Who was P-Noy visiting, Kris or Liz?

BREAKING NEWS: Former dzMM news anchor Neil Ocampo will join TV5’s 92.3 News FM which will start airing on Monday, Nov. 8. He will occupy the 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. timeslot. Radyo5 is the first news/talk show station on FM, featuring a roster of talents that includes Cheryl Cosim and Erwin Tulfo, Raffy Tulfo and Nina Taduran, Martin Andanar, Laila Chikadora, Amy Perez, and Luchi Cruz Valdes, among others.

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Reacting to a recent item about Kris Aquino appearing to be “in favor” of her friend, stylist Liz Uy, over Valenzuela City Councilor Shalani Soledad (definitely the “ex”) as “possible girlfriend” of her Kuya Noynoy, somebody (who doesn’t tweet nasty things about Vietnamese wine or Vietnamese men not being good-looking) in the presidential circle confirmed to Funfare that, yes, it’s true that Pres. Noynoy “P-Noy” Aquino is “interested” in Liz.

Charo and Gina Lopez, managing director of ABS-CBN Foundation, preside over the lighting ceremony that marks the start of the Christmas season Photos by VER PAULINO

Asked for “proof,” Funfare’s Malacañang VDPA (Very Deep Penetration Agent) gave one:

“Did you know that before P-Noy left for Vietnam two weeks ago, he dropped by the set of the Nido commercial which stars Kris and her son Baby “Bimby” James? P-Noy looked upbeat. He stayed for more than 20 minutes.”

Told that it meant nothing but a bigger brother checking out how his little sister and cute little nephew were doing in the shoot, the VDPA hastened to add, “Oh, but I’m not finished yet. Liz Uy was also there, she being also Kris stylist. I watched P-Noy’s eyes closely and they were somewhere else, not on Kris and Bimby.”

Kris Aquino and best friend (and future sister-in-law?) Liz Uy

Therefore, one plus one equals two?

“Guess who P-Noy was visiting, Kris or Liz?” added the VDPA.

Well, I guess…

On the newscast a few days ago, Kris said that the Filipinos should be happy if P-Noy’s love life is okay.

“Kung masaya siya,” Kris assured us, “mas inspired siya mag-work.”

Incidentally, P-Noy was the special guest last Thursday at the triple-celebration marking the 82nd birthday of the late ABS-CBN chairman Geny “Kapitan” Lopez — the recognition of this year’s Bayaning Pilipino Awards winners, the dedication of the 10-year-old ELJ Communications Center and the launch of the network’s Christmas campaign with a station ID

Our prayers go to Carmen Pateña

Ryan Pateña, the only son of Carmen Patena, died of brain cancer on Nov. 2 at Compassionate Care Hospice in Jersey City, N.J. He turned 34 last Oct. 16.

“Ryan’s a very loving son, very compassionate,” said his mom, known as Asia’s Ambassadress of Song. “He never gave me a problem. I will surely miss him.”

Carmen, a former New Yorker who returned to the Philippines a few years ago to resume her singing career, cancelled all her engagements to be on her son’s bedside. She packed her bags and flew on Oct. 21 to New Jersey, 12 days before Ryan passed away.

“I thank God I was given time, however short it may be, to be with my son before he passed away,” said Carmen. “Thank God I was able to take care of him in his final days.”

Viewing for the remains is scheduled this Sunday (Nov. 7) from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Sheenan Funeral Home at 233 Dunellen Avenue, Dunellen, N.J. (Call 732.968.4227 for directions.)

The remains will be cremated on Nov. 8.

Aside from Carmen, Ryan is survived by his uncle, the Rev. David Pateña, and closest friends Marilou Geling, and Dave and Matti Cameron of Raritan, N.J.— Reported by Funfare’s Big Apple Correspondent EDMUND SILVESTRE

A peek at Christian’s first shooting day for Jayden’s Choir

JAKARTA — In an intense scene, Jayden, played by Christian Bautista, confronts his mother Marlina, played by famous Indonesian actress Ira Wibowo, as she walks away after he says, “You broke his heart,” referring to his father whom his mother left when he was a kid.

This scene taken at 9 a.m. in a school for special children parking lot was the first scene shot for Christian’s first full-length film Jayden’s Choir produced by Nation Films, a film production company based in this city.

With a budget of $500,000, the film will take a month to shoot in Jakarta. Other Filipinos in the cast are bass pop singer Maribeth who plays Jayden’s Aunt Penelope and Carlo Orosa who plays Luiz, Jayden’s talent manager who in real life is Christian’s business manager.

Directed by Awi Suryadi, Jayden’s Choir (or Simfoni Luar Biasa Biasa) will have a premiere on March 17 next year in this city. It will be shown in the Asian region including the Philippines.

What’s up?

• Karen Davila yesterday made her farewell appearance as co-anchor (with Julius Babao who is vacationing in Japan with wife Tintin Bersola and their two kids) of the ABS-CBN early-evening newscast TV Patrol World. Effective Monday, Nov. 8, Karen and Julius will be replaced by Korina Sanchez and Kabayan Noli de Castro. As Funfare reported in scoop last Wednesday, Ted Failon will be retained as co-anchor of TV Patrol (World has been dropped from the title). Karen was offered to co-anchor the late-night newscast Bandila (with maybe Julius and Ces Orena-Drilon, the main host) but she hasn’t said yes. Will Karen resurface, uhm, somewhere else (if there’s a vacancy, that is).

• Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos was wrongly identified as “Batangas Mayor” in a recent item about November birthday celebrators who also include ABS-CBN Corporate Communications head and STAR columnist Bong Osorio (Nov. 5), Vilma’s Girl Friday and accountant Aida Fandialan (Nov. 6), Jolina Magdangal (Nov. 6), and Aga and Charlene Muhlach’s twins Atasha and Andres (Nov. 5).

• As of Oct. 30, Global Beauties’ The Mahjong Pyramid has ranked 2010 Bb. Pilipinas-International Krista Kleiner No. 5, a slide from No. 1. According to Funfare’s “other beauty expert” Celso de Guzman Caparas, the ranking goes: Miss Japan, Czech Republic, Venezuela, Greece, Philippines, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada and Colombia.

• It’s a star-studded weekend on GMA 7’s Hole in the Wall today at 10:30 a.m. with guests Sarah Lahbati, Iwa Moto and Steff Prescott of Red Lastik team and the Blue Pop Girls — Nadine Lustre, Shay Sigrist and Rose Van Ginkel. Michael V and Ogie Alcasid host the show.

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