Curtain-raisers:
• Like Karen Davila, Anthony Taberna was almost lured to move to TV5 with a “fat” offer but the ABS-CBN management talked him into staying...with a counter-offer? You bet. As a “reward,” Anthony will replace Alex Santos as Julius Babao’s co-host in XXX. Besides Umagang Kay Ganda and his daily radio program Dos Por Dos on dzMM (with Gerry Baja as co-host), Anthony might be given another TV show. Loyalty pays, doesn’t it?
• Could it be true that Amy Perez was told to quit her dzMM late-night daily program About Me & You (with Bobby Yan as co-host) when she signed up for a show in TV5? I tune in to the program while driving home late from work and I must say that it might not be as entertaining and interesting with somebody else (is it you, Francine Prieto?) as Bobby’s co-host. But then, we can never tell. Francine should prove herself worthy as Amy’s replacement.
• Yes, it’s Vivian Sarabia, the Eyewear Stylist to the Stars, who created the “new look” of presidentiables Noynoy Aquino, Dick Gordon and Gibo Teodoro, as well as vice presidentiable Mar Roxas. For more than a century, the Sarabia Optical Clinic has been making eye-catching eyewear for celebrities, dignitaries and heads of state including Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
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Did Angel Locsin run away from home and take a cab to the airport (going to Hong Kong) as the tabs would have it?
“Yes,” admitted Angel during a free-wheeling dinner at Annabel’s the other night with a few movie writers, “I did go to Hong Kong but I did not run away from home.”
Calling herself a “random girl” (meaning she makes spur-of-the-moment decisions), Angel added that it’s no big deal for her to take a cab (not flagged at random on the street but hired by calling a cab company) because, when she feels like it, she takes the jeepney or the MRT or even the tricycle without her co-passengers recognizing her even if she doesn’t have to be incognito. She also feels safe, she said, because she knows Muay Thai, the Thai martial art which she learned from Robin Padilla when they did the GMA show Asian Treasure.
“I went to Hong Kong with a friend para magpahinga,” said Angel who had to come back the same day to fulfill some commitments and flew right back to Hong Kong the next day to finish the “breather.”
Laughed Angel, who’s turning 25 on April 23, “Bakit naman ako maglalayas, eh, bahay ko ‘yon and I didn’t have naman any problem?”
Not with her family nor with her immediate past manager, Becky Aguila, nor with her career (even if she had to wait for nine months for a new assignment).
“Okey kami ni Tita Becky (now recuperating at a hospital), we talk,” said Angel who is now managed by Ethel Ramos.
Her last soap, Only You (with Diether Ocampo), ended middle of last year and since then, Angel occupied herself with only guestings and doing commercials. She’s now preparing for Imortal, her new ABS-CBN soap with John Lloyd Cruz to be directed by Chito Roño and Jerry Sineneng, and a yet untitled movie with Aga Muhlach to be directed by Olive Lamasan.
Is Angel also a lasengera, according to the grapevine?
“Not naman lasengera,” said Angel. “I do drink, not beer but vodka. I drink but not naman to get drunk. You can ask my friends.”
She’s even learning how to smoke, as per “order” of direk Olive, in preparation for her role as a Japayuki in her movie with Aga.
“I go to bars with friends para na ring preparation for the movie,” added Angel.
And her love life?
Zero, would you believe?
She has made peace with Luis Manzano.
“At least nag-uusap na kami at wala naman kaming bastusan; binababa ko na siya kapag bumibisita sa bahay,” said Angel who denied any romantic relationship with Parokya ni Edgar vocalist Chito Miranda or the scions of two business tycoons.
Angel is also involved in helping the Ondoy victims.
Asked how she felt about reports that her ex-boyfriend Oyo Sotto and his girlfriend Kristine Hermosa are getting married in the US, Angel begged off from making any comment.
“Kuwento sa akin ni Oyo, si Kristine daw sobrang maka-Diyos, maasikaso, very independent at masarap magluto,” said Angel. “Wife material daw talaga.”
Campaign trail
“The people’s broken spirit is an obstacle to the success of improving their standard of living,” Arnell said.
The truth is that Arnell has been in public service for years, away from the limelight. He has been spearheading projects for senior citizens in cooperation with a senior-citizens group called Butterflies and giving food to streetkids.
If elected, Arnell said he would launch Mga Taga-District 1, Mahal ang District 1, which would give residents more benefits like employment priority and livelihood training.
“I’m also encouraging gays to be more productive,” he added.
Tomorrow, March 25, Arnell (who studied at the UP College of Music) is mounting his birthday concert at Barangay Bahay Toro covered court starting at 9 p.m., with friends from showbiz as guests.
• New face: Catherine Olive Violago, aunt of Princess Violago, is the newest face in Quezon City politics. She’s running for congress in the third district of Quezon City. Her credentials, among the many: a B.S. Hamburgerology graduate from McDonald’s Corporation, Hamburger University in Chicago, Illinois (1997-1999); Master in Business Administration (1985) and B.S. in Commerce (1977-1981,major in Marketing Management) from De La Salle University; high school diploma and loyalty award from St. Theresa’s College (1974-1977); assistant vice president for administrative affairs at Assumption College (2009 to the present) where she was also director for special projects (2008-2009).
Also involved in community development and leadership, she has received several awards, among them: Most Outstanding Family (2004, Holy Family Parish, Kamias, Quezon City); Team Leader Award (1999, McDonald’s University, Illinois); and awards for Best Thesis (De La Salle, 1981), gold medal for Best Folk Dance (De La Salle, 1980) and second place in the Interbank Swimming competition (1983).
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com)