Pregnancy stops young actress from coming home

You, too, must have been wondering why a petite young actress (with skin as white as labanos) has been (ma)lingering in the States, overstaying in the East Coast for more than four months now after wrapping her scenes for a local movie shot there.

Now it can be told: She has found a handsome Filipino boyfriend with whom she has been living-in somewhere in Manhattan. But it isn’t news, is it? The girl is noted (notorious?) for falling in love easily and when she does, she falls really hard not for material reason but for the sake of simply falling in love.

Once, she had a torrid romance with the scion of a business magnate from whom she never asked anything, not even money to pay her apartment’s rent. "Stupid" was how those close to her would tell her – you know, giving her all, and I mean all, without getting anything back in return.

The latest word from New York is that the girl is now three months pregnant and she’s oh-so-proud of it that she lets everybody touch her growing tummy. She has put on some weight and she’s as cuddlesome as she used to be before she slimmed down to do bold movies.

And now, the clincher: The would-be father of the little life inside her is not her live-in boyfriend but somebody else (but the boyfriend doesn’t know – yet – of course).

Now you know why she can’t come home yet. But when she does early next year, she should be hugging her little bundle of joy – yes, Born in the USA.

Ara on Jomari: Nothing between us

When Ara Mina turned 22 last May 9, five days before the elections, she wished that her biological father, Chuck Mathay, would win as Congressman of the Second District of Quezon City. Wish granted.

But until now, Congressman Chuck hasn’t given Ara any birthday gift, although he might spring a big surprise on his love daughter anytime soon.

"He’s fond of surprises, you know," said Ara who campaigned hard for Chuck, holding a Sing-Ala-Ara Mina contest in nine of the second district’s 30 barangays and soliciting gifts herself from such sponsors as Gift Gate, San Miguel, Asia Brewery and Adidas.

Asked what "surprise" gifts she wanted from Chuck, Ara said, "Pagmamahal." Anything else (since Chuck and his family have been giving Ara all the pagmamahal that they can give her)? "My stepfather will not like it but I want to use Mathay as my legal surname," added Ara who was recognized by Chuck as his (illegitimate) daughter last year. "Gusto ko maging legal at legitimate ako."

Ara lost 20 pounds due to the hectic campaign (good for her!) and not because of the persistent rumor linking her to Jomari Yllana (her co-star in the GMA sitcom Kiss Muna). Rumor-mongers were suspecting that Ara was one of the major causes of Jomari’s break-up with wife Aiko Melendez (who, coincidentally, was elected councilor also in the second district of Quezon City).

Yes, said Ara, the (unfounded) rumor has affected her working relationship with Jomari (who himself has denied again and again that there ever was anything "more than friendship" between him and Ara).

"When we’re on the set," said Ara who has just released her second Star Records album titled Heavenly, "I stay away from Jomari para walang tsismis. My dressing room is upstairs and their (the boys’) dressing room is downstairs. I go down only when we’re ready to shoot. Otherwise, I keep distance. Mahirap na…"

Ara and Jomari starred in two movies (Banatan and Sagad sa Init) and, surprisingly, they’d never been romantically linked to each other – until lately.

"Kung noong binata siya, friends lang kami," added Ara, "ngayon pa kayang may-asawa na siya at may anak? I’m not a home-wrecker. Hindi ako pumapatol sa may pamilya na."

In fact, according to Ara, she’s so concentrated on her career that she has no time to have a boyfriend, not even an "eligible" one.

"I don’t want somebody watching over me at work, or checking on what I’m doing or where I’m going," she said.

The carrier single of her Heavenly album is bound to keep tongues wagging, especially now that the "issue" between her and Jomari refuses to die. It’s called Ngayong Wala Ka Na.

Is it dedicated to, ahem, somebody?

Smiled Ara, "No. Nagkataon lang."

Joey’s show in Vancouver a sellout

Alice Dixson, now based in Vancouver with husband Ronnie Miranda, mentioned to Funfare during a recent phone chat that the concert of Joey Albert, now also living in Vancouver (Coquitlam area) with her husband Ting Pacis and their children, was a big success (SRO).

Called Larger Than Life, the fund-raising show was held at the Orpheum Theater, with Ray-an Fuentes, Joselito Pascual and Vancouver-bred talents (Mia Dayao with backup singers Maya Guzman, Tina Cruz and Rose Alindada) as co-performers.

One Gerry Saguin, nicknamed Mr. Batchoy, appeared as a Jeproks when Joey sang Ang Boyfriend Kong Baduy. Fr. Craig Scott did a "surprise" number, much to the enjoyment of the crowd the likes of which was seldom seen in Vancouver (concerts in that part of Canada, according to Philippine Journal writer I.C. Yatco who did a glowing review of Larger Than Life, "haven’t been a major draw as far as audience is concerned").