Ruffa is ‘safe’ in the next 10 years

Monique To Design Camilla’s Wedding Gown?

FLASH: Could it be true that Filipino designer Monique Lhuillier (photo), the current top favorite of Hollywood stars, is being tapped to do the wedding gown of Camilla Parker Bowles when she marries Prince Charles in civil ceremonies on April 8? Monique, who runs a showroom in Beverly Hills, has designed the wedding gowns of several Hollywood stars, including Britney Spears. She put up a successful show last week in New York.

Curtain-raisers:

• Happy birthday to Valentine Babies Kris Aquino, Rico J. Puno, Joanne Lorenzana and Sen. Johnny Ponce-Enrile.

• Boyz II Men will have a concert at the Old ULTRA on Feb. 26, produced by Spooky Productions (with Jesse Samala, Leo Wasan and Ken Hahn as executive producers).

• Marvin Agustin is keeping mum on the persistent rumor that he will be an unwed father soon, following in the footsteps of his Talent Center colleagues Piolo Pascual, Jericho Rosales and Diether Ocampo.

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After giving birth to two daughters within 13 months of each other, Ruffa Gutierrez said that she and husband Yilmaz Bektas are calling for a "time out."

In a brief phone chat with Funfare, Ruffa said that she is "safe" in the next 10 years.

"I’m 99 percent protected," she revealed without elaborating, although you could read between the lines that she’s into birth control (by what means, she didn’t tell).

She and Yilmaz plan to have a romantic dinner today, Valentine’s Day, at Park Samdan in Istanbul and spend the night at the Japanese Suite of The Boshorus Swiss Hotel. Their two daughters, Lorin (turning two years old in August) and Venice (turning five months old this month), will be left with their yayas at home.

"Last year," recalled Ruffa, "Yilmaz and I spent Valentine’s Day in Maldives. I was already a few weeks pregnant then. This time, I’m 100 percent sure that I’m not pregnant. Oh, no, not again! Not so soon. As I’ve said, I’m ‘protected’ in the next 10 years."

Happy with the box-office success of her brother Richard’s first solo starrer Let The Love Begin (she received the good news through text messages from Mother Lily Monteverde and daughter Roselle), Ruffa mentioned that it’s "freezing" in Istanbul, forcing her to stay indoors most of the time.

"The other night," she related, "Yilmaz and I tried to brave the snow storm to get a cup of hot, freshly-brewed coffee and we ended up getting wet. It was hilarious because we were running around and throwing snow balls at each other."

Ruffa added that after staging the Valentine show Rated Heart (last night), her mom Annabelle Rama and younger brother Elvis are flying to Istanbul for a 15-day visit. They plan to go to Paris or Milan.

"I’ve been missing out on all the fun in Manila," said Ruffa, "but I promise to make up for it once I’m back in March for Venice’s dedication."

RP Bet In Miss Tourism World Tilt

Another Filipina beauty, Sheryl Lou Dacanay, has just left to compete in yet another international beauty contest, the Miss Tourism World 2005, slated on Feb. 26 in Zimbabwe.

Here’s the report from Funfare’s "beauty experts" Felix Manuel, Joey Cezeare, Gery Yumping and Francis Calubaquib:

About 82 stunning ladies from all over the world arrived in Victoria Falls Zimbabwe last Saturday, Feb. 12, to compete in the Miss Tourism World 2005 contest.

Representing Philippines is 2003 Miss Philippines Water, Sheryl Lou Dacanay Franco. She was appointed as the country’s representative by Pageant Enthusiasts Guild of the Philippines (PEGPI).

Sheryl Lou, 21, is a senior Tourism student at the University of Baguio. She stands 5’7" and measures a perfect 34-24-34. She is a familiar figure in the beauty pageant scene having won numerous beauty titles. She was the 1999 Millennium Mutya ng La Union, Miss Northern Luzon 2000 and Bb. Pilipinas semi-finalist in the same year. In 2001, she was adjudged as Miss Baguio and was a contestant in the Miss Global Queen Philippines. She was also crowned Lakambini ng Pilipinas in 2002.

Shelou, as she is fondly called, is the daughter of Reynaldo Franco and the former Ma. Lilibeth Dacanay; she has a younger brother, Ray Lester. She has undergone intensive training for over a month. She left last Feb. 8 for Bangkok where she did more fittings and photo shoots, and proceeded to Singapore where she took the plane to Zimbabwe together with some of the Asian delegates.

Shelou would like to thank her family and friends for their love and support and requests everyone to support her in the pageant. She is also grateful to her sponsors, Philippine Airlines, The Department of Tourism, Holcym Philippines and the provincial government of La Union, especially the City of San Fernando. The stunningly beautiful national costume and evening gowns that she will wear in the pageant were created specially for her by Julius Jose Ornum.

The coronation night is slated on Feb. 26 at the Elephant Hills Resort and Convention Centre in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. This year’s winner will receive a total price worth $100,000.

It is interesting to note that the Philippines has won the Miss Tourism World crown twice. US-based Suzanne Park Fahling (1989 Bb. Pilipinas first runner-up) was handpicked in the States to join the pageant in 1995 and became the first Filipina title holder. Michelle Cueva Reyes(2001 Bb. Pilipinas first runner-up) won the pageant in 2002.

The other Filipinas who joined the pageant were also successful in securing a place in the finals. Rachel Muyot Soriano (Bb. Pilipinas-World 1998) was adjudged second runner-up and Best in Gown in 2000. The following year, Zorayda Ruth Blanco Andam (Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 2001) entered the semi finals and was adjudged Miss Tourism World-Asia.

Love Songs Of Our Time

Meanwhile, my romantic friend, Dr. Henry L. Yu of Cebu City, has made a list of enduring love songs as his way of saying, "Happy Valentine’s Day!" to lovers and other strangers. Take note:

1. LOVE Is A Many Splendored Thing
2. LOVE Me With All Of Your Heart
3. I LOVE How You Love Me
4. LOVE Means You Never Have To Say You’re Sorry
5. My LOVE And Devotion
6. And I LOVE You So
7. April LOVE
8. Never My LOVE
9. I LOVE You Because
10. I’m In The Mood For LOVE
11. LOVE Letters
12. LOVE Me Tender
13. Portrait Of My LOVE
14. The Voice Of LOVE
15. To Sir With LOVE
16. True LOVE
17. True LOVE Ways
18. What Now My LOVE
19. When I Fall In LOVE
20. No Other LOVE
21. Somewhere My LOVE
22. You Don’t Have To Say You LOVE Me
23. Can’t help Falling In LOVE
24. Puppy LOVE
25. Secret LOVE
26. Young LOVE
27. From Russia With LOVE
28. My LOVE For You
29. And I LOVE Her
30. World Without LOVE

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