Is she Jericho’s new girl?

The first question that popped in my mind when I finally met Cindy Kurleto the other day was: Is this the girl rumored to have caused the (temporary) break-up of Jericho Rosales and Kristine Hermosa?

One (even quick) look at the 21-year-old pretty Filipino-Austrian commercial model (San Miguel, Palmolive Shampoo, Secret, etc.) and you would tend to believe that any guy, not only Jericho, could go crazy over her. Cindy is not only a beautiful face, she’s also a beautiful mind, a real combination of beauty and brains.

Half-Filipino and half-Austrian, Cindy is having her movie debut in the forthcoming Jericho-Kristine movie, Star Cinema’s Ngayong Nandito Ka, directed by Jerry Lopez-Sineneng, where the real-life sweethearts get separated by circumstances beyond their control, both of them falling for other partners (Kristine for Onemig Bondoc and Jericho for, you guessed it, Cindy). Of course, as in all love stories, Jericho and Kristine eventually live happily ever after but I won’t tell you how just yet.

Starting Feb. 22, Cindy will be among the hosts of the reformatted noontime ABS-CBN show MTB.

Before I asked Cindy about her family/educational background, I confronted her with the rumor linking her to Jericho. You know: Why did she "break up" such a seemingly perfect couple? How did, if he ever did, Jericho court her? How long, if they are, have they been going steady?

Instead of being annoyed or irritated, Cindy simply laughed off those questions.

"I first met Jericho and Kristine on the set in December last year," Cindy, very articulate and very engaging (the exact opposite of Kristine who frowns more often than she smiles), recalled with undisguised amusement. "I did notice that there was tension between the two but I didn’t ask what the matter was. Why should I? Now, to answer your questions… No, I didn’t cause their break-up…No, Jericho never courted me, not obviously anyway… No, Jericho and I never called each other on the phone regularly although we did exchange phone numbers just like we did with everybody else while we were shooting in Baguio."

In short, Cindy is "not guilty" as charged. Kristine (who has a reason to be insecure but not to worry) can sit back now and relax.

"In fact," said Cindy, "I had a boyfriend but I broke up with him very recently. He’s a model, too, half-Brazilian and half-Japanese. I met him in Bangkok when I did a commercial there. Why did we break up?" Cindy shrugged, "It was due to long-distance impatience."

Although she found Jericho "a nice person," Cindy didn’t have enough time to know him well because she had only six shooting days for Ngayong Nandito Ka. (You notice the girl in the movie’s MTV, kissing Jericho in a wedding scene? That’s Cindy!)

"What’s my type of guy? Well, he must be talented and ambitious; he must have a good life. He must be somebody who loves life, who thinks that life is good, somebody with a positive outlook in life. He has to have his own life."

A highly-independent girl, Cindy was born in Vienna, an only child who studied there from grade school to college (Hotel and Restaurant Management). Her father, Friedrich Kurleto, left Cindy and her mom, Faustina Verdillo, a nurse, when Cindy was four-years old. "He married another Filipina," said Cindy who harbored no bitterness against her father even if, at an early age, she was forced to learn how to make a living and help her mom who was awarded by the Austrian government as one of "the 25 best Filipino nurses" a few years ago. "I was 13 when I saw him again. And then, when I was 17, I started working in his insurance company."

It’s a pity that her mom didn’t live long enough to see Cindy join showbiz.

"She died last year of aneurysm," said Cindy, turning misty-eyed. "I was on the plane from the Philippines, where I took a vacation, to Vienna when she died (at 52)."

After school, according to Cindy, she packed her things and, using her own savings, came back alone to spend time with her relatives in Legaspi City.

"In school," she revealed, "the hooligans would spit at me and beat me up just because I wasn’t pure Austrian, because they considered me a foreigner. Austria is not a friendly country to foreigners. If you’re an extrovert and intelligent and pretty, your schoolmates get insecure and gang up on you. I decided to stay here longer to know the culture for which I was (mis)judged in Austria. I’ve been here for more than one year and a half and I like it here!"

She was discovered in Legaspi City while interviewing the South Border for a TV station she was working with. She’s now managed by Cesar Buendia, the heavyweight guy who used to manage the South Border.

With stardom beckoning, Cindy has a good reason to stay – for good.

At least here, on homeground, she’ll be pampered with the legendary Filipino hospitality and not beaten up like she was in her adopted country.

"Without my Mom," said Cindy, "I’m all alone with only my pet dog as company. You know what his name is? Leon, short for Napoleon. You see, he’s small but he thinks he’s big."

Bing’s side

Here’s Bing Loyzaga’s "official statement" on the infamous S.O.P. incident, e-mailed to Funfare by Bing’s manager Biboy A.:

Last Sunday, Bing Loyzaga went to S.O.P. as she usually does but this time as personal assistant to her husband Janno Gibbs, (Janno’s wardrobe and others.) Janno’s personal assistant was relieved of her duties last Friday.

Bing greeted the people in the dressing room. She was acknow-ledged by Jaya via a pat on her tummy; Regine gave a wave gesture and the others were cool about seeing Janno and Bing together.

Bing was calm and composed and she dutifully attended to Janno. In between she was texting/calling her house, her agent and other people.

Janno felt that his appearance with Bing wasn’t a welcome sight for some people. He heard about a dressing room "re-assignment" and transfer, which he found a bit odd. Later, when some people started ignoring him and Bing, he found it very offensive.

A little after the opening number, Janno was preparing for the Back-to-Back-to-Back segment when he suddenly decided to leave and go home.

Bing tried to silently convince him to reconsider.

When Janno and Bing were in their vehicle, an S.O.P. executive producer rushed out and asked Janno why he was leaving and tried to ask Janno to stay. Janno still decided to leave.

Executives of the program are trying to resolve the issue. Janno and Bing are set to leave for an Asian cruise/show on Monday.

They are not separated, they are not seeking annulment, they are pretty much married and they will celebrate the day of hearts together.

Hallmark contest

The Hallmark Channel is running a Valentine special entitled Snow Queen (see ad somewhere on this page). To drum up interest for the telemovie, Hallmark and Funfare are conducting a tie-up contest (Feb. 15 to 28). Everybody, from Aparri to Jolo, is invited to join this Watch & Win contest. Read on.

1. To enter, watch Hallmark Channel’s Snow Queen – Part 1 of which debuts on Feb. 15, with repeats on Feb. 16, 24, and 25; Part Two debuts on Feb. 16, with repeats on Feb. 17, 25, and 26 on Destiny Cable Channel 25, Home Cable Channel 49, Sky Cable Channel 38, and local PCC and Cable Boss affiliates.

2. Correctly answer at least three of the following questions:

a. Who is the fairy tale author of the Snow Queen?

b. Who directed the Snow Queen?

c. What is Kal’s job at the hotel?

d. Which Golden Globe nominee plays the role of the icy temptress?

e. Name at least one magical creature that Gerda encounters on her journey to the Snow Queen’s palace.

3. Send answers with name, address, and contact number to Watch & Win the Snow Queen Contest, P.O. Box 3802, MCPO Makati City, or e-mail [email protected].

4. Deadline for all entries is on Feb. 28. Fifteen lucky winners will get a Hallmark Channel gift bag.

5. Winners will be notified with a letter or email, and will also be announced in Funfare, and may claim their prizes from Buensalido & Associates, Suite 701 Greenbelt Mansion, 106 Repea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Please bring at least one valid ID and a letter of notification.

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