• Could it be true that ex-couple Martin Nievera and Pops Fernandez are getting to be "a couple" again? Funfare’s Las Vegas DPA said that she saw Martin and Pops "holding hands" on their way to watch Lani Misalucha’s show. Well and good. Martin claims to be free and Pops has broken up with Brad Turvey. Martin-Pops fans (this one included) hope that the two would get back together again.
• Meanwhile, John Lloyd Cruz and Ciara Sotto denied that they, too, are getting back together again. Well, let’s take their word for it as of now, but stay tuned.
• From reader Cara Tinio: You misquoted the Beatles song When I’m 64. The correct lines go, Will you still need me/Will you still feed me/When I’m sixty-four? (You’re right, Cara!)
Oops! Sounds familiar?
Yes, the album is inspired by the best-seller book by Rick Warren, which has to date sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. Produced by Jamie herself and released by Star Records, The Purpose Driven album carries 10 songs, two of them (Reach Once More for Jesus and What on Earth Am I Here For?) from the original The Purpose Driven album, six from other Christian albums (including that of Don Moen) and two Tagalog songs, one of them Sino Ako?, composed by Fr. Joe Castañeda, which is sung during the Mass.
One of the tracks, Shout to the Lord (written by Darlene Zschech), was recorded by an all-star cast of a new breed of popular artists like Sheryn Regis, Josh Santana, Divo, King, Sandara, Marinel Santos, Michelle Ayalde and Johann Escañan.
Jamie got the rights and license to produce the album from the Purpose Driven Ministries based in the US, an international movement that aims to penetrate and transform churches into "Purpose Driven Churches," with more than 200,000 trained church leaders and covering all types of churches in over 100 countries.
"We hope to break the barriers between religions," said Jamie who has actually produced nine inspirational albums (Jubilee, Heal Our Land, Only Selfless Love, etc.).
The book, which Jamie borrowed from a friend who borrowed it from a friend, helped Jamie prepare herself for the death (due to congenital heart disease) of her mother last Aug. 3 at age 72.
"For somebody with her ailment," said Jamie, "it was a miracle that she lived that long."
Her favorite part of the book, which you are supposed to read one chapter daily for 40 days, is the one entitled What on Earth Am I Here For?.
"If you could lead one more person to Jesus," said Jamie, "you would have done a good job."
Lest people accuse her of being "preachy" – you know, holier than thou – Jamie said that she is "a work in progress... still a struggling Christian," adding that when she was in Grade Six, she dreamed to be a nun.
"Now, I realized that you can spread the Word of God as a lay person," said Jamie. "In my case, what better way to do it than through my songs?"
She has learned a lot from Rick Warren’s book (which, I must say, has also changed me in many ways).
"It helped me accept my mom’s death with a light heart. The book reminds us that we are all bound for eternity, that we are only transients on this earth."
I just got word from their mom, Pat, that the brothers are on extended stay with her in California where Pat teaches at a school for special children.
Carlo married girlfriend (Enid) Meg Reyes last Valentine’s Day.
It seems that Leandro and Carlo, including their youngest brother Angelo (who briefly appeared on TV), took the death (in March last year) of their father, Louie (younger brother of stage-movie actress Tita Muñoz) very badly, so they had to join their mom in the US to cope with the tragedy.
"Leandro was in the US when Louie died," said Pat during a brief phone chat with Funfare, "and we came home together. Carlo was in the Philippines then and he was with Louie when Louie suffered a heart attack."
Out there, Leandro and Carlo (who have working permits) appear in shows every now and then. In fact, they are performing in Night of the Champions slated on Oct. 2 in Los Angeles, to be produced by Al Chu. (The same show – topbilled by Sarah Geronimo, Mark Bautista, Rachelle Ann Go and Christian Bautista, with Erik Santos joining them in the San Francisco staging – will also be mounted in New York on Sept. 17, produced by Alice and Red Martinez and in Chicago on Sept. 26. Tickets are selling briskly, so I heard.)
"Showbiz will always be their first love," said Pat of her sons. "They can’t help it; it’s in their blood."
Pat didn’t say when Leandro and Carlo are coming home.
According to the latest issue of People magazine, Dayanara and ex-husband Marc Anthony recently reunited but only for the baptism of their one-year-old son Ryan.
Here’s the full People story (published in the Scoop section):
On Aug. 14, Marc Anthony reunited with ex-wife Dayanara Torres. Fear not for J.Lo, however: Anthony and his former spouse simply got together for the baptism of their one-year-old son Ryan. The estranged couple, who divorced five days before Anthony wed Jennifer Lopez on June 5, sat near their other son, Christian, 3, as the priest who renewed their marriage vows in 2002 performed the ceremony. (Lopez was not present.) Though relations have been strained, sources close to Anthony and Torres say they are working together for their children, and the couple even posed for family portraits before parting ways.
And speaking of family conflicts...two days after the baptism, Anthony’s lawyer released a statement saying that the second DNA test has proven that a paternity suit filed by Miami waitress Elizabeth Leyva is unfounded. Leyva’s lawyer said she would not comment until a third DNA test’s results are made public on Aug. 20.