Why Janice filed petition for annulment?

Curtain-raisers:

• Tempo entertainment editor Nestor Cuartero is the guest speaker at the Teodoro F. Valencia Journalism Lecture Series this afternoon (2:30 to 4) at the T.F. Valencia Media Study Center at the Rizal Park. Nestor will speak on Personality Profiles which is part of his course module in Feature Writing at UST’s Faculty of Arts and Letters where he’s a faculty member. As president of the 51-year-old Batikan Club of his hometown, Rosario, Batangas, Nestor has big plans up his sleeves. He succeeded Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito R. Zuño as Batikan head. Nestor is inviting all Rosarians and other Batangueños to attend the socio-civic club’s big ball on April 27 at the town plaza.

• Here are the winners of the HBO Mission: Impossible 2 promo: Neddie Sarmiento, Oliver Plana, Mary Eva, Henry D. Tan, Raymond Roland Roxas, Stephanie Annie T. Lopez, Jose Roland Luis Rojas, Joe Endonila, Marivic M. Fabular, Christina Marie T. Lopez, Nelson Efundo, Cecilio Alger, Jr., Diego D. Dantes, Dennis Ecle and Genalin S. Macalaguing. (Note: They can claim their prizes – beautiful Mission: Impossible 2 T-shirts – at Virtusio Offices, 810 Annapolis Wilshire Plaza, 11 Annapolis St., San Juan, Metro Manila. Or call 725-78-91, 727-5251 or 726-51-32.)

• A new weekly radio program, A Senior Citizen Speaks, will be launched tomorrow (March 2), 1 to 2 p.m., on DWSS 1494, according to station manager Manny Luzon. The program is created and produced by Fuentes Media Operations and hosted by Ramon Alfonso A. Fuentes, a veteran broadcast professional consulting economist, in cooperation with DWSS 1494. Fuentes is also Funfare’s "grammar expert" who sends corrections/clarifications every now and then. You may tune in to his program even if you’re not (yet) a senior citizen.

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While Parañaque City Mayor Joey Marquez is putting "on hold" the filing of his petition for the annulment of his marriage to Alma Moreno (in deference to the death of Alma’s mother, Virginia Lacsamana), Janice de Belen has filed her own petition against estranged husband John Estrada on the ground of "psychological incapacity." Janice’s petition is now pending in court and, who knows, before the year is over, the verdict might be handed down, setting both Janice and John free again to pursue separately new directions. Janice is keeping the identity of her lawyer confidential but Funfare knows that John’s lawyer is none other than annulment expert and TV host (Off The Record and By Demand) Katrina Legarda.

Some of Janice’s friends are all-out behind her while others feel that Janice should have used reason instead of emotion, her head more than her heart, and left John in limbo by not filing the annulment petition. That’s how some aggrieved wives get back at their philandering husbands (Funfare is not saying that John is one of them), don’t they?

But Janice has a good reason for making that crucial/critical decision.

"He wants to be free, so I’ll set him free, " said Janice. "Who knows, I might also fall in love again (with another guy). In that case, mas okey ’yung wala nang mga legal impediments, di ba?"

You know, to each his/her own; she goes her way and he goes his way.

Janice conceded that she sometimes uses more emotion than reason. You know, di katulad ng iba... John?

She wouldn’t say, however, if a new guy is now knocking on her heart.

Ali’s words of wisdom

I just come across an inspiring/enlightening article on Muhammad Ali in the January 2002 issue of the Reader’s Digest and I felt it’s very relevant and timely since the Ali bioflick, entitled Ali (with Will Smith in the title role), has just opened in metro theaters.

Ali was asked how he felt about different religions and he came up with an answer that should be an eye-opener for many people (this one included), "Rivers, ponds, lakes and streams. They have different names, but all contain water. Religions have different names but all contain truth."

Next question: What does your faith mean to you?

Ali: "(It) means (a) ticket to heaven. One day we’re all going to die, and God’s going to judge us, (our) good and bad deeds. (If the) bad outweighs the good, you go to hell; if the good outweighs the bad, you go to heaven.

"I’m thinking about the judgment day and how you treat people wherever you go. Help somebody through charity, because when you do, it’s been recorded.

"I go to parties, (see) good-looking girls. (I) take a box of matches with me. (I) see a girl I want to flirt with, which is a sin, so I (light) my matches, (touches his finger) – oooh, hell hurts worse than this. Buy a box of matches and carry them with you. Put (one) on your finger and see how long you can hold it. Just imagine that’s going to be hell. Hell’s hotter, and for eternity."

Quite a food for thought, isn’t it?

(For more of the similar uplifting stories, read the latest issue of the Reader’s Digest, and the succeeding ones. And do catch the movie Ali in a theater near you. Will Smith looks and sounds and acts disquietingly like Ali.)

Onemig’s school

Yes, Onemig Bondoc goes to school almost everyday, not to attend classes but to check on how the school is going – the family-owned Benedictine International School, that is, located at Capitol Hills Drive in Diliman, Quezon City.

The school, founded by Onemig’s parents, Mariano and Miladel Bondoc, offers scholarships to valedictorians and salutatorians. There are also sports scholarships, the Gold Medal, Silver Medal and Bronze Medal scholarship, which gives 100 percent, 50 percent or 25 percent free tuition.

Those who qualify in the President’s List can avail of 100 percent free tuition. Faculty members are graduates from top schools like UP, Ateneo, Philippine National University and Miriam, and are trained in the Montessori system of education with seminars on special education.

Enrollment is ongoing at the pre-school, grade school and high school levels for school year 2002 to 2003.