The truth about Kristine – and Angelika

Curtain-raisers:

* Three cheers to brand-new Lolo and Lola, Mario and Vicky Bautista, whose daughter Hannah gave birth to her and husband Erfe Wabe’s first child, a girl named Lourdes Sabina, in New Jersey (where the Wabes are based) on Oct. 16. Lolo Mario was teary-eyed as he caressed his first grandchild.

* The correct spelling of Jenny Syquia’s husband, the Swedish businessman (engaged in construction), is Filip Skarne and not Philip as Funfare wrongly reported. Jenny’s daughter by ex-husband Gabby Concepcion is named Cloie and not Chloe.

* The successful show of Kuh Ledesma and Zsa Zsa Padilla in the US will be staged here on Nov. 29. Watch for it and find out which of the two divas can excite the expected SRO audience better.

* * *

Of course, you know what Kristine Hermosa and Angelika dela Cruz have in common – that is, besides their being the reigning soap princesses. Yes, Jericho Rosales is very much a part of the two ladies’ lives, Echo being Kristine’s present and Angelika’s past.

Both Kristine and Angelika have also been drawn – in vain – into controversies which were nipped in the bud, turning into embers even before they could catch fire.

You see, since the conclusion of the widely-followed ABS-CBN soap Pangako Sa’yo (which caught the fancy of soap followers not only here but in Filipino communities abroad reached by The Filipino Channel/TFC), an ugly rumor has been circulating that Kristine has suddenly become scarce because she was pregnant, not by Echo, according to the wild rumors, but by a TV executive (unnamed and connected with what channel the rumors didn’t specify).

Yesterday at the media launch for Head & Shoulders Shampoo (scalp treatment) which she’s endorsing, Kristine only laughed off the rumor, saying she wasn’t affected at all because it wasn’t true anyway. In fact, Kristine could even joke about it, saying, "At least, executive daw ang nakabuntis sa akin."

Kristine stayed out of the local limelight for a while not only for a much-needed rest (she has reportedly recovered from a minor lung ailment) but also to shoot the Head & Shoulders commercial in Thailand, the one which started airing recently. As endorser for yet another beauty product, Maxi-Feel, Kristine has also been busy hopping around the country for the promo.

No, she won’t be starring in a new soap – yet – but she and Echo might star in a movie (a follow-up to their hit starrer Forevermore) early next year for Star Cinema.

On the other hand, Angelika has just renewed her contract with GMA for the new soap, Habang Kapiling Ka, which will start airing on Nov. 4, about the time her ongoing soap, Ikaw Lang, draws to a close. Habang May Buhay has an all-star cast that includes Ruffa Gutierrez, Albert Martinez, Tonton Gutierrez, Chin Chin Gutierrez, Snooky Serna, Alma Moreno, China Ortaleza, Richard Guitierrez, Toni Gonzaga and Reiley Valeroso.

"Scary, isn’t it?" said Angelika about the cast. "That’s why I make sure I arrive on the set on time, ready with my lines, para hindi ako mapahiya."

Angelika added that she doesn’t consider Kristine, or anybody for that matter, a "competition." She doesn’t even know who her ka-level is.

Being busy with work, taping almost everyday (with a hosting chore on S.O.P. Sundays), Angelika has set aside boys for the meantime. "It’s hard to mix love and career," she said, not minding being loveless even if she’s turning 21 on Oct. 29. "If ever I fall in love, sana with somebody not from showbiz. Magulo if you’re both from showbiz."

Describing herself as conservative, Angelika stressed that living-in and pre-marital sex are a big no-no to her. "If anybody wants to court me," she said, "he should do so by visiting me at home." (Clue: Angelika loves tulips and red/white roses; omit chocolates because she’s not fond of them – much too fattening.)

What about Mico Sotto (son of Ali Sotto)?

"He has never been my steady," said Angelika. "Friend, yes, but not boyfriend."

In the same interview, Angelika clarified the rumor that she once ran away from home.

"Why should I run away? I’m okay with my parents. In fact, my Mom and my Dad are helping me with my business, the Angelika Water Station. The tsismis started when we rented a house in Tandang Sora, Quezon City, because our ancestral home in Malabon was being renovated. People thought that naglayas ako. The truth is that my parents were with me all the time."

It Is In Her Genes

Because showbiz is in her genes, Maxene Magalona can’t resist the lure of the kleig lights. If you are the grand-daughter of Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran (whom Maxene resembles) and the daughter of Francis Magalona (and Pia Arroyo), you have no place else to go but, that’s it, showbiz.

Maxene should be familiar to the teener-followers of the GMA show Click (telecast Saturday afternoons). She’s now being introduced in Regal Films’ Singsing ni Lola, with Click colleague Railey Valeroso as leading man, a sequel of sorts to Bahay ni Lola which was the surprise top-grosser at the Metro Filmfest in December last year.

The other young stars of Singsing ni Lola are Dindin Llarena who gets to wear the cursed ring from the Black Cat; Glaiza de Castro, also a recording artist, featured in a previous Regal Film, Cool Dudes; and TJ Cruz (eldest son of Tirso Cruz III and Lyn Ynchausti).

The young stars enjoyed the scary scenes in Singsing ni Lola – all those screaming and shrieking. "Nakakatakot pero nakakaaliw," they chorused. They hoped to be in the cast of a third Lola movie…should there be one.

Maxene, Railey and the other young stars are honored to be in the company of Miss Gloria Romero, Gina Alajar, Joel Torre, Allan K, and Aiza Seguerra, plus the other big names in the cast of Singsing ni Lola, written and directed by Uro Q. dela Cruz.

Miss Earth Controversy

The 2002 Miss Earth Pageant was held last Saturday evening in, or so it seemed, a smooth presentation that lasted for almost five hours, with Miss Bosnia as winner and, in order of rank, Miss Kenya, Miss Yugoslavia and Miss Greece as runners-up.

All’s well that ends well?

Guess again.

According to a Funfare DPA, a little controversy erupted backstage after the proclamation of the winners, with some disgruntled (sore?) losers unable to suppress their displeasure.

Now, could it be true that…

1) One contestant "accidentally" pushed Miss Bosnia who turned white as snow in fright?

2) Another contestant quietly gave the judges an unsavory "gesture" after the coronation of Miss Bosnia as winner?

3) If most of the (sore?) losers had a choice, they would rather have Miss Kenya as "it"?

Oh, well, if those girls did show that kind of displeasure, they certainly didn’t deserve the title, not even as semi-finalists or, yeah, contestants. In any contest, be it "beauty" or otherwise, there’s a board of judges and the judges’ decision is final and irrevocable.