What, no romantic date for the perky multi-hyphenate celebrity, who has been linked to the most eligible bachelors, from Sam Milby to Luis Manzano, in show business? "Ewan di ko alam kung may ka-date ako, kasi last year, wala eh! Baka sa trabaho ko lang i-spend ang Valentine's Day," came her reply.
While matters of the heart may have taken the backseat for Toni ("I'm not yet ready for a commitment"), there's no doubt that her career is riding high. Toni, for one, is fast-becoming a sought-after endorser, and was, in fact, here in Cebu recently to launch Nescafe's new product, "NESCAFE Classic First Pick" at the Ayala Center Mall Activity Center, where she headlined the fiesta-themed musicale.
After performing a variety of songs, most of which are from her album, Toni met the entertainment press backstage for a brief interview.
Toni said that each visit that she made to the Queen City of the South had always been a memorable one, claiming that Cebu is her second home. Due to different event engagements, she's a frequent flyer to Cebu. Prior to the Nescafe Classic First Pick launch, she was here when the Pinoy Dream Academy's first batch of scholars was introduced at the Cebu Capitol.
Joining the newest Nescafe product's elite list of celebrity endorsers, we asked how much of a coffee person is Toni?
Toni said that a cup of coffee is "very, very important" for her. "I need something like this (coffee), especially when I have overnight tapings. I drink coffee to be awake. I drink coffee every morning and late at night."
"Minsan nga na-over ako sa coffee, just to keep me awake sa shooting, naka-anim na cups yata ako nun," Toni revealed with a laugh.
What coffee flavors does she love?
"Gusto ko 'yong coffee mocha and 'yong regular coffee with cream."
Toni also talked about the upcoming Pinoy Big Brother Season 2, which she will host as in the past, with the exception of its Teen Edition. "This season is going to be really different. It's going to be more tougher and 'Kuya' will become more stricter this time and the housemates, on the other hand, will be living in a bigger house."
Though she's backed with ample experience hosting the said show, still she said Season 2 "will be challenging for me."
Toni is definitely one of ABS-CBN's prized talents, and for that, she has this to say: "I am so blessed that I get to host, sing and act as well."
Interestingly, Toni's backing is also being sought out by politicians what with the May elections fast-approaching. But she isn't throwing her support just like that without being convinced herself by the politician's credibility.
Indeed, her schedule's super-loaded, but she's far from complaining as deals with the everyday demands of her work by "taking each step one at a time and valuing time management."
"I'm already contented with what I have right now," she concluded.
Franz Arrogante, who is a consistent major prize winner for three consecutive years now, won second prize with his "The Candlemaker and His Humble Devotion," a poignant presentation of a documentary of a Sto. Niño devotee, who together with his family sells candles during the occasion, gets the privilege to stay in the "Devotee City" set up by the Cebu City government, and expresses devotion to the Infant Jesus, despite hardship and difficulties that they have to bear.
Third prize goes to Ruel Antipuesto's "Sinulog Festival Queen," focusing on one of the newest but most watched events of the Sinulog Festival, the search for the most beautiful, best lead dancer and where, as Jojin Pascual, head of the University of San Carlos' History Department and consultant / head artist-choreographer of Tangub City's Tribu Sinanduloy, said "the Niño sits well in the hand."
In 2005, Raymond N. Aquino's Dance of Devotion" won the grand prize, while last year, Ruel Antipuesto with his "Ossie" (a documentary of a regular Sinulog Photo Contest participant) garnered the highest score.
This year's other seven finalists are: Laarni Diane Cabanada's "Mga Mananagat", Michael Ian Sosmena's "Los Ninos de Sinulog," Franco Alido's "Rhythm in Unison" (same title as Tarog's), Bernard Villamor's "Believe," Clee Villasor's "Ritmo Sa Ritwal," Christian Linaban's "The Sinulog in Cebu," and Charles Bryan Larino's "Pagmata."
The Board of Judges during the selection of the 10 finalists were Lilu I. Alino, head of Creatives and Production of Bigfoot Global Solutions, Inc.; Mary Anne "Me'Anne" Alcordo-Solomon of Alcordo Advertising & Rotary Club of Cebu Fuente; Ron Heri Tan of Cebu Filmmakers' Society; and director Jojo Labella. While Prof. Radel Paredes of University of San Carlos; journalist Jose "Boboi" Costas; Victor Villanueva, a young award-winning filmmaker; Ron Heri Tan of the Cebu Filmmakers' Society; and director Jojo Labella composed the board for the final judging.
Official announcement and awarding ceremonies will be held today (Feb.11) at SM-Cebu's Entertainment Plaza at 1pm together with the awarding of the photo contest's winners. All 10 finalists of the Sinulog 2007 Video Documentary Competition will be shown starting 12noon before the start of the main program.
Prizes to be awarded are: P30,000 plus trophy for the grand prize, P20,000 plus trophy for the second prize, P10,000 plus trophy for the third prize, and P1,000 each for the seven other finalists.
The competition is an event under the Sinulog Foundation, Inc., in cooperation with the Cebu City Government and Cebu Filmmakers' Society.