Ruffa and Yilmaz to wed in Muslim, Christian rites

Curtain-raisers:

• Rachel Alejandro arrived the other night on a Northwest flight from the States where she spent Christmas with her mom and sisters (Maryland) and New Year with friends (San Francisco and L.A.). Guess who was on the same flight with her – yes, ex-boyfriend Dingdong Avanzado and his wife Jessa Zaragoza. Rachel is now rehearsing for the musical Promises, Promises where she would have had Dingdong as co-star – until Jessa put her foot down on Dingdong’s (abortive) theater debut.

• Also expected yesterday from San Francisco was Geneva Cruz who spent the holidays with her sister Aubrey and her boyfriend KC Montero (who flew to San Francisco from Washington where he spent the holidays with brother Troy and family). An "accident" happened to Geneva in San Francisco that led to the loss of something that could have proven precious to Geneva. Sayang. Geneva will surely remember that "loss" all her life.

• Now, could it be true that a semi-retired beautiful actress and her businessman home companion are having domestic trouble (even if they did spend Christmas and New Year together)? If the actress announces that she is soon making a showbiz comeback, then the negative signals from their homefront must be positively true.

* * *

Oh, yes, that will definitely happen although not this year or next year. But the wedding has been set. Ask Ruffa Gutierrez and her Turkish boyfriend Yilmaz Bektas who seem to have outgrown their galit-bati/galit-bati stage and are now, well, going happily steady ever after.

Ruffa stayed home after the two-night concerts she and her mom, Annabelle Rama, mounted at Country Waffles (Greenhills) under their own Royale-ERA Productions in December last year. True to his promise not only to Ruffa but to his future parents-in-law (Eddie and Annabelle), Yilmaz flew to Manila on Jan. 2 and stayed for four days with Ruffa and her family (which has embraced Yilmaz as a bona fide member, treated by Eddie and Annabelle like their own son).

Last Sunday morning before he and Ruffa left, Yilmaz attended Mass with the Gutierrezes at the Christ The King Church in Green Meadows, Quezon City. Even if he’s a Muslim, Yilmaz prayed the Our Father with everybody, holding hands with both persons beside him, and swapping the Peace Be With You greeting with people around him toward the end of the Mass. "He’s open to other religions," said Ruffa during a brief phone chat with Funfare several minutes before she and Yilmaz were driven to the airport for their flight to Phuket where they were staying for three days before proceeding to Milan for four days, from where they’ll drive to Monaco for a two-day holiday. And then, they’ll fly to London where Yilmaz will attend to some business before proceeding to Istanbul where the Bektas live and manage their own business(es).

"No," said Ruffa, "I won’t be staying in Yilmaz’s place but in one of the family’s flats. Bawal sa kanila for a couple to live together until after they’re married."

Oh, yes, the wedding. If and when it happens – "And it will definitely happen," said Ruffa – the couple plans to first exchange vows in Muslim rites (lasting no longer than 10 minutes, according to Ruffa) and then in a Catholic ceremony (presumably to be solemnized in Manila).

With her career "on hold" (not having renewed her contract with Century Productions where she worked as host of special events around the USA and Europe), Ruffa is taking it easy until March when she resumes work, shuttling between L.A. (her second home) and Istanbul, with Manila as "stopover" every now and then.

Next month, Eddie and Annabelle will fly to Istanbul for a week-long holiday Yilmaz has promised them.

"Pappy can hardly wait for Mom and Dad to get to Istanbul," said Ruffa. (Pappy is her term of endearment for Yilmaz.)

Has Pops found her Mr. Right?

There was an interesting scene during the wake for Pops Fernandez’s (maternal) grandmother at the Santuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park several days ago. As fate would have it, Pops’ ex-husband Martin Nievera and her current suitor (or is he already her boyfriend?), Filipino-French businessman Jacques Dupasquier, crossed paths there one night and, according to an eyewitness, the two gentlemen were civil and polite toward each other, exchanging quiet "Hi’s!" but not shaking hands.

Besides Pops’ family (mother Dulce Lukban included), also present was Martin’s mom, Conchita Razon, who has a soft spot for Pops even until now and who considers Pops as a daughter forever and ever, come what may.

The eyewitness didn’t say which of the two guys Pops accorded special attention to that evening.

"But it’s safe to guess that even if Pops and Martin’s marriage has been annulled," said the eyewitness (who should know, she being very close to both families), "Pops’ family still hopes that the two will get together again. Martin’s family feels the same way, too, I’m sure."

But of course, the final say and the final decision will have to come from Pops and Martin. After all, they are the ones who will ultimately determine the direction of their hearts and not the people around them.

Meanwhile, has Pops really found her Mr. Right?

Stay tuned.