Volleyball athletes are the new superstars

Curtain-raisers:

•Between now and December, several more foreign acts are scheduled to perform in the Philippines. Funfare sources said that two of them have been cancelled, one for an unspecified reason and the other for fear that the artist might suffer the same fate as Chris Brown (you all know what happened, didn’t you?). At the rate foreign artists (also among them One Direction and Lady Gaga) are getting entangled with issues preceding their shows, time might come when the Philippines might be delisted (hopefully not!) as a concert destination.

• Once again, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Ospital ng Muntinlupa is reiterating its announcement that it is now accepting applicants for its four-year Residency Training Program. The training starts on Jan. 1, 2016. Salary is good. For inquiries, contact Ospital ng Muntinlupa through Dr. Elsie R. Dancel (chairperson), or the Office of the Chief of Clinics through numbers (02)771-0457 and (02)771-0128.

• From a Funfare reader who is an avid showbiz-watcher: If you believe that Erik Santos and Angeline Quinto are an item, then you must have also believed that Erik Santos and Rufa Mae Quinto (no relation to Angeline) were also an item. To check, pay close attention to the body language between Erik and Angeline during their concert on Aug. 15 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

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Aside from basketball players and, lately, football players (thanks to Younghusband brothers Phil and James for attracting public attention to the sport), the new batch of superstars comes from volleyball. Eight of them have been enlisted by PLDT HOME as ambassadors of its Ultra-fast brand Ultera — Rachel Daquis, Ara Galang, Mika Reyes, John Vic de Guzman, Alyssa Valdez, Santiago sisters Jaja and Dindin, and Peter Torres. The last four were presented to the movie press the other day.

Missed was Mika, said to be the ex-girlfriend of basketball player Kiefer Ravena who is rumored to be courting Alyssa. Asked by the movie writers about it, said the multi-awarded Alyssa (the UAAP Season 77 Most Valuable Player and the Shakey’s V-League 2015 Conference MVP), “Not true. We’re really good friends since we were in Ateneo. That’s about it.”

“This is the power roster that represents what PLDT HOME Ultera is all about,” said Gary Dujali, head of PLDT VP and HOME marketing head. “Each of them has gone all-out in volleyball, rising to excellence through hard work and dedication. They have attracted a large following not only among sports fans. PLDT HOME Ultera is a strong advocate of sports excellence among the country’s youth.

“The Ultera lifestyle is about going all-out in anything you do and we apply that mantra to our home-based Internet connection. When it comes to the Internet, some people think that wi-fi hotspots and Internet cafés are as good as it gets. But PLDT HOME Ultera offers ultra-fast LTE connection and affordable broadband to enable all-out fun at home so you don’t settle for anything else.”

(PLDT HOME Ultera delivers Ultra-Fast LTE for a happy family with Internet speeds up to 10Mbps. Plans start at P999 a month. Log on to pldthome.com for more offers.)

Gloria leads awardees at Cebu’s Cinema Rehiyon 7 filmfest

Bisdak Pride, Inc.; Lilas Binisaya, Inc.; Cebuano Cinema Development Council; and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), through the National Committee on Cinema are holding Cinema Rehiyon 7: At the Crossroads of the Seventh Art from today until Aug. 9 at Cine Oriente 1 & 2, SM Cebu Cinema and Film & Media Arts International Academy Mini Theater. It’s a non-competition filmfest for the region’s filmmakers, with at least 72 films (18 full-length and 54 short films) in exhibition.

“We hope to revive what used to be the bustling movie industry of Cebu,” said NCCA Cinema head Teddy Co.

Cebu used to enjoy a thriving film industry between 1937 and 1976, lorded over by the popular love team of Gloria Sevilla and her late husband Mat Ranillo Jr., who reigned as The King and Queen of the Visayan Movies. In recognition of their contribution to the Visayan film industry, Gloria will be given the Hara Humamay (wife of Rajah Humabon) and Mat the Rajah Humabon Posthumous Award.

Also to be given the Bulakna (wife of Lapu-Lapu) Award are Pilar Pilapil and Suzette Ranillo (Gloria and Mat’s daughter), as well as the Lapu-Lapu Award to Marcial Navaro Sacol Julian Daan for their contribution to Cebuano films.

The awarding will be done tonight during the opening ceremonies, with the screening of the classic Cebuano film Badlis sa Kinabuhi. Produced by Gloria herself, Badlis won Best Black-and-White Film at the 16th Asian Film Festival in Jakarta in 1969 and won for Gloria Best Actress in that year’s FAMAS Awards.

Meanwhile, Funfare correspondent Celso de Guzman Caparas reports that US-based news anchor Cher Calvin won an Emmy as part of the KTLA5’s news team for UCLA Water Main Break (Live Coverage of an Unscheduled Event category) at the 67th Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards last July 25. Cher received four other nominations: as host for KTLA Celebrates America, as reporter for Surviving Disaster: A KTLA Special and one each for KTLA News Team (Regularly Scheduled Daily Daytime Newscast and Regularly Scheduled Daily Evening Newscast categories).

Sherwin’s showbiz ties

Because he was present at the recent opening of a restaurant in Davao City owned by Juliana Palermo, Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian might be linked to the semi-retired sexy actress.

No worry since Sherwin is used to being showbiz-connected. He was a regular fodder for showbiz gossip when he and Pauleen Luna (soon to be Mrs. Vic Sotto) were going steady, a romance that didn’t work because of their conflicting schedules. But still, according to Sherwin, who is running for senator in next year’s elections, he and Pauleen have remained friends. If invited to the rumored Pauleen-Vic wedding this year, Sherwin said he would go, why not? “I’m happy for Pauleen,” said Sherwin.

Now 41, (April 6, 1974), Sherwin was 27 when he was voted as the first District representative of Valenzuela City, one of the youngest legislators of the 12th Congress. And did you know that…

• Sherwin has been joining the street dancing during the Feast of San Roque in Valenzuela City for the past 15 years. He’s single. San Roque is the patron saint of the sick and invalid but in Valenzuela City San Roque is also known as the patron saint of the unmarried;

• When he was a kid, he dreamed of becoming a professional basketball player;

• During summer in his teenage years, he worked as kargador, messenger and driver in their family business;

• He was brought up in a Christian family; his mother is a pastor; and

• He is a kapeng barako enthusiast and regularly drinks more than three cups a day.

• He was chosen as one of the Top Eligible Bachelors in the country by Philippine Tatler magazine in 2013;

Mutya favorites emerge winners

Pre-pageant front-runners were proclaimed and crowned as the new Mutya ng Pilipinas queens in a fast-paced coronation night held Sunday evening, Aug. 2, at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila in Pasay City.

The winners and runners-up are: Julee Ann Marie Bourgoin, No. 14, Cagayan de Oro (first); Nina Josie Robertson, No. 17, Australia (Mutya ng Overseas Communities); Leren Mae Bautista, No. 26, Laguna (Mutya ng Pilipinas Asia Pacific International), Janela Joy Cuaton, No. 18, Doha, Qatar (Mutya ng Pilipinas Tourism International); and Brenna Cassandra Gamboa, No. 29, Nueva Ecija (second).

Bautista will compete in the Miss Tourism Queen of the Year in Malaysia on Dec. 9 while Cuaton will go to Vietnam for the Miss Tourism International on Nov. 28. 

Meanwhile, reigning Miss Global Rasela “Ela” Mino of Canada and her court Aizhan Lighg (of Kazakhstan, third runner-up) and Benazir Thaha (of Sri Lanka, fourth runner-up) ended their brief visit yesterday. They were welcomed by Catherine Marie Saab Almirante, second runner-up to Mino.

They were accompanied by Miss Global Organization’s Van Pham, founder and executive producer, and Lourie Anning, executive coordinator and spokesperson. They announced that the Philippines will play host to at least 50 contestants from the same number of countries in the 2015 Miss Global International pageant on Oct. 24 at the City of Dreams. — Celso de Guzman Caparas

Basketball against drugs

Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar has partnered with Dioceldo Sy of Blackwater Elite in organizing Philippine Basketball Team Blackwater Elite which played in an exhibition game against the Las Piñas All Stars last week.

“According to the Dangerous Drugs Board, there are about 1.7 million drug users in the Philippines, most of them are unemployed during their lifetime and refuse to finish their education,” said Rep. Mark. “Since my first term in Las Piñas, we’ve been organizing sports clinics in almost every barangay to increase awareness on the negative consequences of drug abuse. We are glad that Blackwater decided to join our advocacy.”

Rep. Mark and PBS veterans Egay Billiones and Al Vergara bannered Las Piñas All Stars. Others in the line-up were Ronnie Zagala, PBA legend Jun Limpot’s son Zion, George Allen, Eric Gallardo, J.R. Solis, Richard Bautista, Mark Uson, Renault Luarca, Robert Hainga, Robin Villamayor, Jun Jun Alas and Teng Reyes.

(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.)