusters,” she says. “First movie ko ito with Ate Juday and I feel so lucky na makasama siya sa movie at naging magkaibigan kami. Napakabait niya, tinuruan pa kong mag-bake ng cookies. She has lots of advice na talagang akmang-akma sa’kin. Isa na rito yung sinabi niyang huwag magpa-pressure tungkol sa lovelife dahil darating din yun at the right time, just like her na 30 na nang mag-asawa and found the right man in Kuya Ryan.”
We heard that Sarah will be shooting the last film in her three-part series with John Lloyd before the year is over as it will be the special Valentine presentation of Star Cinema co-prod with Viva.
**********
WE SAW Mon Confiado at the gala night of “Pink Halo-Halo”. We know he is in Joel Lamangan’s “Sigwa” as a military agent who penetrates the rebel movement and Gil Portes’ “Two Funerals” as the best friend of writer Benjie Felipe. Is he also in “Pink Halo-Halo”? “No, I’m just here to support Direk Jay Altarejos kasi I also have a movie with him, ‘Laruang Lalaki’, where I play a gay role,” he says.
Mon is one of the few actors who appear on both GMA-7 and ABS. He just guested in “Momay” then he was also in “Pilyang Kerubin”. He has also finished a new movie about the Cebu dancing prison inmates which is intended for international release. He’s now preparing for another film for Director Jon Red where he’ll gain weight and play a balding 60-year old man.
**********
VIVA’S ALL girl teen group, Pop Girls, got their second endorsement after Sisters Feminine Napkins. This time, they’re the models for the one-stop beauty shop, Beauty & Butter, that just opened at the 5th level of SM Megamall and is affiliated with Rubby Sy’s Flawless. The Pop Girls sang two of their hit tunes at the opening that also saw Richard Gutierrez (endorser of Flawless) and Fabio Ide as special guests.
Beauty & Butter offer free use of their IPad when you avail of their nail spa and head-to-toe beauty services. It’s managed by Rubby Sy’s son, Mikael Coyiuto, who wants it to be a more reasonably priced beauty clinic for teeners and people with minimal budgets. He’s obviously right in his decision as even men now flock to their shop for their grooming needs. Beauty & Butter have branches in Mall of Asia and SM San Lazaro.
**********
RAYVER CRUZ was ordered at the presscon of “Cinco” not to answer any questions about Sarah Geronimo to whom he was linked before, but it’s okay to ask him questions about Cristine Reyes, to whom he’s being linked now. So is true he and Cristine are about to admit that they’re on after they’ve been exclusively dating for sometime? As expected, Rayver uttered the now familiar line of evasive stars: “We’re just friends.” He adds they’re not really exclusively dating. “We do go out, pero di kami lang but group of friends kami.” How about Maja Salvador who’s his leading lady in the “Mata” episode of “Cinco” that opens today nationwide? “Ganun din. We’re just friends.”
**********
NEW DIRECTOR Kim Garcia is lucky he has a good ensemble of actors who delivered sterling performance in his debut film, “Magkakapatid”, even if most of them play underwritten characters due to a script that lacks adequate exposition. Kim says it shows that there’s nothing like a tragedy to bring back estranged family members together, but what he forgot to articulate is the reason why they drifted apart from each other in the first place. Despite this shortcoming, Ces Quesada manages to give a quiet but effective portrayal as the ailing mom whose younger son killed the older one. Also touching are Raquel Villavicencio and Banaue Miclat as a mother and balikbayan daughter who have issues to settle with each other. The most well defined character is that of Nico Antonio, the deranged younger son. It’s made clear that he’s been suffering from mental imbalance since childhood and has a split personality as Caloy and Cardo. Nico does justice to his demanding role and gives a superb performance as the psychotic character. We won’t be surprised if he’d get nominated as best supporting actor at Cinemalaya Awards Night on Sunday. If he’d have no strong rival, he might even bag the award itself.
