As Inah Felicia Revilla and Jorge Vicente del Rosario march down the aisle of the Manila Cathedral starting at 3:30 p.m. next Wednesday, May 28, they should rest assured that whatever pre-wedding kinks between their families have been ironed out.
Now into her fourth month of pregnancy, Inah, who’s turning 19 in October, is the first child (eldest among three daughters) of Sen. Bong Revilla and Lani Mercado to get married. Jorge, said to have been raised and educated in the US, is the son of Jorge C. del Rosario and Angela Diaz da Roza.
Asked who’s the more nervous, the father or the mother of the bride, Lani said, “The father.”
It’s a deja vu experience for Lani who got pregnant at 18. She and Bong, who was 19 at the time, have been married for 22 years, blessed with six children, one of whom, Jolo, has a love son with Grace, daughter of Rosanna Roces. The boy, Gabriel, will act as the Bible Bearer at the wedding which costs, according to the grapevine, a staggering P2.5-M, something Lani refused to comment on.
Yes, according to Lani, the “Jolo experience” was a bit harder to handle than the “Inah incident” because Jolo and Grace were minors (below 18) when they committed the “indiscretion.”
“At least, with Inah and Jorge, mas madali,” said Lani, “because Inah is of age and so is Jorge.”
The Revillas and the del Rosarios are long-time friends, added Lani. Bong and Jorge Sr. are bosom buddies, more like brothers, and they run to each other in times of crisis. When Bong ran for governor of Cavite, Jorge was around to help him, as he also did when Bong ran for senator.
“But he never served as member of Bong’s (Senate) staff,” Lani corrected the misinformation that came out in the tabs. “It’s not true that he was getting a monthly salary from Bong.” In fact, Jorge even contributed financially to Bong’s campaign coffers.
Also, Lani clarified earlier reports that Inah and Vince. were childhood sweethearts. But it’s true that Vince is a barkada of Inah’s brothers Jolo and Bryan.
“Inah and Vince became close only during Inah’s debut in October last year. I didn’t know that soon after, hayun, nagliligawan na pala ‘yung dalawa.”
Because the Revillas are well-versed with showbiz, whatever they do and/or say becomes fodder for the gossip mill and they simply shrug off whatever controversy swirls around them. Not so with the Del Rosarios who, understandably, take everything they read (especially in the tabs) hook, line and sinker. Yes, due to miscommunication, the Revillas and the Del Rosarios found themselves in the eye of showbiz storm involving about who’s spending more for the wedding (and how much), who’s richer (by how much) and who said what (and why).
During the recent pamanhikan, the two families finally had a chance to iron things out before buckling down to discussing the nitty-gritty of what may be The Wedding of the Year where politics and showbiz are expected to merrily mix.
“Basta everything between us is okay na,” was all that Lani would say. A wedding planner was hired to attend to the details.
After the wedding, Inah and Vince will start life together at a P10-M condo unit in Makati given to them as gift by Jorge Sr.
As Lani wished the bride and the groom well, there’s only one thing that she’s asking from them: Not to have another baby just yet. (Inah is giving birth sometime in October, coinciding — who knows? — with her 19th birthday.)
“They promised naman to finish their studies first,” smiled Lani.
So next Wednesday, Inah and Vince will have a date with their destiny resting assured that all’s well with their families.
The Principal Sponsors: Senate President Manny B. Villar and Sen. Pia S. Cayetano, Sen. Manuel A. Roxas and Rep. Imee R. Marcos, Secretary Ronaldo V. Puno and Ms. Evangelina Lourdes M. Arroyo, Gov. Luis F. Villafuerte and Dr. Maria Asuncion Diaz-Stanchi, Mr. Enrique Razon and Mrs. Marissa M, Andaya, lawyer Felipe L. Gozon and Mrs. Milagros M. Confreros, Mr. Ramon S. Ang and Mrs. Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan, Mr. Eduardo M. Cojuangco and Mrs. Arlene S. de Castro, Mr. Philip Cruz and Mrs. Precy V. Ejercito, Dr. Ramon I. Diaz and Mrs. Rowena B. Mendiola, Mr. Jacinto L. Ng and Mrs. Charo Santos-Concio, and Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan and Mrs. Teresita Sy-Coson.
Secondary Sponsors: Marlon M. Bautista and Jessica dela Riva-Bautista, candle; Christian Y. Billano and Ma. Eleanor Aguas-Billano, veil; and Gov. Casimiro A. Ynares III and Andrea B. Ynares, cord.
Best Man: Gregorio Salvador P. del Rosario.
Maids of Honor: Joanna Patricia R. Termulo and Mary Josephine T. Reyes.
Groomsmen: Jose Lorenzo H. Bautista, Leonardo Bryan H. Bautista, Louen U. Octavio and Iluminado Ysmael Y. Icasas.
Bridesmaids: Franchesca Marie B. Mendiola, Ma. Viktoria Gianna H. Bautista, Amanda B. Sarinas and Samantha B. Sarinas.
Junior Bridesmaids: Ma. Franzel Loudette H. Bautista and Ma. Michaela B. Mendiola.
Ring Bearer: Ramon Vicente Hernandez Bautista.
Coin Bearer: Santiago Jose Rodolfo D. Alandy-Dy.
Bible Bearer: Jose Gabriel A. Bautista.
Flower Girls: Samantha Caresse Bautista and Julienne Precious V. Ejercito.
Asked where the honeymoon would be, Jorge Sr. was quoted as saying, goodhumoredly, “It’s done!”
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com)