Is Dominic not the marrying kind?

Curtain-raisers:

• Still hurting (is he?) from his recent break-up with Angelika dela Cruz, Victor Neri denies that he and an Australian girl named Doni Piper are an item. "Hindi pa," says Victor who was seen in a group date with Doni, Mico Palanca (are he and Joyce Jimenez still "on"?) and Anne Curtis, who is Doni’s friend.

• Are Marvin Agustin and Kristine Hermosa back in each other’s arms? They used to be sweethearts before Jericho Rosales (now with Cindy Kurleto who is being eyed to be the new Dyesebel... may market pa ba ang isdang ’yon?) came into and disappeared from Kristine’s love life. Marvin and Kristine make sure that they are seen together in public. Otherwise, why would they be going – and holding hands and sometimes kissing – in such very public places as the Temple Bar in Makati City last week? Oh, my, was it a desperate PDA (Public Display of Affection)?

• The Buzz/Feel at Home head writer Jillmer Dy is asking the members of the IV-1 Class of Ramon Magsaysay High School (España, Manila) to call him at 0916-5885281 (or Tess de Guzman (at 0916-4518491). Jillmer and company are now planning a grand reunion with their batchmates.

* * *

One more year and, so to speak, Dominic Ochoa will be "out of the calendar" (as in mawawala na sa kalendaryo). He’s 30, the age when most guys are seriously thinking of settling down and starting a family. But Dominic is enjoying his (prolonged?) single-blessedness, denying vehemently that he and girlfriend Janna Victoria (who has just launched her own soap which carries her name) are getting married soon.

"I’m not financially stable yet," said Dominic who, after he quit as co-host of MTB last February, got even more TV shows (including Basta’t Kasama Kita with Robin Padilla and Judy Ann Santos, Whattamen and the Mula sa Piso segment of Tessie Tomas’ show). "Besides, Janna is only 22, too young to get married. We’ve been going steady for two years now and we’ll know when we’re ready for a lifetime commitment."

His younger sister, Kristine, is married and has her own family, leaving Dominic alone with their parents in the Ochoas’ Merville (Parañaque City) home.

"Yes, I must admit," confirmed Dominic, "I’m a Mama’s Boy. My Mom (Maria Lourdes Madrigal) spoils me rotten. She also acts as my ‘personal secretary.’ She sees to it that my things and schedules are in order. She checks on me all the time, especially when I’m out late, usually working. Between 2 and 4 a.m., she would peep into my room to find out if I’m safely tucked in bed. I still sleep in my old room; nothing has changed."

Doesn’t living with his parents, uh, cramp his style? You know, he may be needing some privacy sometimes, or some space of his own – away from his parents’ eagle eyes. Doesn’t it, well, curtail his freedom?

"On the contrary," explained Dominic, "I enjoy living with my parents. I have my own room and I can have some privacy anytime I want to, but I never do ‘monkey business’ at home. Sacred ang bahay namin as far as I’m concerned. We kids were brought up na buo ang pamilya and I’m happy with my lifestyle."

Sundays, Dominic (usually with Janna) goes to Mass with his parents and then they share meals at home.

"Mababaw ang kaligayahan ko," added Dominic. "Janna and I would watch movies together or have dinner out."

Dominic (who once worked as front-desk staffer of Mandarin Oriental Hotel) keeps all of his income, although he tries to contribute to the household expenses even if his parents don’t encourage him to.

"Matipid ako," admitted Dominic. "I’ve learned a lot about saving from Aga (Muhlach) who knows how to spend money wisely."

Aga and Sharon Cuneta are topbillers in Dominic’s latest movie outing, Star Cinema’s "feel young" comedy-romance Kung Ako Na Lang Sana which is Sharon’s last movie before she and husband, Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, buckle down to starting their "joint project" – having their second baby, that is.

"I first met Aga in Maya-Maya (Nasugbu, Batangas) when I wasn’t in showbiz yet and from then on, up to now when we get to work together every now and then, he has been my idol. I want to save for my future, never mind if people will call me kuripot or makunat. Mahirap kumita ng pera, di ba?"

But Charlene Gonzalez, Aga’s wife, once reminded Dominic when he guested on her show Feel At Home, "Baka naman you’re working so hard for the future that you’re forgetting about the present."

Said Dominic, "I also know how to enjoy myself, how to enjoy my money. I work on weekdays but I unwind on weekends by car-racing with my Dad. I have a Ford Lynx for that purpose."

Back to settling down...

"I’ll think about it when I’m 33. By then, who knows, baka ready na ako."

But will Janna be?

Paco is still at it

Briefly noted: Once a singer (or an actor), always a singer(-actor). It runs in the blood, you know.

Now happily settled in California with his wife, Paco Arespacochaga has just formed his own band called Stattica which launched its first "indie album" last Sept. 13 at the Zen (in Silverlake, California).

Stattica has three other members, one Filipino and two Americans whom Paco didn’t identify in his e-mail to Funfare.

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