Tacloban’s Alfred and Kring Kring were mobbed ala Brad and Angelina

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Dream Factory

Marian Rivera used to be the image model of Blue Water Day Spa that has branches in Makati, Greenhills, Ortigas, Capitol Hills, Tagaytay and Alabang. But she has been replaced by Karylle. Did management do this to show they support Karylle more after the controversy over Dingdong Dantes?

"No, there was no such intention," says Nancy Go, operations manager. "Every 15 months, we replace our models. We started with Brad Turvey and a model named Patty who was later replaced by Toni Gonzaga, then Marian with Piolo Pascual. Now, for a change, we decided to get Karylle and Brazilian-Japanese model Akihiro Sato. When we were brainstorming, we thought of Karylle who’s really been a regular client since we started our operations four years ago. Nakasama pa niya noon si Dingdong. She’s loyal to us, so why not get her?"

"I always go to Blue Water to pamper myself and relieve stress," says Karylle. "Noon pa, naiisip ko na, ano kaya, kunin nila akongendorser? And heto nga, it happened na. I’m really thankful to them.

"My favorite massage is Herbal Pack combined shiatsu and swedish. I also enjoy their spa theater where you can have a massage while watching a movie on a giant screen."

Karylle had a grand launch with Akihiro last Tuesday night at Events Place Greenhills. The writers who attended were treated to free massage and foot spa. Blue Water Day Spa operates only from 3 p.m. to midnight. They not only offer massage but also facials, face and body machine treatments for peeling, radio frequency, hair and wart removals. For an appointment, call 723-4932, 723-5534.

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Richard Gutierrez really wanted to be present at the Flawless re-launch last Sunday but his high fever prevented him from going. When he felt better, he chose to attend the wake of his personal assistant, Nomar Pardo, and condole with the widow and two sons. As of this writing, it’s still not sure as to when he can return to the "Zorro" set in Bagac, Bataan and resume taping.

"He really needs to tape new episodes for ‘Zorro’ but his doctors say he still has to rest some more," says his mom Annabelle Rama.

But the other cast members of "Zorro" resumed the show’s taping last Saturday even without Richard. They’ll just focus on the scenes that do not involve him yet. Meantime, "Zorro" gets more engrossing this week as the villain Ramon (TJ Trinidad) asks Lolita (Rhian Ramos) to marry him since he says he’s the only heir of the Pelaez family. If Lolita would not consent, then he’d confiscate the property of her family that’s supposed to be mortgaged to him. But Don Carlos (Leo Martinez) says he’s not in favor of Lolita marrying Ramon as he’s more concerned about his daughter’s personal happiness, so Ramon drives them away from their house. Lolita and her parents sleep on the streets. The women of the night see them and give them food.

Antonio (Richard) remains missing with Pepe (Buboy VIllar), so his friends Bernardo (Antonio Aquitania) and Juana (Michelle Madrigal) are arrested on charges of hiding a criminal. Someone tries to rape Juana in jail and Bernardo defends her. Her brother Agustin (Bodie Cruz) shows up and helps her and Bernardo to escape from prison, making Ramon very furious.

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Lorna Tolentino will end her year of mourning for her beloved husband, Rudy Fernandez, on June 5. His memory will forever remain in her heart but she has managed to move on and is now taping a new teleseryewith Christopher de Leon, Jericho Rosales, Kristine Hermosa and Karylle on ABS-CBN. This is the show where ABS-CBN reportedly required them to take a workshop four times before taping started, even if she and Boyet are already veterans in the field of acting.

LT looked radiant as she walked down the ramp at the Flawless relaunch last Sunday as their epitome of Timeless Beauty. What can she say about the controversy that her friend Dr. Vicki Belo, part owner of Flawless, is now involved in?

"She’s really a good friend as she helped our family at the time we were going through some trials in life. She was an angel na talagang dumamay sa amin at the time we needed help, so I really care for her. Nang magkausap nga kami, I told her that I’ll always be here for her sa anumang pinagdaraanan niya ngayon."

What’s her opinion about the Katrina-Hayden video?

"Babae ako, siempre, I will side sa kapwa ko babae na siyang mas naapi. Also, I’m an actress like her kaya kami sa KAPP (local actors guild), we’ve already issued a statement that we will stand behind her."

And what about Hayden who’s now being called "Ang Pambansang Manyak"?

"Yes, I know him, but he’s not the one who is my friend but Dr. Belo. Ayokong mag-judge kasi, lahat naman tayo, tao lang at may kanya-kanyang pagkakamali sa buhay. Sabi nga ni Jesus, he who is without sin, cast the first stone."

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The exciting anime show, "Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood," is now being shown on TV5. This TV adaptation of the dark fantasy Japanese manga is about two brothers who use the power of alchemy to revive their dead mother, with tragic consequences. The older brother, Edward Elric, loses his left leg while the younger one, Alphonse Elric, loses his entire body. To restore their bodies, they seek the help of the mythical Philosopher’s Stone so they embark on a perilous journey.

Hailed as the no. 1 anime in Japan TV web polls, "Full Metal Alchemist" also won five trophies in the American Anime Awards in 2007, bagging the Animation of the Year Award, best original story and best music awards. It now airs every Friday at 7:30 p.m. on TV5, the ultimate Animega authority.

***

We spent the last weekend with the Romualdez family in Tacloban City along with colleagues Aster Amoyo and Ronald Constantino. It was the birthday of topnotcher councilor Cristina Gonzalez-Romualdez last Saturday and her husband, Mayor Alfred Romualdez, hosted a dinner party for her at Baluarte, a huge social hall where they also had their wedding reception 11 years ago. She looks as young as she was when she was launched by Regal in the movies, her figure as sexy as ever.

We also attended the graduation of 250 scholars of Kring Kring (Cristina’s nickname) at their astrodome called Tacloban Convention Center. They’re products of her Learn and Earn livelihood program and were taught various courses like cosmetology, food processing, weaving (Tacloban is famous for its beautiful mat handicrafts) and other jobs. The special guest was Sen. Loren Legarda who was with us in the same PAL flight that morning.

In the dinner affair, special guests entertained the crowd: "Men of the ‘80s" Randy Santiago, Raymond Lauchengco, Gino Padilla and Louie Heredia, plus Pilita Corrales. They were also the guests of L.A. based impresario, Alfonso Chu of Anaheim, California, who was the hermano mayor in the town fiesta of San Jose which is near the Tacloban airport. Later on, we joined them at the San Jose gym for their mini-concert.

Gino Padilla is a livewire who really brought the house down with his medley of Manila Sound songs like "Laki sa Layaw," "Ikaw ang Miss Universe ng Buhay Ko" and "Manila." Raymond and Louie sang some of their hits then Randy came in and not only entertained the huge crowd with his songs but also with his funny antiques. These guys are real crowd pleasers. Pilita was not supposed to appear yet (she’d do a show with the "Golden Divas" the next night) but she did a number with them and it was a hit.

Earlier at the party of Kring Kring, when Pilita did her signature song, "A Million Thanks to You," we felt goose bumps while watching her as her artistry as a performer has not at all changed after all these years. Like fine wine, she has become better with the passing years. This is what a real artist develops into if she would take real good care of the talent God gave her, unlike other artists who take to smoking, booze or drugs and let their abilities go to waste.

***

We later got to talk to Pilita and asked her if it’s true that the late Nomar Pardo was her relative. "He was brought to me by his dad as a baby," she said. "Iniwan na ng mother niya. Kami ang nagpalaki sa kanya and he was with us until Annabelle Rama got him and he worked for them as personal assistant. I feel so sad about what happened to him because he has two small children, only 5 and 3. The first thing I’ll do when I get back to Manila (that was last Monday) is to go to his wake because his funeral is the next day."

Annabelle said she felt guilty when Nomar passed away so suddenly as they had a small fight earlier when she was telling him to wake up Richard so they won’t be late for his shooting. "Kaya kinakausap ko siyawhile he’s in his coffin and I told him to forgive me," she said. "Kami ni Richard, sasagutin na namin ang pagtulong at pagpapaaral sa mga anak niya kasi kawawa naman."

Going back to Kring Kring and Mayor Alfred, it’s very obvious that the people of Tacloban love them very much. They’re mobbed like they’re Brad and Angelina anywhere they go and their constituents want their pictures to be taken with them, which should not be surprising as they’re really a handsome couple with two good-looking daughters. The eldest looks like Mayor Alfred and the youngest is a Kring Kring carbon copy.

At the dinner party, so many people gave wonderful greetings and praises to Kring Kring, with someone even saying that the best decision Mayor Alfred did in his life was to marry her and make her the First Lady of Tacloban. They kept tinkling their cups for them to kiss like newlyweds.

Kring Kring was requested to sing and being a former recording artist, she obliged and sang "Reflection" from "Mulan." Her voice seems even better now than before and if ever she’d decide to sing again professionally, she can certainly give Gretchen Barretto a run for her money. She also sang a special song about Tacloban City. We didn’t understand the Waray lyrics but obviously, their constituents like it as they all gave her a hearty applause.

To Kring Kring, happy birthday again and many more to come!

Source: Malaya

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