Vicki voted ‘Most Trusted’ and Derek ‘Most Popular’ at Sanfo fest

Curtain-raisers:

•  Is G sleeping over at the condo unit of his girlfriend M? A Funfare informer (who happens to live nearby) swears that she saw G coming out of M’s place in the early hours of the morning. “I wonder how G’s ex-girlfriend K will react when she hears about this,” the informer wondered.
• Now I know why Martin Nievera is so well-loved by any airlines that he takes, whether on domestic flight or long haul. I was on a PAL flight to L.A. with Martin a week ago and, unlike some showbiz guys, he was nice and accommodating to the crew and fellow passengers, smiling through photo ops with them. Martin took a connecting flight to Las Vegas to visit a loved one. “But I’m in the US to guest in Anne (Curtis’) show,” he clarified.
• More stories from 37,000 feet up in the air from Funfare’s “high-flying” DPA: 1). On a flight to Davao recently, reality-TV discovery M wrapped herself not with a blanket but with a comforter as if, the DPA laughed, “She was on an eight-hour flight.” Before deplaning, M asked her alalay (factotum) to put her (M’s) shoes on. “O, di ba feeling diva!” added the DPA….2). As soon as another domestic flight took off, Starlet A (sister of T) told the crew to turn the lights off because she said she wanted to sleep. Told that lights should be on while service was going on, Starlet A ordered the crew to turn off only the light on her seat. But sorry, the crew told her, the cabin lights were controlled only by one button.

At the just-concluded two-day Adobo Festival held at the Martinez Waterfront Park in San Francisco, California, Dr. Vicki Belo was awarded “The Most Trusted Brand” and Derek Ramsay “The Most Popular Actor and Celebrity Endorser 2013” by the festival organizers. More than 10,000 Filipinos trooped to Sanfo for the festival which was founded in 2006 by Joey Camins, a Filipino businessman. After it was endorsed by the Bay Area Centennial Fil-Am Committee, the festival became an annual event eagerly awaited by Filipinos also from neighboring states.

In her talk about…what else?...beauty, Vicki noted that in a Filipino gathering like the Adobo festival, “There’s never a shortage of laughter, fun and great food,” adding that California is the most populous US state and is home to more than half of the entire Fil-Am population in America. “The Adobo Festival gives them a chance to enjoy what they miss about home.” There was entertainment galore, too, rendered by US-based artists.

Belo endorser Derek pleased our kababayan by having a five-hour autograph-signing and photo ops with them.

Instead of holding the festival in just the Bay Area, Camins’ JS Camins Productions brought it to other places in Sanfo, such as Daly City, Newark, San Jose, Stockton, Sacramento, Vallejo, Milpitas and Martinez. After the Bay Area, the festival moved to Kennedy Park in Union City last Aug. 31-Sept. 1.

What’s up?

• Sen. Grace Poe (photo) has a good reason to celebrate her 45th  birthday today. It’s her first birthday celebration after she topped the senatorial race in last May’s elections.
• When STAR reporter  Michael Punongbayan was rushed to the FEU Hospital in Fairview, Quezon City, with a ruptured appendix, he thought his time had come. Michael wishes to thank the doctors who took good care of him, including Doctors Wilfredo Tayag and Vic Chua, the nurses and the whole staff. “They saved my life,” said Michael who was advised to rest for two weeks.
• From Lu Panlilio, sister of the late (the first) Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Myrna Panlilio-Borromeo): We’re holding an ex-Citibanker’s reunion on Oct. 6 (Sunday), 4 p.m. at the Bayanihan Center in Unilab, Pioneer St., Mandaluyong City. We’re inviting former Citibank guys to this Balik-Ulit reunion. They may call 0917-5337242 for further details.  

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)