Is Pam her sister Jessy’s keeper?

Curtain-raisers:

 Vhong Navarro will definitely resume working but, contrary to reports, he’s not ready to go back to It’s Showtime today or start shooting a Star Cinema movie. More than one month after that incident, Vhong is still enmeshed in the court cases swapped between him and his alleged victims.

 What’s true, according to Funfare sources, is that GMA Films head Annette Gozon-Abrogar and Sarah Lahbati  agreed to a mediation yesterday to sort out a case Annette filed against Sarah (whose libel suit against Annette was dismissed by the court). No word yet what the outcome of the mediation was.

 Oops! Although an Ilagan, Unfriend actor Angelo Ilagan is not related to Robert Arevalo (an Ylagan in real life), but Angelo’s mom is indeed the late Jay Ilagan’s first cousin…Karylle is an Arian (turning 33 on March 22, while husband-to-be Yael Yuzon, born Nov. 22 in the transition of two zodiac signs, is a Sagittarius-Capricorn). Yael’s mom, Elsa Yrastorza, is the sister of Donna Cruz’s father and not Donna’s mother.

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Even if she’s only a year older, Pam Mendiola, 22, doesn’t mind being the keeper of her sister Jessy, 21, especially when it comes to Jessy’s love life.

When Jessy was nursing a broken heart after she broke up with JM de Guzman, Pam was there to console and comfort her.

“We live in the same house so I can guide her,” said Pam who was born on Dec. 9 and Jessy on Dec. 3 (they celebrate together on Dec. 6). “You see, Jessy can be easily swayed so I always remind her not to fall easily, to think hard before going into another relationship. Kilalanin muna niya ‘yung guy ng mabuti. That’s what I do; kinikilatis ko muna ang guy.”

What advice did she give Jessy when she was (reportedly) being courted by Sam Milby and Jake Cuenca?

Pam made no comment, but she said that she reminded Jessy to make sure that her suitor “ay walang bisyo.”

Now that she’s back in showbiz (released last year from a three-year contract that she signed with Viva), Pam avoids being in the same company with Jessy so she won’t be accused of riding on Jessy’s name. (Actually, Jessy accompanied Pam to a Star Magic audition and it was Jessy who was taken in.)

“Of course, I also want to make a name of my own,” insisted Pam who is an International Studies graduate from Miriam College (which she represented at a UN affair in San Francisco when she was in third year).

So far, because her showbiz career was interrupted by her studies, Pam has done only a brief hosting job (for an OPM show) and an indie. Now managed by lawyer Jun Samaniego (with business partner Mel Pulmano, the lady mercilessly sued by a talent manager), Pam will soon be seen on TV5’s Pretty Little Liars (derived from the hit US show whose franchise was bought by the network).

Pam is the eldest among three girls (the youngest is 15), all of whom haven’t seen their Lebanese father (in Panama working as a restaurant manager) for 11 years, connecting with him only through social media.

Abbamania by popular demand

Viva Live, Inc. and Redstone Media Productions are bringing back Abbamania next month: at the Solaire Grand Ballroom, Solaire Resort & Casino on March 21; at the PICC Plenary Hall on March 22; at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City on March 27; Dumaguete City on March 28; SMX Convention Center in Davao City on March 29; and Lagao Gym in GenSan on March 30.

Watching Abbamania is a great opportunity for the fans of the legendary group from Sweden to approximate a real Abba performance. The group was formed by Agnetha Falskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Anderson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad in the early ‘70s and broke into the big time after winning the Grand Prix at the Eurovision Song Festival with the song Waterloo. Abba music was immortalized in Mamma Mia!, a Broadway musical made into a movie.

(For tickets, call Ticketnet at 911-5555; SM Tickets at 470-2222; Ticketworld at 891-9999; PICC at 789-4734; and Viva Concerts at 687-7236.)

A Binibini reunion

Bb. Pilipinas batch 1979 recently had a reunion to mark the 35th anniversary of their pageant. They were: Dang Cecilio-Palanca (Universe), Melanie Marquez-Lawyer (International) and Ava Quibranza-Livne (Maja). Venue was the penthouse of Dang’s place in Makati City a few days back. Melanie is based in Utah, USA; and Ava in Sydney with her three daughters. Sorely missed was their batch-mate Maria Theresa Carlson (Bb. Young-Pilipinas), who passed away in 2001.

Dang was the first to compete abroad, in Perth, Australia, for the 1979 Miss Universe pageant won by Venezuela’s Maritza Sayalero. Maria Theresa joined the 1979 Miss Young International contest in Tokyo, with Ireland’s Patricia Ward winning the crown. Melanie became our country’s third Miss International. Ava was one of the Top 10 semi-finalists and Best National Costume in the Miss Maja International contest in the Dominican Republic, won by Spain’s Cristina Perez Hernandez.

— Reported by Celso de Guzman Caparas

(E-mail reactions at entphilstar@yahoo.com. You may also send your questions to askrickylo@gmail.com.)