Vilma, Ralph hie off to Bangkok

Despite the widespread fear of flying brought about by the New York tragedy, Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos and husband, Sen. Ralph Recto, left yesterday for a six-day holiday in Bangkok with sons Luis/Lucky and Ryan Christian, together with Vilma’s sister Emeline and brother Sonny with the Rectos’ Girl Friday Aida Fandialan.

Vilma and Ralph couldn’t cancel their trip because it was planned even before those two "suicide" planes hit the World Trade Center; it was timed with the Senate recess. It’s the second trip abroad in barely five months for Vilma and Ralph who took a five-day breather in Singapore after the May 14 elections.

I’m sure the sites of Bangkok –the tiangge at Patpong, the crocodile farm, the temples and... will Ralph sneak out to watch the girlie shows alone? – will divert problems like death threats and rumored "sexcapades" from the couple’s mind. They should come home next Monday feeling refreshed and recharged.

No, the Rectos didn’t fly either American Airines nor United Airlines (not seen in Asian skies, anyway) but Thai Airways (Flight 621), the same airline they’re taking coming back.

Edu turns 46

I’m sure, too, that while in Bangkok, Luis/Lucky will be missing his beautiful girlfriend, Nancy Castiliogne, that pretty face in the commercials for Nestle Yogurt and Red Horse (she accidentally spills beer on the crotch of a macho man, doesn’t she?). Last June when the whole family went to Singapore, Luis/Lucky begged off because he’d rather be beside Nancy whom he was just courting at that time, never mind if Mama Vi told him that, if he wanted to (and so he wouldn’t be bored) he could bring Nancy along.

Nancy is half-Italian and half-Filipino. She and Luis/Lucky seem to be hitting it off well and she might reconsider her earlier plans and decide to stay for good, both for her starting showbiz career and for Luis/Lucky.

Asked in last Sunday’s edition of The Buzz by hosts Kris Aquino and Boy Abunda what she liked about Luis/Lucky, Nancy flashed a sweet smile and said, "He’s thoughtful! When he learned that my favorite snack was chicken empanada, he would drive all the way to our home in Antipolo and bring me chicken empanada every day." Nancy is also showbiz, having acted in Miss Saigon. She has a good singing voice, obliging Kris and Boy with a few lines from Let Me Entertain You when asked for a "sample."

Nancy was Luis/Lucky’s date Friday (Sept. 14) night when a surprise party was organized for his dad Edu Manzano’s 46th birthday by Edu’s PR-manager June Rufino and Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco at the Detour Billiard Hall in Makati City. The well-wishers presented the celebrator with a birthday cake highlighted with a miniature billiard table in keeping with the affair’s venue.

It was a star-studded party. The well-wishers included Viva Boss Vic del Rosario, Jr. who came with girlfriend Ana Bautista, Sen. Kiko Pangilinan (who even played billiard) minus wife Sharon Cuneta, Pops Fernandez who bumped into ex-hubsand Martin Nievera (luckily, he didn’t bring Katrina Ojeda along), Caloocan City Councilor Dennis Padilla and wife Marjorie Barretto, Victor Neri solo, Tirso Cruz III and wife Lyn Ynchausti, Kevin Vernal and perennial companion Paul Cabral (former maker of Erap’s Barong Tagalog), Mons Romulo and husband Sandy Tantoco, Berna Romulo and husband Dave Puyat, direk Boots Plata (minus wife Dolor Guevarra), Armida Siguion-Reyna, Carlitos Siguion-Reyna and wife Bibeth Orteza, Joel Torre, director Laurice Guillen and husband Johnny Delgado, Rez Cortez and Aga Muhlach with very pregnant wife Charlene Gonzales (who couldn’t resist also playing billiard).

How did it feel being four short years away from being a Golden Boy?

The Birthday Boy was unusually tongue-tied.

Symptoms of midlife crisis?