Jessa-Dingdong wedding on March 18! - FUNFARE by Ricardo F. Lo

Funfare concedes – with a big blush.

In this corner’s annual Halu-Halong Hula-Hula published end of December last year, one item said that Jessa Zaragoza and Quezon City Councilor Dingdong Avanzado would break up due to a "third party (a pretty non-showbiz girl)." That hula is turning out to be a dud (well, you know, even Madame Auring commits mistakes, more often nga lang).

An unimpeachable (it’s the "in" word these days, isn’t it?) DPA said that Jessa and Dingdong are, in fact, getting married on March 18 (the same day Franco Laurel and Ayen Munji are swapping "I do’s," too) and the controversial couple is now finalizing the details (such as the venue, the motif, etc., including the line-up of principal sponsors, one of whom is Dolphy).

Jessa and Dingdong have been hinting at it, although limiting themselves to saying that the wedding would take place "anytime this year." Contrary to nasty rumors (unfair to the groom-to-be), it’s Dingdong who’ll be spending for the wedding – "And he won’t allow Jessa to spend even a single cent," added the DPA. Dingdong comes from a well-to-do, politics-based family in Samar (the Velosos) and I can vouch for it.

Their wedding will take place just eight weeks before the elections in May where Dingdong is running for reelection in Quezon City (but Jessa denied reports that she’s running, too).

Jessa used to sing Bakit Pa? with sadness all over her Bette Davis face. If she’s now singing Ibigay Mo Na with gusto, a big smile all over her Bette Davis face, it’s because, according to the DPA, "malapit na niyang ibigay kay Dingdong..." Ang ano? Jessa and Dingdong’s detractors will, of course, answer that question with another question, "Bakit, hindi pa ba naibibigay hanggang ngayon?"

Oh, well, bakit pa?

Twins for Carmina and Zoren

Meanwhile, Funfare’s DPA in Los Angeles, California, called (collect!) to confirm another persistent rumor, this time about Carmina Villarroel’s giving birth to twins. Yes, it’s true, Carmina did give birth to a boy and a girl last Jan. 6 and the suspected father, Zoren Legaspi, was beside her throughout the whole event (it "is", isn’t it?).

"The babies are very beautiful," gushed the DPA, ang gaganda at ang cute-cute nila. Combination nina Carmina at Zoren."

The twins will be named after characters from the Bible, the brand-new father being, as he claims to be, a Bible reader (that’s why he has been co-hosting the DZXL radio program Ang Dating Daan). It must be recalled that Carmina’s estranged husband, Rustom Padilla, belongs to the Jehovah’s Witness sect which interprets the Bible a bit differently from the way Zoren’s group does (that’s why there was a report that Carmina for a while went through a period of confusion during her transition from her "ex" to her "present").

As soon as she comes home middle of or late next month, Carmina will tell the whole truth and nothing but.

"She won’t hide anything," said the L.A. DPA.

But first, Carmina will discuss things with Rustom who, in fairness, said that he wouldn’t take any legal action against Carmina, pending the resolution of their annulment case. (Dear Katrina Legarda is Carmina’s lawyer.)

Rustom is happy with his single-blessedness and Carmina, I’m sure, is happy with the direction she has chosen.

Kanya-kanyang daan lang naman ’yon, di ba?

What’s up?

l Condolence to the family of Noel Trinidad whose father, the beloved Koko Trinidad, passed away midnight of Sunday, Jan. 21. The wake is at the Christ The King Church in Green Meadows, Quezon City.

l Could it be true that Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo might reappoint Manoling Morato as MTRCB chief now that Armida Siguion-Reyna has resigned?

l Now, will Mike Toledo resurface as a TV newscaster now that his glory days as Erap’s press secretary are over?