Vilma going to New York for Fiesta Filipina in Aug.

Curtain-raisers:

• Happy birthday to Rachel Cruz of PAL Los Angeles who’s turning a year wiser on Thursday, June 23. Greetings coming from me and Rachel’s fellow PAL L.A. staffers Abby, Priscilla, Melissa, Malou and Vince.

• Congratulations to STAR Entertainment reviewer Ibarra C. Mateo for being a nominee in the Explanatory Report Category of the 2004 Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism (JVOAEJ). Ibarra’s piece, Spinning the News (published in the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism’s i magazine January-June 2004 issue) is one of the 17 investigative and explanatory reports that have been chosen as finalists in this year’s awards. The awarding ceremonies will be held on June 30 at the Asian Institute of Management Conference Center in Makati City. The annual Jaime V. Ongpin Journalism Seminar, which will start at 9:30 a.m., precedes the awarding rites.

• Some STAR readers didn’t quite get what Susan Roces meant when she said she didn’t want to "rub salt on the wound that hasn’t healed" in the front-page STAR story last Saturday on her and former President Cory Aquino’s meeting at her (Susan’s) place. Susan requested her and Aquino’s photo not to be published so as not, in her own words in Tagalog, "para huwag ng malagyan ng asin ang sugat na hindi pa tuluyang naghihilom," referring to the current crisis the country is in.

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By now, let’s hope that Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos is up and about, and well enough to preside over the celebration of city’s foundation week.

You see, Mayor Vi was down with pneumonia last week due to exhaustion. Her doctor advised her to take a week-long rest. But knowing Mayor Vi, I’m sure she’ll be on her feet, gracing all the activities lined up for the week.

Her son, Luis, also got sick at about the same time, suffering from high fever leading to pneumonia. You guessed it: He was also over-worked. Luis’ tapings have been cancelled.

In August, Mayor Vi (recipient of the Gawad Plaridel given by the University of the Philippines) will be in New York as special guest of the Fiesta Filipina celebration upon the invitation of organizer Mila Mendez through Alan Trambulo, president of the Vilma Santos Fan Club in the East Coast.

Mayor Vi will take advantage of the trip by having a reunion with the Santoses in California. She and husband, Sen. Ralph Recto (and other family members), will fly first to Los Angeles where Mayor Vi’s mom, Milagros Santos, and her sister Winnie and her family are residing. She will then go to New York for the Fiesta Filipina slated for Aug. 20 and 21 and return to L.A. to spend more time with her family.

Now, will Mayor Vi say "Hi!" to her kumare, Nora Aunor, who’s in L.A. facing drug-possession charges?

A little kumare talk should prove uplifting to both, don’t you think?

The Ricketts Have Family Reunion, Too

Any day now, Ronnie Ricketts and his wife Mariz, along with daughters Marella and Marie, are coming home from San Diego, California where they had a reunion with Ronnie’s parents, Max and Edith Ricketts, owners/managers of Naldo-Ricketts Realty which covers four Southern California counties (Orange, Riverside and North Los Angeles, besides San Diego).

"I saw them in New Jersey," The Filipino Reporter’s entertainment editor/columnist Raoul Tidalgo told Funfare.

Ronnie and Mariz flew to New Jersey from San Diego to attend the wedding of Mariz’s sister, Raquel Camurungan, and Ariel Neri. In New Jersey, Ronnie was given an award by the Bakbakan International Martial Arts Club. Hosts of the Ricketts’ New Jersey visit were Valdemor Camurungan and his wife Rosanna. Ronnie did a martial arts exhibition with Valdemor.

"Ronnie does his own stunts in his movies," his mom Edith texted Funfare. "He is constantly training with his Kuya Christopher who’s a martial arts instructor. Christopher and his son Bruce (named after Bruce Lee; he has appeared in some of Ronnie’s movies) are also in California. Christopher is doing a series of martial arts seminars."

"It was a bakasyon grande for us," said Mariz. "We haven’t had the time before, so sinagad-sagad namin ang bakasyon."

Upon the invitation of Dr. Chito and Angie Prieto, Ronnie and Mariz went to Las Vegas where they were also entertained by Frank and Minda Banaria.

Next stop was Connecticut, upon the invitation of Bert and Jean Pelaez. Ronnie and Mariz took a quick trip to New York for the Philippine Independence Day celebration last June 5. That’s where Raoul Tidalgo saw them.

"They were invited to ride on one of the floats," said Raoul, "but Ronnie and Mariz begged off. Instead, they walked along with other Pinoys in the parade on the streets of Manhattan. What a low-profile couple!"

In L.A., Ronnie was invited to participate in a fund-raising basketball game organized by ex-PBA player Rudy Distrito (now based in Carson City), Ronnie’s long-time friend who has appeared in some of Ronnie’s movies. With Ronnie in the team was his schoolmate Joey Cui.

Was it all play and no work for Ronnie in the States?

"No," said Ronnie in a text message. "I actually conceptualized a script between our side trips."

Anytime now, Ronnie will start shooting his new movie, possibly with Monsour del Rosario. While Christopher is in the States, Ronnie will take over as instructor at Christopher’s Bakbakan Martial Arts School. (For inquiries, call 928-4890 or 928-4891.)

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