Star Studio Hong Kong March 2015

MARCH 2015

VOL.1 NO.2

FEBRUARY 2015

LE MENT NEWS AND CELEBRITY LIFESTY YOUR BEST SOURCE OF ENTERTAIN

ONG HONGTKION EDI

COLEEN

Bares all: Her entire life story, the ‘Billy Crawford romance’ and her well-sculpted body

SURPRISE ENGAGEMENT

TONI-PAUL

All the details you need to know

VIVA IL PAPA

DAYS OF

HOPE

THE STARSTUDIO EXCLUSIVE

HE’S THE

ONE!

PLUS

JORDAN’S

FIRST-EVER FULL INTERVIEW ‘I NEVER EXPECTED TO FALL IN LOVE’

She’s left her dark, traumatic past behind­­— RUFFA GUTIERREZ finds peace in the arms of shy, soft-spoken French-Israeli hunk JORDAN MOUYAL

Stars and fellow Pinoys experience five days of inspiration with Pope Francis

FREE

SUMMER’S HOTTEST STAR

NOTES FROM THE EDITORS

OPEN BOOK

HONG KONG EDITION

Are you ready for Ruffa, and the next big thing in her much-talked about life? We are!

Ruffa Gutierrez—or, well, practically everyone from showbiz’s most celebrated family—has been brave and gracious enough to involve her fans everytime something monumental happens. Their pronouncements cause quite a stir—from dear tita Annabelle Rama’s charming Twitter declarations, to Richard’s or Raymond’s occasional confessions, to, of course, everything from Ruffa.

She’s such a delightful subject, in person and on print. She’s transparent, genuine, and positive—and we cannot question her consistency. The day of our pictorial with Sara Black, she giggled excitedly like a child in between shoot layouts, and during the interview. And in that same conversation, she made us so kilig with this new chapter of her love story—one that she is making now with the fiercely private gentleman whom we were honored to meet, the dashing Jordan Mouyal.

And boy, what a love story—upon hearing it, and while writing the article, the couple’s narrative surely brought wide smiles to our faces.

We’re just so thankful that they chose to share this little big secret of theirs exclusively with StarStudio.

That is the beauty of having to work with celebrities whose lives are an open book—their deep and true generosity shows in the stories that they choose to share. They’re like a long-lost friend, the kind you’re begging to hear exciting, colorful, truly beautiful stories from.

FAITH

IAN REYNO PHILIPPINE EDITION EXECUTIVE EDITOR TINNA S. BONIFACIO PHILIPPINE EDITION SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR RICHARD M. ARROYO INTERNATIONAL EDITION ART DIRECTOR GRACE LIBERO PHILIPPINE EDITION STYLE EDITOR JERRY BENEDICT ROSETE PHILIPPINE EDITION STARS EDITOR FRANCIS SIMEON PHILIPPINE EDITION LIAISON EDITOR NOELLA ANN S. FONBUENA INTERNATIONAL EDITION EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

ERNESTO L. LOPEZ HEAD, ABS-CBN PUBLISHING, INC. MARK J. YAMBOT MANAGING DIRECTOR

IAN REYNO Executive Editor

CHRISTINA N. LOPEZ CONTENT AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR NHALIN ESTANISLAO ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

In this issue, we bring you a special feature on Pope Francis’s visit to the Philippines. We knew we couldn’t not touch it, because that visit was a life-changing moment for so many Filipinos, celebrities included.

In this issue, we look back on the stories of people who personally experienced what is now known as “The Pope Francis Effect.”

It left them with a new perspective on things. As singer Jed Madela put it, “Dati, I was so hard on myself, na kapag di ko naayos ang isang bagay, sobra akong frustrated. I would get restless and upset, but after this experience, lalo na ‘yung pinagdaanan ko (Jed, who performed at the gathering with the youth at UST, lost his voice a few days before the Pope touched down in Manila) it made me learn how to just let go, not worry too much about anything, and that the Lord will always make a way for things to happen.”

Genuine faith is a beautiful thing to see. Catholic or not, Christian or not, it was impossible not to be moved by what took place over those five days.

You may now subscribe and read StarStudio on your tablet or Smartphone wherever you are.

StarStudio’s digital edition is also available on www.zinio.com/ starstudio.

VOICE IMAGE PRODUCTION PUBLISHER JONATHAN INOCENCIO REPRESENTATIVE

MICHAEL MANIO, MD, MHPED, PHD CONTRIBUTING WRITER RICK CABANATAN PHOTOGRAPHER

TETCHIE BEE, SHERYL VICENTE COORDINATORS

AERON MARQUEZ, GIGS FLORES ASSOCIATES

FOR ADVERTISING, PLS CONTACT MANILA - MR. MIKE TOLENTINO +63.937.3733033

HONG KONG - MR JONATHAN INOCENCIO +852.6874 5567

TINNA S. BONIFACIO Senior Associate Editor

*Voice Image Production is the official licensee of ABS-CBN Publishing and ABS-CBN Australia for StarStudio Magazine HK Edition StarStudio Magazine Hong Kong Edition is published and distributed by Voice Image Production

STARSTUDIO • HONG KONG VO L 1 N O 2

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TOO HOT

TO HANDLE

Four years ago, Coleen Garcia was just a shy new talent who was still looking to carve her own niche in showbiz. Today, she has clearly grown into a fine young woman who has not only found a passion to fervently pursue in the industry but also a man who will support her all throughout this journey

By Michelle Angela Orosa Carag Photography by Ria Regino

Produced by GRACE LIBERO-CRUZ #StyledbyJEFFGALANG, assisted by AIZA ABURWELA Makeup by PONG NIU for MAC Cosmetics Hairstyling by RENZ PANGILINAN Photographer’s assistant: ROCHELLE BULAON Interns: GERACEL FRESCO and JOKO VELUZ Shot on location at PRIVATO HOTEL Special thanks to ANA ESGUERRA

4

STARSTUDIO • HONG KONG VO L 1 N O 2

THE

TREND HIGH-WAIST BOTTOM

Red bra top and blue and white striped high-waist bikini

by I LOVE KOI (@ilovekoiswim), blue pointed pumps by JELLYBEAN, bangles by ALDO ACCESSORIES and red fringe earrings by H&M

F

rom the very moment she was born, it seemed that Coleen Garcia’s fate had already been written in the stars. Born into the prominent Ortega clan of La Union, it only made sense for such an intelligent girl like her to delve into politics like her relatives from her mother’s side did.

Coleen, however, pursued a different field. She chose to try her luck in the flamboyant world of show business—a path that may be considered the extreme opposite of the one that had been originally envisioned for her. That decision shocked both her family and friends because she was a shy girl who never showed interest in dancing, singing or acting.

Yet seeing her now, she has certainly come a long way from being that girl in a lotion commercial to cohosting It’s Showtime, thus becoming a household name in her own right. However, with the blessing of fame also comes the dark side of the limelight, and Coleen became a target of controversies. She exudes a delicate demeanor onscreen, what with her petite frame and soft-spoken voice, but what actually lies behind all that is a strong young woman who has weathered many storms and lives on with a sunny disposition.

One of the boys

When asked how she would sum up her childhood in one sentence, Coleen can’t help but beam and say, “My childhood was great!” For five years, she enjoyed being her parents’ only child and being her grandparents’ (from her father’s side) only apo, which only meant her family went to great lengths to spoil her. “Lahat ng gifts, sa akin talaga napupunta!”

When she was a kid, Coleen had once dreamt of becoming a veterinarian because of her love for animals. But a traumatic experience would change all that after a neighbor’s pet monkey attacked her cousin right in front of her. “It was my fault,” she relates. “I was around seven that time. Every day kasi, pinapakain ko ’yung monkey ng neighbor namin so kilala na niya ako.

One day, I brought my cousin there with me. Kaso hindi niya kilala ’yung cousin ko so it attacked her.”

But blood and gore aside, Coleen still had an enjoyable childhood. She is a self-confessed barako, having grown up with men around her. “I was always the rowdiest because I’m the only girl in the family. I have my uncles but had no aunts in my dad’s side. Wala akong girl na kasama sa bahay so I grew up being one of the boys.”

Coleen was the type of kid who was always outside with her friends, playing rough games like ice-water and langit-lupa. Whenever she was inside the house, she had her video games to play with (“Boy nga talaga!” she can’t help but remark with a laugh). But above all, what she really loved doing was going to waterparks with her dad, going to the mall with her grandmother and just bonding with the rest of her family. “That’s really the highlight of my childhood—bonding with my family and fighting with my brothers,” she says, “pero ’yung mga cute-cute na away lang.”

For her pre-school education, Coleen attended a school in the South and continued to study there throughout her grade school years. Whenever the STARSTUDIO • HONG KONG VO L 1 N O 2

5

teacher was around, she could be really well-behaved. But that doesn’t mean she couldn’t be full of mischief, too. She shares, “I’d always be with the guys, pulling pranks on everyone in school—on teachers, on other students. I’d use up to four school shoes in a year kasi nasisira sila agad sa kakatakbo ko.”

But life wasn’t all fun and games. When she was nine, she had to cope with a painful ordeal: bearing witness to her parents’ separation at such a young age. Because of that, she felt she needed to mature faster and be a rock for her younger brothers.

“Lahat ng pagiging spoiled ko dati, parang instantly nawala. I had to take care of my brothers and I had to be an ‘ate’ to everybody. It was like a rollercoaster ride. That’s one thing that taught me how to really grow up early. It was hard but it made me stronger and wiser because I realized so many things about marriage. Our parents were young when they had us. Kung gaano ako ka-spoiled dati, ganun ako ka-responsible when my parents separated.”

She lived with her father after the separation, that’s why Coleen felt the absence of her mother the most. But since she was a Mama’s girl, she would always call her mom and write her letters (“She is my best friend,” she remarks).

Despite the situation, Coleen was still grateful to her parents, saying, “I really feel that they tried their best to raise me. They gave me the best things that they could—everything a child deserves or needs.”

Banking on the overflowing love from both of her parents, Coleen trudged on with her spirit unbroken. In school, she strived to do well. Even receiving suspension for fighting with her classmates didn’t stop her from exceling in her studies. “When I was 12, I got suspended kasi I fought with boys,” she shares with a laugh. “They were teasing me so I hit them. The school suspended me. When my dad went to the principal’s office, he was just laughing. But then noong kaharap ko na siya, nagalit siya, so he transferred me.”

The school which she transferred to was Veritas Parochial School, where she spent her high school years. There she excelled so well, especially in Math (she particularly liked Algebra and Geometry) and in English. Aside from being the Editor-in-Chief of their school paper, The Wire, she was also part of the school’s student council and outreach program.

With her impressive grades, she was the only one among everyone who applied was awarded a 100 percent academic scholarship by a prestigious university in the South. Due to her father’s encouragement and her desire to help lessen her family’s expenses for her schooling, Coleen decided to accept the scholarship. She took up Entrepreneurship and Marketing Management, a double major course. But halfway through the first semester during her freshman year, she realized it was something she didn’t really want to do. “I’m very impulsive but I know why I’m doing certain things, and I stick to my decisions,” Coleen muses. “In that case, it really wasn’t my decision [to accept the scholarship] so I didn’t really want to stick to that. Although it was really a good school, it’s just that what I was looking for, I didn’t find it there.”

The beginning of the future

Coleen was in the middle of choosing a new university to transfer to when showbiz offers started pouring in. After declining many of such opportunities, because she was still in high school, she finally decided to give it a go. And why wouldn’t she? She was, after all, not a stranger to appearing on television.

She was two years old when she was first appeared in a TV commercial for Johnson & Johnson, wherein she appeared alongside her mother. At age nine, she became an image model for the clothing brand Just G. When she was 16, she appeared on a Skin White TVC alongside John Lloyd Cruz. This, she says, carries a 6

STARSTUDIO • HONG KONG VO L 1 N O 2

bittersweet memory for her: “Una kasi kasama ko si John Lloyd. Pero ninakaw ng agent ko ’yung talent fee ko. But I told my parents na hayaan na lang namin kasi alam ko na may mga susunod pa naman du’n. More on faith in God talaga that everything was going to be okay.”

True enough, that faith did wonders for her as she was soon blessed with more TV exposure. She appeared in two more memorable commercials for Lewis and Pearl Cologne with Enrique Gil and for Nestea with Neil Coleta.

Given her head-turning appeal, it was only a matter of time before Star Magic finally contacted her and for Direk Laurenti Dyogi to discover her as she was hanging out near the Big Brother House. Shortly after, Direk Laurenti cast her in the 2011 teenoriented show Good Vibes. “That’s how my career started,” Coleen says.

It was during her stint in Good Vibes when she was asked to fill in for Kiray Celis for two days on Showtime (currently known as It’s Showtime). It didn’t take long before the production team decided to get her as one of the hurados on the show, a stint she had for 10 weeks until she got voted off. “That time, I was so new pa and I also didn’t watch a lot of TV so I didn’t know what to do on the show,” Coleen recalls with a giggle. “It was fun though. I enjoyed.

Eventually I got used to it.”

The variety show’s reformatting a few months after Coleen joined as a hurado also brought another positive change in her life: she was finally included in its roster of new hosts. And now, three years later, she is still part of the It’s Showtime family.

But it’s not the only thing that’s been keeping her busy; if anything, It’s Showtime paved way for Coleen to be busier. Just late last year, she starred in her first movie titled #Y, an indie film helmed by Gino Santos and Cinemalaya film festival 2014 entry whose story revolves around the lives of troubled youth.

There she played the role of a #liberated young woman, opposite the characters of Elmo Magalona as #loner, Sophie Albert as #socialclimber and Kit Thompson as #pasaway.

She has also started taping for Pasion de Amor, a remake of the Columbian telenovela soon to be aired on Kapamilya network, which also stars Jake Cuenca, Joseph Marco, Ellen Adarna and Arci Muñoz.

While grateful for the project, Coleen admits that doing the teleserye would have to be the most challenging thing she’s done so far. “The way we tape is really hard because we don’t tape in a chronological order so it’s hard to get the emotion right sometimes,” she says. “I’ve been in a teleserye before but this one kasi, marami na kaming parts so it’s a commitment also.”

To prepare for the role, the cast had to attend workshops, the kind that let them bond with each other. “We have those so we could be comfortable with each other. It makes the biggest difference kasi when you’re comfortable with the people you’re working with.”

When asked what else she would like to explore for the growth of her career, Coleen becomes excitedly answers, “[’Yung] maging dancer ako!” Then, on a more serious note, she says, “I think I just really want to improve on what I’m doing now and find a way to master it first before I could move on to different things. Kesa naman half-baked palagi.”

As every showbiz personality knows, one can never really please everybody no matter how hard they work to get better in their craft. But Coleen has learned to take every criticism and bashing in stride, because she perfectly knows who she is as a person. “Always look at your core—hindi abs, ha? Look at everything you are, everything you’ve been through and everything that makes you, you and then stick to that. If you’re this person and then someone says you’re that person, it will be easy for you to say, ‘No, I’m not.’

And with that, you need to know who you are, you need to accept

who you are, you need to love who you are—that’s something you really need to do before you enter showbiz. You need to be whole as a person. You need to love and appreciate yourself as a person.

You need to do it all for yourself.”

Defying the odds

That said, it seems that it’s true what they say, “You must love yourself first before you can love someone else.” Coleen had her share of showbiz romances; she was in a relationship with Enrique Gil and Gab Valenciano. She knows the complications that come with maintaining a relationship with a fellow showbiz personality, so one would think she won’t dare figure in another relationship of such kind. But then she met Billy Crawford, who is 10 years her senior (she turned 22 last September; he’ll turn 33 this May).

If there’s a word that best describes how her love story with boyfriend Billy started, it would be “weird.”

One day about two years ago, Billy just started texting her out of the blue. For Coleen, it was just much too weird because out of all the It’s Showtime hosts, it was she and Billy who weren’t close at all.

“It even came to a point that I was annoyed at him,” Coleen adds with a laugh. “Kasi I had a different perception of him eh.

Hindi ko [siya] type at all. Para kasing ang gulo niya na ewan.

Palagi siyang sumisigaw so I would get annoyed at him.”

But this perception would eventually change as they started to hang out together with their group of mutual friends. “It’s not something na biglaan,” she explains. “It took some getting used to also. There was also a point na nagte-text siya sa akin pero I would still call him Kuya Billy. Everyone felt weird about it, I’m not gonna lie.”

True enough, Coleen proved to be one tough cookie who stopped believing in the concept of ligaw. “I told him [Billy] na ayaw ko ng manliligaw,” she shares. “Nadadala ka kaagad when someone is so sweet kasi best foot forward sa umpisa pero kapag kayo na, wala na. Ayokong masanay sa ganoon kasi hahanapin mo kung sino siya noong nanliligaw siya.”

Being the type who isn’t easily swept by romantic gestures from suitors, it took a great deal of effort from Billy’s part to win Coleen over, especially because more than anything else, it was sincerity she was looking for. “It took a long time for me to read kung ano talaga ’yung nararamdaman niya. But when I saw the sincerity, that’s when I really started to realize na parang hindi na magiging ‘Kuya’ si Kuya Billy.”

After 11 months, Coleen was finally ready to say the words Billy had been waiting to hear. It was around 4AM sometime in July last year, and she was at the airport to pick him up after arriving from his trip to the States. “I didn’t plan to say, ‘I love you, too.’ It just came out. I already knew naman that I loved him but I wasn’t ready to tell him kasi it’s like giving a part of yourself that you can’t really take back anymore. I think long-term so if I’m going to say, ‘I love you too’ to a guy, I would want to be saying that to him for the rest of my life.”

When asked what she liked about Billy the most, Coleen reveals that she loves how she can be herself around him. “And he’s honestly one of the most selfless people I know. Lahat talaga inuuna niya before himself. I always say that I admire how selfless he is.”

Another great thing about their relationship is the fact that they are also the best of friends. They like to tease each other, although Coleen admits she is more of the bully between the two of them and when she strikes, Billy wouldn’t fight back (“What I also love most about him is that hindi siya napipikon,” she interjects with a giggle. “He can’t be my boyfriend if he’s pikon kasi bully talaga ako). They like spending their spare time together and just laze around the whole day. “We’re so lazy kasi we’re always out so

we appreciate ’yung time namin,” she says. “’Yung alone time ko, gusto ko kasama ko pa rin siya. Even if we’re not talking and we’re just watching TV, basta magkasama lang kami. Kasi it’s not complete na talaga kapag wala siya. There’s always something missing when he’s not there. Parang hindi ako mapakali. And the same goes for him.”

However, everything wasn’t always rainbows and butterflies for the couple, especially at the onset of their relationship which saw a lot of issues being thrown at them, following Billy’s controversial split with Nikki Gil. “The entire 2014 would have to be the hardest trial we have faced so far,” Coleen muses. “It was full of ups and downs. It was the peak of all of the people who have something to say about me.”

But even so, they remained positive and determined to fight for their love, especially because all the problems they were encountering were external in nature. “It’s the same thing about you knowing your core so that you’re not affected by the people around you. It’s like a shield eh. With us naman, we were so good internally and our relationship was really working out. So we just worked on what we have instead of giving time to people around us and what they have to say. That way, we created a kind of force field against all of them.”

As for the inevitable love quarrels, Coleen shares, “We give each other time to cool down. Kasi sometimes it’s really just the temper talking eh. Then ’pag kalmado na, that’s the time we talk to each other, and no shouting dapat. We don’t postpone our talks. Kasi ayaw namin ’yung pinapatagal ’yung problema.”

After the challenges they went through together so far, their eight-day holiday trip to Maldives last December was but a welcome break for the couple who yearned for some welldeserved R&R. They’ve traveled to New York and Japan together but they were with other people, so this Maldives trip is the first where they’re on their own.

When asked why they chose to go to Maldives, Coleen explained she simply wanted to go somewhere warm for the holidays. “The last time I spent New Year was in New York,” she shares. “There was a blizzard and it was so cold. Hindi ko talaga kaya ang malamig. Isa lang ’yung arte ko sa buhay, malamig. So we looked up which countries had their peak season in December. ’Yung Maldives kasi, it’s hotter in December. It’s the best time to go there daw from December to February.” Next up on their bucket list of places they want to visit? Africa. “I want to go to Africa because we both love animals and we both love exotic places,” she says.

Coleen couldn’t ask for a more perfect partner for her. With Billy by her side, she can see a brighter and clearer future for them, what with the tremendous amount of support they give each other. “Support means so much and you don’t get it from everyone. So it’s good to get that from each other. Kasi ’yung kungyari nahihirapan ka na sa work, it’s good to know that at the end of the day, someone’s there pushing you to do better and pushing you to keep going on. Kesa ’yung minamaliit ka lang, putting you down even more or telling you that you shouldn’t be doing something. Maganda ’yung at the end of the day, may support ka from another person.”

Coleen: “Before we start the countdown over here, we still have a plenty of time to enjoy the delicious food that the hotel staff has meticulously prepared for everyone on the island! I’m happy that I get to do another New Year’s countdown with you @billyjoecrawford!

Thank you for the amazing time we are having so far. Cheers to our 2015.”

Billy: “Happy New Year everyone! 2014 was nuts!

2015 is going to be amazing.”

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COUNTING SHEEP

What’s in store for some of your favorite celebrities in this Year of the Chinese calendar’s most docile animal sign The Year of the Wood Sheep began on February 19, 2015. And the general outlook for the year​: one of hope and optimism. StarStudio turns to Feng Shui master Marites Allen’s expert observations for the year​, to​check on how the stars will align for some of the biggest names in show business—and it looks like the Wood Sheep may just pull some pleasant surprises in its grazing year. These readings are, however, generic in nature, and it is still best that one’s chart be read vis-à-vis the time, date and month of birth. Just the same, read on— and check what the year has in store for you, too. B​ y Jerry Benedict C. Rosete YEAR OF THE RAT

(1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008) Secret friend: Ox / Allies: Dragon and Monkey Marian Rivera (August 12, 1984) Anne Curtis (February 17, 1985) Kathryn Bernardo (March 26, 1996) Marian Anne Kathryn Career-wise, Rat-sign artists Marian Rivera, Anne Curtis and Kathryn Bernardo are in the best position to plot their careers aggressively— especially Kathryn,​who’s teaming up again with Daniel Padilla in their upcoming teleserye, the new generation Pangako Sa ‘Yo. In terms of relationships, Marian—who’s now Mrs. Dingdong Dantes—will continue to bask in the glow of marriage bliss,​since the Rat carries with it the peach blossom luck that symbolizes love and romance. With regard to Anne, though,​it may not be the best year for her to settle down—yet​.

When traveling to their out-of-town commitments, however, Rat-born people should take extra precaution as long drives may lead to mishaps. Accidents could be real threats for Rats this year.

YEAR OF THE OX

(1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009) Secret Friend: Rat / Allies: Snake and Rooster Angel Locsin (April 23, 1985) Julia Barretto (March 10, 1997) Angel Julia Liza Liza Soberano (January 4, 1998) The Year of the Wood Sheep will bring the Heaven Luck Star to those born in the Year of the Ox. The Heaven Luck Star is responsible for overall good fortune and potential windfall. However, an important caveat: Oxen should think twice about changing jobs or careers, or veer away from anything that involves risks. Also, the Ox is the enemy of the Sheep, thus this year 2015 is their conflict year. It’s better for the Oxen, then, to take it easy, do a lot of charity work and keep a low profile in career and business.

In the romance department, the prospects are not that good for the single Ox—a timely reminder perhaps to Julia and Liza to stay focused on their careers for the moment. For Angel, while the Feng Shui guide says married couples and those in relationships may encounter communication problems, she could still bring stability to her relationship with Luis Manzano (who was​born in the Year of the Rooster) by continuing to observe honesty, openness and transparency. And another thing, Luis (a Rooster) and Angel (an Ox) are Allies and Friends, which is really a very good sign for their relationship.

YEAR OF THE TIGER

(1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010) Secret Friend: Boar / Allies: Horse and Dog Nash Angelica Angelica Panganiban (November 4, 1986) Nash Aguas (October 10, 1998) For those born under the Tiger sign, an auspicious year and a very fulfilling life are in the works.

The Year of the Wood Sheep would therefore bode well for Nash Aguas whose teen teleserye Bagito is doing very w ​ ell in the ratings race.

The year is also looking very prosperous for versatile actress Angelica Panganiban, whose string of luck started even before the onset of the Year of the Wood Sheep (via the satirical comedy Beauty in a Bottle,​and the drama-romance-comedy That Thing Called Tadhana where her acting was roundly praised by critics; in the 13thGawad Tanglaw awards, she tied with Nora Aunor in the Best Actress race). ​ Her Feng Shui outlook for the year also means that her next project, Pangako Sa ‘Yo—where she tackles the iconic role of Claudia Buenavista—would be a huge success.

It will also be a great time for Tigers to get engaged (it’s a good time for Tiger men to pop the question and for Tiger women to say “yes”), so perhaps Angelica could start dropping hints to her real-life beau John Lloyd Cruz (born in the Year of the Boar) about it. In jest, during a press conference for That Thing Called Tadhana, Angelica admitted she had​already done so.

Add to this the fact that John Lloyd is a Boar—a secret friend of the Tiger—so again, it is a very good sign for the relationship.

YEAR OF THE RABBIT

(1903, 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011) Secret Friend: Dog / Allies: Sheep and Boar Bea Alonzo (October 17, 1987) Bea Alex Gonzaga (January 16, 1988) Rabbits will have a good start in 2015. So, if they want to work at something new in their life or career, 2015 is the year to make it happen. However, the Violent Star also looms large in the Rabbits’ chart. To forestall its effect, Rabbit-born people, such as Bea Alonzo and Alex Gonzaga, should not make hasty career decisions in the next 12 months,​as they may run the risk of losing opportunities. By maintaining smooth interpersonal relations with their bosses and​ colleagues, they keep the Violent Star at bay. ​ Rabbits, too, should not take minor disagreements for granted because,​if​left unresolved, these minor issues m ​ ay grow and turn serious. What could help Bea’s relationship chart, though, is that beau Z ​ anjoe Marudo is a Dog person—incidentally, the Dog is a secret friend of the Rabbit, so they will complement each other all the more this year. ​ As for Alex (who was hospitalized for a few days in the second week of January 2015, f​ or fever), health should be of paramount concern. Based on their chart, Rabbits may encounter some hiccups in their overall health condition during the year.

YEAR OF THE DRAGON

(1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012) Vice Secret Friend: Rooster / Allies: Rat and Monkey Vice Ganda (March 31, 1976) Piolo Pascual (January 12, 1977) Sarah Geronimo (July 25, 1988) Sarah Alexa Ilacad (February 26, 2000) With the influence of the Illness Star, Dragons could hit some rough patches in what is otherwise a generally good year for them. The Illness Star is responsible for illness, stress, possible accidents and a general feeling of lethargy. Otherwise, it will be a productive year for the Dragons.

The unkabogable Vice Ganda and the ultimate heartthrob Piolo Pascual should be very cautious when it comes to dealing with occupational hazards, like Vice’s recurring throat problem,​ and the recent biking accident encountered by Piolo. ​ ​ Sarah and Alexa Ilacad should likewise steer clear of taking part in physically strenuous activities,​because Dragons are more prone to mishaps this year.

On the love and career fronts, it will be a rosy and exciting year for these Kapamilya Dragons.

YEAR OF THE SNAKE

(1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013) Secret Friend: Monkey / Allies: Ox and Rooster Gerald Anderson (March 7, 1989) Matteo Guidicelli (March 26, 1989) Gerald Matteo Xian Lim (July 12, 1989) Astrologically speaking, Snakes are the stars in 2015! It’s a career-defining and travel-filled year for the Snakes in the Year of the Wood Sheep! If they look at fast-tracking their careers or training their sights on travel opportunities, the next 12 months should be the best time to firm up those plans because for this year, they have what they call the “Midas’ Touch”.

International feng shui master Marites Allen is the first and only Filipina to be awarded the prestigious title “Master in Feng Shui” by the world-renowned International Feng Shui Association. She is the go-to feng shui consultant of top executives and prominent personalities in government, media and entertainment. Her own brand of fashion wear and accessories—Frigga Charmed Life—combines unique designs and feng shui enhancements. Frigga recently opened its first shop at SM Mall of Asia and now ships to at least 16 countries worldwide. She also has several World of Feng Shui Boutiques in Metro Manila.

For consultation or inquiries, please call 0920- 9509390, visit www.frigga.co.uk, or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@MaritesAllen).

Xian should build on his recent project as the voice of the well-loved children’s book character Paddington Bear in the international animated film (Xian voiced the character for the film’s local release) to further widen his career horizons. The chinito actor will surely reap benefits from any major career move during the Year of the Wood Sheep. However, his romantic affairs should take a backseat as the Feng Shui chart advises single Snakes to “focus on their careers rather than on establishing romantic relationships”.

It is quite interesting to note that Gerald Anderson and Matteo Guidicelli’s girlfriends (Maja Salvador and Sarah Geronimo, respectively) are both Dragons. While Dragons are neither secret friends nor allies of Snakes, the romance luck of the Dragons will rub off on their respective partners and thus, will bring stability to the relationships.

YEAR OF THE HORSE

(1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014) Secret Friend: Sheep / Allies: Tiger and Dog Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo (May 11, 1978) Kim Judy Ann Kim Chiu (April 19, 1990) Although the Violent Star is present in the chart of the Horses, it will only translate to minor health concerns. Otherwise, the Horses are in for an active, busy and dynamic year ahead. The opportunities for growth and prosperity are far-ranging.

For the T​eleserye Queen and Bet on Your Baby host Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo, married life will continue to prosper, in more ways than one. Owing to the fact that Ryan Agoncillo, Judy Ann’s husband, was born under the sign of the Sheep—which is the secret friend of the Horse —they should expect a peaceful, tranquil and smooth-sailing ride on the domestic front.

For Horses who are in long-term relationships, the next 12 months should be the best time to settle down while for the single Horse, the Year of the Wood Sheep brings an enhanced luck to find that elusive romantic partner. Perhaps, the young and lovable Kim Chiu should start exploring the frontiers of love and romance once again.

YEAR OF THE SHEEP

(1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015) Secret Friend: Horse / Allies: Rabbit and Boar Richard Yap (May 18, 1967) Jericho Richard Jericho Rosales (September 22, 1979) The Sheep will generally be lucky during their own year because of the pervading influence of the Prosperity Star in their chart. However, there are conditions to this.

In the career aspect, too much aggressiveness will result in projects falling through. Further, for businessmen like Richard, it would not be advisable to stick to the status quo. A cautious balance between strategy and gut feel could help counteract negative vibes. Further, Sheep-born individuals who are in the creative and artistic fields will do well financially.

Relationship-wise, unmarried Sheep should focus their attention on things beyond romance.

As for married Sheep like Richard and Jericho, it could be a bumpy ride. As a balancing factor, a good dose of patience can prevent potentially ruinous disagreements from happening.

YEAR OF THE MONKEY

(1908, 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004) Secret Friend: Snake / Allies: Dragon and Rat Dingdong Dantes (August 2, 1980) Dingdong Enrique Enrique Gil (March 30, 1992) If Monkeys are serious in making great strides in their careers, then this year should be the best time to execute their career plans because their energy and motivation are at optimum levels.

Prime leading man Dingdong Dantes should continue widening his network outside of showbiz,​because support from influential people will be at an all-time high this year. Meanwhile, young actor Enrique Gil—who plays the role of Xander in the current hit teleserye Forevermore—should capitalize on the projects he has at the moment,​because the Year of the Wood Sheep is the best time for Monkeys to show off the diversity of their artistry. However, the Robbery Star will also rear its ugly head. So better read the fine prints before signing any contract.

Or better yet, do some charity work to prevent the Robbery Star from attacking.

For single male Monkeys, it would also be the most opportune time to go out on dates because ladies tend to gravitate towards single Monkeys this year.

Marites Allen

YEAR OF THE ROOSTER

(1909, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005) Secret Friend: Dragon / Allies: Ox and Snake Coco Martin (November 1, 1981) James Reid (May 11, 1993) Coco James Nadine Nadine Lustre (October 31, 1993) Roosters will have the most afflicted sign of the year,​because the Misfortune Star hovers around their chart. Thus, it is important that the West part of their homes are not disturbed in any way by renovation, digging, drilling etc., so as not to activate these misfortune stars.

In terms of career, Roosters may face challenges and obstacles that could have a negative impact on their professional life. To stand their ground against the Misfortune Star’s sphere of influence, ​ these artists should endeavor to maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times.

Their wealth luck will also be affected. So as not to further put a dent on it, Roosters should play it safe by spending within their budgets,​and putting off major investment decisions at a later time when things are better aligned with their sign. And even in the love department, it appears like R ​ oosters will have a lackluster year. It may be time to put romantic prospects off for another year.

YEAR OF THE DOG

(1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006) Secret Friend: Rabbit / Allies: Tiger and Horse Jodi Jodi Sta. Maria (June 16, 1982) The Romance, Education or Travel Luck Star will bring tremendous luck to the Dogs in the Year of the Wood Sheep,​because their hard work and dedication could be amply rewarded. This star will shower them with expansion, fame and prosperity.

Jodi Sta. Maria—who will play the multi-dimensional role of Amor Powers in Pangako Sa ‘Yo—should seize the moment and grab every opportunity offered to her this year. This will bring long-term benefits,​and her luck may spill over and beyond the Year of the Wood Sheep. Jodi may also consider getting married this year because the next 12 months would be very auspicious for marriage plans (and even having a baby) for people born under the Dog sign.

However, it is advised that Dogs should err on the side of caution when it comes to their health. If they feel something that is unusual, even if it’s minor, it pays to have it checked immediately.

YEAR OF THE BOAR

(1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007) Secret Friend: Tiger Allies: Rabbit and Sheep Kris Aquino (February 14, 1971) John Lloyd Cruz (June 24, 1983) Toni Gonzaga (January 20, 1984) Daniel Padilla (April 26, 1995)

Kris

Toni

John Lloyd

Daniel

Career growth for those born in the Year of the Pig will be on a steady rise for the year so expect Queen of All Media Kris Aquino, King of Contemporary Cinema John Lloyd Cruz, Multimedia Star Toni Gonzaga and Teen King Daniel Padilla to just coast along the trajectory of their already established careers. But the more interesting thing to note is that it will be in the area of romance where Pigs will have a blast.

In fact, single female Boars “will have a ball looking for their perfect match”. So Kris should do something within this 12-month window by opening up more to the idea of going out to parties more often. By making extra effort at socializing, she may meet someone who will interest her.

Single male boars are no less lucky. Mr. Cupid will be putting in extra hard work for them this year. Should Daniel make an ​extra effort to woo K ​ athryn Bernardo this year, well, expect him to have good results.

The Pigs’ chart also says that “those already in a relationship may want to use the auspicious year to get hitched or start a family”. In the case of John Lloyd, it runs consistent with the Tigers’ romance luck (Angelica Panganiban is a Tiger). On the part of Toni, she’s entering the year of the Wood Sheep on a sweet note. With her engagement to Direk Paul Soriano happening in the latter part of the Year of the Horse (where the romance luck is at the center of the chart), Toni can expect to have a more romantic year coming, plus of course, some wedding bells-a-ringing.

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THE

POPE FRANCIS EFFECT

By Tinna S. Bonifacio

S

inger Jed Madela was one of those invited to sing for Pope Francis’ gathering with the youth at the University of Santo Tomas grounds. It was a big honor, and Jed got up early to prepare for it, making sure to leave his Cainta, Rizal home with plenty of time to spare.

He was on the road by 4AM, but when he got to UST, he ran into a human brick wall. There were people everywhere.

They had a car pass, but couldn’t get past the crowd. Jed’s driver was panicking because they were already late for the call time. As the minutes ticked by, it was looking more and more hopeless.

The other performers— Jamie Rivera, Angeline Quinto and Darren Espanto—were already inside. Jed was stuck in his van at the corner of España and Lacson streets just outside the UST campus. They tried to find a way in, but couldn’t. “Pagdating namin doon, closed na,” recalls Jed. “Nakiusap kami sa pulis, pero sabi

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nila, ‘Sorry po, wala na kaming magagawa. We couldn’t move. At that point, I was surrendered to the idea na wala na. Sinuko ko na na as much as I would want to sing, that it was a once in a lifetime thing (to sing for the Pope), wala na because it was impossible for me to even walk to get there.”

Jed tried texting the organizers to send someone to come and pick him up, but he wasn’t sure if he was getting through.

No one was replying to his messages. There were reports that cell phone signals would be cut as a security precaution, and Jed guessed that by that time, communications were already limited.

Meanwhile, the crowd outside was getting restless.

Then a few minutes before 8AM, some security people sent by the organizers appeared to escort Jed inside. One of the frantic text messages he sent had apparently reached someone who passed it along. “May

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Photo courtesy of NOEL CELIS of AFP

So many people were moved in different ways by the visit of Pope Francis to Manila, including some for whom the experience was life-changing on a much deeper, more personal level

Pope Francis as he prepared to board the speciallychartered Philippine Air Lines flight 8010 that would take him back to Rome at the end of his five-day visit.

The plane took off shortly after 10AM after the Pontiff waved to the crowd that included President Noynoy Aquino and other government officials and members of the clergy. The Pontiff was the third Pope to visit the Philippines after Pope Paul VI and John Paul II.

mga pulis na dumating.

Sabi nila, ‘Iwan mo ‘yung van mo dito’. Tapos pinaiwan nila ‘yung driver. Sabi nila, ‘Jed, ikaw lang at ‘yung assistant mo ang pwede namin i-escort sa loob.’ They asked me to go down the van, bitbit ang barong ko.

‘Yung mga pulis were literally hugging me just to get me through the crowd. May mga nagsisikuhan na, may mga nagagalit, nagtatanong, ‘Bakit nanunulak kayo?’ Ako naman, sabi ko, ‘Sorry po, sorry po, kailangan ko lang po

Pagdating niya, parang kinikilabutan ka, to the point na sobrang saya mo, maiiyak ka. I was a few meters from where the Pope was, nandoon lang siya sa tabi ng grandstand where I sang. I had goosebumps. Nagmamanhid ang face ko, tapos di ko ma-feel, naluluha na pala ako. Iba yung feeling.’”

— Jed Madela on what ‘The Pope Francis effect’ felt like

dumaan, kakanta po ako, pasensiya na po.’”

It was only a five-meter distance from where his van was to get past the barricades, but it was literally, like the longest walk Jed had ever taken.

Light came through

Finally, he and his assistant Flor Paclib made it inside. Jed and Angeline were called to the stage. “That was the only time we found out that we weren’t singing for the Pope, but for the crowd. Which was okay, because we were there to inspire, to lift up the spirits of the people,” says Jed. Jed was singing the inspirational classic “Light of a Million Mornings” originally popularized by American pop-gospel singer Sandi Patti. It was a song about how God’s light can penetrate the darkness. Up until that day, Jed had performed the song in countless concerts and TV guestings, but never really paid attention to the lyrics.

He was studying the song a few days before the UST event, and that’s when the full impact of its words hit him, especially the part of the lyric that says, “I couldn’t see the sunshine through the shadows/I can’t seem to find a soul to care…”

This chance to sing it again came at a difficult time in Jed’s life. Just before the UST event, he came down with a bad case of laryngitis. He lost his voice, and people were spreading rumors that he couldn’t sing anymore, or that he needed surgery to be able to sing again. Some even said that he had surgery and that he’d come out of it with his voice not sounding the same, and that it wouldn’t sound the same ever again. For a singer—and someone like Jed, known for his ability to sing power ballads and hit the high notes—it was the worst kind of chismis anyone could spread.

It plunged Jed into depression. He felt abandoned and alone, and that except for family and a few close friends, there was no one who understood the torment he was going through.

Then the invitation to perform at UST came, and while he was rehearsing the song, he felt it speak to him on a personal level. “Sobra akong affected sa song,” recalls the singer. “It dawned on me na ‘Parang kanta ko ito, ah’, Kinakanta ko ‘yung song dati, pero di ko na-a-absorb ‘yung true meaning, not until ni-rehearse ko siya a few days before. And hindi ko siya matapus-tapos kasi iyak ako nang iyak.” His voice was back, thanks to his throat doctor who put him on a regimen of medication and vocal rest. But he still wasn’t too confident about his singing. He knew he wasn’t at full strength yet. Thus, being invited to sing “Light of a Million Mornings” came at the right time. It was a reminder to Jed that he was not, as he thought, abandoned and alone at the worst time in a singer’s life.

“Yung part ng lyrics na ‘In my darkest hour/ you touched me with your power/ and when I looked/ your light was everywhere’, doon talaga ako tinamaan,” says Jed. “Doon ko nasabi sa sarili ko, ‘Nandiyan ka pala, Lord.’ Naging personal ‘yung song. I realized, God sent me this opportunity to sing a song not just for the people, but for myself, to give me hope, na iparamdam sa akin na hindi ako nag-iisa during ‘yung darkest hour ko na wala akong boses, na the Lord was there.”

The UST gathering was the first time, post-vocal rest, that Jed would perform a song that high. The Pope hadn’t arrived yet, but no matter. Jed sang to the crowd with a mission. “For me, it became very personal, very meaningful to the point na when I was performing, it was telling my story, it was inspiring people, (it was like saying) ‘Guys, ito ang pinagdaanan ko, wala akong boses, I was in a dark place in my life, and the Lord was there.”

Jed’s original plan was to sing, then slip out, leave the UST

campus and try to get to ASAP. But at that point—again for security reasons—no one, not even the performers—was being allowed to go in or out. It was just as well, because when the Pope arrived minutes after he sang, Jed experienced what people now call “The Pope Francis Effect”. He describes how it felt. “Pagdating niya, parang kinikilabutan ka, na sobrang iba ang aura niya na to the point na sobrang saya mo, iiyak ka. I was a few meters from where the Pope was on stage, nandoon siya sa tabi ng grandstand where I sang. I had goosebumps. Nagmamanhid ang face ko, tapos di ko mafeel, naluluha na pala ako. Iba ‘yung feeling.”

Even the goosebumps were not ordinary. “Parang your whole body was so happy, so filled with happiness and love and care,” recounts Jed. “Hearing the people shout and scream, ‘Pope Francis, we love you!’ ang sarap ng feeling, sabi ko, pwede ba ganito na lang forever? Na the entire UST grounds were overflowing with so much love, not just for Pope Francis, but everybody didn’t mind na nagsisiksikan, nagtutulakan, they didn’t mind na nababasa ng ulan, everybody was just so full of love. ‘Yun ‘yung nafeel ko na nag-ra-radiate sa entire UST. Bata, matanda, may kapansanan, wala, we were all mixed. Nababasa kami ng ulan but we didn’t care, there was just so much love and we felt so blessed that we were there at that very moment, that we were part of that experience.” That moment at UST, basking in the Pope’s presence, was one of the highlights not just of his career, but of his whole life. It left Jed a changed man.

“Even though he (Pope Francis) didn’t hear me sing, the Lord heard me sing, and that’s fine with me because His people were there. And somehow, I touched the hearts of people with the song I sang, which was not an ordinary song, it was a very personal song and somehow people related to it.”

After that experience, Jed has become more conscious of his purpose in life, not just as an entertainer, but as a person.

“Parang I’ve become more sensitive to other people’s feelings,” acknowledges Jed. “Now I really want to reach out more to people who need help, and I help them out without expecting anything in return. The Lord made me an instrument. He gave me this voice to inspire people. This experience made me want to share this gift with more people, and for them to inspire other people in return.”

A life offered

For some people, it was enough to line the streets waiting for Pope Francis to pass, or sit in front of their TV screens and watch the coverage of the Papal Visit.

But for Kristel Mae Padasas, it was never enough to just sit around. A person described by family and friends as someone with “a big heart”, she had quit her job at a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) company and signed up to be a volunteer with the Catholic Relief Services, an international Catholic humanitarian organization based in the United States because she wanted to help people. Kristel was assigned to Eastern Samar, so when it was announced that Pope Francis would be coming to the Philippines and paying a special visit to the people of Tacloban, Kristel, who was working on a recovery project for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda, volunteered to help in the preparations for the papal visit.

There was a typhoon threatening the region that day (Typhoon Amang) and as the day wore on, the weather got progressively worse. The Pope’s visit had to be cut short. As the plane took off from the Tacloban airport, Kristel sought shelter under a scaffolding that was holding up large speakers used during the mass.

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In a matter of seconds, tragedy struck. The scaffolding collapsed due to the strong winds. The speakers fell, and the 27-year-old aid worker, an only child to parents Paulino and Judy, an OFW who had been working in Hong Kong for almost a year, was killed instantly. The news came as a shock to everyone, even to people who did not know her personally, but most specially to Kristel’s family. And yet somehow, they found ways to assuage their grief by saying, when they were sought out by the media, that Kristel’s death was not in vain because she had given up her life doing the very thing she wanted, which was to be of service to others. Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal ‘Chito’ Tagle met with Kristel’s father, who said: ““I have accepted. I have resigned to the fact that my daughter is no longer with me. I rejoice she died serving the people.” Pope Francis, who flew back to Manila on the advice of the flight crew and his team, later met with Kristel’s family. Her father had a 20-minute private audience with Pope Francis at the Apostolic Nunciature in Manila. The Pope clearly felt for Kristel’s family, because he went out of his way to give them comfort. In its story of that meeting, the Philippine STAR recounted that the Pope “gave him (Kristel’s father Paulino) three rosaries and two medallions with the image of the Sto. Niño and blessed pictures of Padasas”.

And yet, at the same time, it was perhaps ironic that it was Pope Francis who seemed to find himself being blessed by the strength and spirit shown by Kristel’s family. A story published on rappler.com mentioned that the Pope was “stunned” after seeing how Kristel’s father had accepted his daughter’s fate.

According to Rappler’s Voltaire Tupaz, “At this point, the only words that came out of the Pope’s mouth were, “What faith, What faith!”

At the youth gathering held at UST the following day, the Pope recounted what happened. With an interpreter translating for him, Pope Francis—who spoke in his native Spanish—said: “The saddest news today, yesterday, as mass was about to start, a piece of the scaffolding fell, and upon falling, it hit a young woman who was working in the area, and she died. Her name is Kristel. She works for the organization and preparation for that very mass. She was 27 years old, young like yourselves,” he told the young people in the crowd. “She worked for those Catholic Relief Services…a volunteer worker.” He requested a minute of silence. “I would like all of you, young like her, to pray for a moment in silence with me and then we pray to our mama, our lady, in Heaven,” the pope said. “Let us pray for her parents.

She was an only daughter.” Kristel’s remains were brought to Manila and to their home in Taguig, where a steady stream of relatives and friends came to pay their respects. It was a painful reunion for those who loved her. The CRS issued a statement paying tribute to Kristel and her great sacrifice. “Her colleagues remember her as someone who loved to laugh and who was always ready to assist outside her normal duties. She found great joy in being able to contribute to the recovery effort by working directly with communities and families.”

Baby Brandon

As he moved around during the five days that he was in the country, there were many instances during which the Pope would break protocol, and reach out to babies and children in the crowd. His security detail would hold the children up to be blessed by the Pontiff, giving special attention to those who were sick or in pain.

One of those children was three-year-old Brandon Emmanuel Lao, who was born premature. He was also suffering 12

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Pope Francis reached out and blessed three-year-old Brandon Lao, who sadly passed away just six days after this encounter. In its account of what happened, rappler.com quoted Brandon’s parents as saying that after the Pope laid his hands on Brandon, there were a million things they wanted to say, “but in the end, only two words came out: “Thank you.”

from pulmonary arterial hypertension with a hole in his heart and severe lung damage. (Pulmonary arterial hypertension, according to healthline.com, “is a type of high blood pressure that occurs in the right side of the heart and in the arteries that supply blood to the lungs”).

During Pope Francis’ “Encounter With Families” at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena on January 17, Brandon and his parents John and Gladys were in the crowd.

Brandon’s parents wanted to see Pope Francis and obtain a blessing for their son, the youngest of three boys. According to a story published by rappler.com, Gladys wrote a letter to the Apostolic Nuncio, hoping that she would be able to secure tickets to the MOA event. They got what they wanted, but come the day of the event, found that they were seated far from the stage. At that point, they could only hope they would get a chance to come as close to Pope Francis as possible. It would take a divine miracle for that to happen—but unbelievably, it did.

When the Pope arrived and made his way into the MOA Arena, one of his security people spotted the Lao couple in the crowd and motioned for them to come down to where the Pope would be passing.

And then, the miracle. The Laos were among the first families seen by the Pope as he entered the arena. When the Pope was practically in front of them, he stopped and reached out his hands to bless and pray over Brandon. According to the rappler. com story, Brandon’s mother Gladys was so nervous when they drew level with the Pope. It was the moment they had been waiting for. “I felt cold. I’m not sure because I was emotional.

I was trying to fight it because I was afraid that I was going to drop him,” she said. “I really wanted to say thank you and he said, ‘Do not cry.’ And then he was holding my face and telling me to stop crying…but the more I cried.” What happened next was indeed a miracle. After the Pope blessed and prayed over him, Brandon, who spent most of his days sleeping and immobilized due to his condition, woke up and started crying.

Even Brandon’s father John, who was busy taking pictures, became emotional. He told Rappler: “I was shaking. It’s hard for me to cry, I don’t cry. That time, I don’t know why [but] I cried; I was crying.” The Lao couple got their wish, but unfortunately, the story did not end the way they would have hoped. Brandon did not recover and passed away at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City in the evening of January 23, six days after the encounter with the Pope.

The story on Baby Brandon was picked up by the local and international media. Netizens also weighed in with their comments, offering condolences and prayers to the family.

The most touching comments came from total strangers. One said: ““An angel is back to God’s kingdom in heaven where all of them will sing in joyous songs eternally... A graceful death for a young body who has been tired & weak...a death needed in order to embrace the gift of eternal life.”

BEYOND BLESSED

In 2003, she turned her back on showbiz and left to embrace a new life—and faith—in the US. Angela Velez—Mrs. Roy Ofek—comes back to tell StarStudio her story of how she adjusted to her new life and how happy she is now with her husband and children

By Hazel Salariosa-Alviz

Now happily settled in Los Angeles, USA, the still very svelte Angela has all but turned her back on her showbiz career. In LA, she has a job designing for a clothing line she and her husband own. Angela finds a different sense of fulfillment in being a designer. “It is fulfilling and challenging too,” she says.

“Every season is different and it’s exciting, it’s not routine, it’s not boring.

It’s constantly changing fashion.”

Photography by Edward dela Cuesta Styled by Jeff Galang Makeup by Eman De Leon Hairstyling by Pearl Villarosa of Premena Hair and Makeup Studio by Kusie Ho

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s far as looks go, nothing much had changed. She was still the same tall, shapely and dusky diva of the dancefloor. Jeanne Ofek—a.k.a. sultry actress-dancer Angela Velez—blew into town straight from Los Angeles, USA. For those who have been following her career, and been fans of the Sunday variety spectacle ASAP, they are familiar with Angela being the dusky dance goddess, with long, lustrous black hair, sensual costumes, a bright smile, and dangerous curves, and radiating an exotic appeal that had the weekly variety show stage on fire. She had also starred in several movies and television shows for a time—until, suddenly, things came to a halt.

A brief visit to the Philippines late last year had people seeing her, and thinking she was gearing up for a big comeback. But in interviews she granted to a select few during her visit (and this exclusive photo shoot with StarStudio), Angela revealed that she had no such plans. She is content with her life in the States, where she has been living since her exit from showbiz to become a wife and mother.

Today, Angela is happily living her role as wife to French-Moroccan-Japanese businessman Roy Ofek, and as mother of two boys, Isaiah, now nine, and David, seven. Roy is a US-based businessman who makes his living in the garments industry. He was on a trip to the Philippines in January 2003 when he first met Angela in Boracay Island, Aklan,

where she was spending the New Year. That chance meeting in Boracay sent her life moving in a different direction, away from the showbiz career that, in the beginning, she had worked so hard to have.

Spunky survivor

Angela (real name: Jeanne Ong) was born in the mid-70s and traces her family’s roots to Marbel, South Cotabato. She was the middle child, and had two brothers and two sisters.

According to her good friend, writer-director and producer Zaldy Gumaru—who himself heard these stories from other friends—Angela was born into a poor family. “Her father died when she was in high school, at pinaampon sila sa mga kamaganak, na inalila sila. They were so poor; they couldn’t pay rent, so nila-lock sila sa loob ng bahay, and she (Angela) would climb out. She also used to climb Meralco posts to reconnect ‘yung pinutol na linya, kaya siguro natuto mag-tumbling at pole dancing.”

During her college years—by which time she had moved to the big city—Angela joined the varsity volleyball team and became a working student at a fastfood joint which enabled her to finish her Engineering degree at National University in Sampaloc, Manila. But even after graduation, she continued to find ways to stay afloat.

“She used to join beauty contests at lahat ng raket na puwede pasukin, pinasok niya,” recalls Zaldy. “She had nothing to lose because to begin with, she had nothing. Pero ‘yung attitude niya sa buhay, ‘yon ang meron siya. Malakas ang loob, walang takot pero madiskarte at nag-iisip.”

Angela went through a lot in life, and she worked hard to succeed. Eventually, she was able to break into showbiz although she had to work hard to stand out from among the sexy stars of that era—but soon enough, her talent for dancing began to get noticed.

Her tall and dusky looks, shapely figure and dancing talent became her passport to fame.

Because of that—and her relaxed, friendly

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ways with people—Angela stood out from among so many showbiz wannabes, and was soon being tapped for featured roles in various films that capitalized on her looks and allure, including Favorite Subject: Sex Education, Juan & Ted: Wanted and Masikip…Mainit…Paraisong Parisukat.

On television, Angela earned a spot on ASAP as part of “Clash Dance”, a segment pitting sexy stars against each other in a showgirl-style dance showdown characterized by breathtaking moves, daring lifts and glittery costumes. The stars were given special names that added to their mystique: ‘Ravishing’ Regine Tolentino, ‘Alluring’ April Tolentino, ‘Mesmerizing’ Michelle Bayle, ‘Lovely’ Lana Asanin, ‘Angelica X’ (Angelica Jones), and ‘Dynamite’ Jenny Miller. Angela went by the monicker ‘‘Avenging’ Angela Velez. Her talent on the dance floor earned her the title of “Clash Dance Diva”. Eventually, she was given a lot of the prime numbers and most daring stunts to perform. Her fame began to rise, and she became busier and busier. She was on the fast track to fame when she and Roy met in Boracay in 2003. Roy recalls that moment he caught sight of her. “The first thing that got my attention was this girl in her bikini, prancing around. I said, that’s who I’m gonna marry.” He began to seriously pursue her. “I wasn’t interested in having a long-distance relationship but Roy still decided to pursue me before going back to the US. We talked over the phone for a few weeks, but he kinda gave up because it was hard to maintain the relationship—I was based in Manila, while he was in China.”

Dance ‘sabotage’

So they went their separate ways for a while, but then a rather controversial incident that year brought the two of them back together again.

About a month after they met, in February 2003, Angela and the other girls were doing the Clash Dance segment on ASAP when something unexpected happened.

During a dance number, Regine slipped, fell and tumbled onstage several times. In an interview in The Buzz later that afternoon, an outraged Regine accused Angela of intentionally spilling kerosene on the stage after Angela performed her number, making the stage extremely slippery and almost impossible to dance on.

Angela tearfully aired her side of the story, also in The Buzz, via a phone patch. According to reports, she had kerosene in her mouth and was supposed to “light up” for a ‘fiery’ entrance.

Unfortunately, the lighter Angela was carrying failed to work, so she was forced to get rid of the kerosene in her mouth. She didn’t swallow it, but instead spat it out on the floor and all over herself while her back was turned, so the audience wouldn’t notice. She said it was just an accident, and she had no intentions of harming Regine at all. Regine, however, went on to say that she would never again dance with Angela.

They eventually made up (they would appear together in a Clash Dance revival during an ASAP guesting in 2013), but at the time, the incident left 14

Angela traumatized. What she didn’t know was that Roy was quietly observing, and was also aware of what happened. “He saw me crying on TV, and that’s when he started pursuing me again,” she says.

After that incident, Angela and Roy reconnected, and the subject of following him to the US and making a new life with him there came up again.

Eventually it reached a point where Angela had to make an important decision: stay in the Philippines and carry on with her showbiz career, or leave showbiz and follow Roy to the US. “It was quite difficult to leave because siyempre, you didn’t know if there was really something more after this. Curious pa rin ako at that time, and also, I had offers to do movies and to do five years more with ABS. But if we didn’t give it a try, it’s not gonna happen... so I decided to leave with him.”

Roy says: “We didn’t have the luxury of dating a long time. I’m a big believer in fate and things that are meant to be. Funnily enough, six years prior to us meeting, a very dear friend of ours wanted to set us up. We didn’t know each other. At that time, she was very serious in show business and I was still maybe playing around. And if we had met, I don’t think we would have ended up together. But we met at the right time, as I was leaving for the States. And so I said ‘You know, if we try to have a long-distance relationship, maybe, maybe not. Who knows if it will work? But let’s give this a chance.”

So after Angela’s last appearance—which was at an Araneta Coliseum show celebrating the 50th anniversary of Philippine television and ABS-CBN in November 2003—she packed her bags and left for LA.

Making adjustments

Giving up her life in the Philippines and following Roy to Los Angeles was a big gamble for Angela to take, especially as she had no idea what was waiting for her there. Not only was she leaving a lucrative and fulfilling career, she was entering a life vastly different from the one she was used to.

In the Philippines, while she might not have been a big star, she was something of a celebrity, someone a lot of people knew. But in the big, busy

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city of Los Angeles, California, she was just another immigrant trying to start over in the US, along with so many other US-based Pinoys.

She had to learn how to be independent.

“When I was with (ABS-CBN) Talent Center, they took care of us. They were the ones that got the boarding passes when we had to travel (for work), they did everything for us. So when I lost all that, I was like…. I don’t know what to do! I had to learn to do everything by and for myself.”

One of the things she had to struggle with in the beginning was the language. Angela, who had finished college, knew some English, but she wasn’t that comfortable speaking it and interacting with Americans in everyday situations, like going to the grocery or the bank.

Angela recalls how Roy would push her. “For the first few months, he would take me to the market, to the bank, to wherever. He would go with me until one time, he said ‘You know what, enough.

You have to go by yourself, you have to learn, you gotta adapt.’ He told me, ‘You’re not gonna learn if I don’t let you do it on your own.’ So that’s how it started.”

It was like everything stopped. “I was used to being so active at work and then all of a sudden, I had no one to talk to, nothing to do. Everybody spoke English pa and I don’t speak that much English,” she adds. “We don’t normally speak in English here (in the Philippines) naman. The slang and idioms in LA are so different and I didn’t understand how they talked sometimes. So I went to school to study that and to gain more confidence.”

But Angela, as her early life had proved, was a survivor. In LA, she did exactly what she had done before: she looked for opportunities, and worked hard to succeed. “She took courses at UCLA, including prosthetics, and used to raket in Hollywood doing prosthetic makeup,” recalls Zaldy.

But the biggest challenge she faced was having to convert to Judaism. Roy recalls: “I asked if she would, not just to sign a piece of paper and say that she’s Jewish, but to do the real deal. She had to study. You know, telling somebody to have a different faith is not gonna do any good. It’s

With businessman husband Roy Ofek and sons David, 7 and Isaiah, 9. The boys and their father flew to Manila with Angela late last year for a surprise visit. Asked if she would consider having a third child—a girl this time—Angela was non-committal.

She designs for girls, “but I don’t have a girl yet. I don’t think I’ll ever have a girl, but let’s see.”

something that has to be believed. I think there’s actually a lot of parallels between being Jewish and being Filipino. It’s very, very family-oriented.

It’s extremely so. And if you look at the Filipino culture, it’s really about the family.”

The conversion process took three years.

During that time, Angela had to give up a lot of the habits she was used to, including her diet.

Judaism is a religion with strict dietary laws.

They observe a system of dietary laws called kashrut and their food must be kosher (kashur in Hebrew) meaning ‘fit’, or, according to the online site faithandfood.com, “proper for use according to Jewish law.”

Angela had to go through the same process that every other would-be Jew did. “I studied Judaism, so I could convert. It took me three years to finish.

Because I am Filipino—I eat pork, I eat shrimps, I eat crabs! It was hard for me to quit everything.”

She knew she had fully committed to the idea of embracing a new faith after a visit to her sister one day. “She asked me, ‘You want some liempo?’

And I said ‘No’. Finally! So I said, you know what?

I am ready. It’s time. I’m gonna take this seriously and finish this conversion.”

In 2005, Roy and Angela were finally able to have a Jewish wedding. “We actually got married twice. We got married in Las Vegas because I was already pregnant with Isaiah, and Roy didn’t want me to give birth without marrying first,” recalls Angela.

Now, she has fully embraced the lifestyle. “I am a practicing Jew,” she declares. “Our boys have Jewish names. We do Shabbat (a Hebrew word for ‘rest’ or cessation’ and is the Jewish day of rest) every Friday, go to temple every Saturday, and we observe all the holidays. We fast on Yom Kippur (or ‘Day of Atonement’, the holiest day of the year for Jews), we don’t eat leavened bread on prescribed days. We will have Bar Mitzvah (a ceremony, usually performed when a boy turns 13, to signify that he is no longer a boy but a man)—Isaiah is turning 10 so he has three more years—then that’s it, he will become a man.”

Despite all the adjustments she had to make, Angela overcame and succeeded. The relationship that no one thought would work proved stronger than they thought, and the couple recently celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary last February 12.

“It’s been a fantastic journey,” says Roy. “We really get along well together, we’re never apart.”

“We’re together 24/7,” confirms Angela. “We work together, we drive to work together. We come home together. We eat breakfast, lunch, dinner together. Our friends are like: what’s the point of bringing two cell phones? You’re always together! It’s come to a point that we kinda think alike now, and we finish each other’s sentences.”

Roy pinpoints what he loves about his wife.

“One of my favorite things about her is that she understands me. She has a way of making me always look at the brighter side of life. It’s fantastic.

I have my moments and she always has a way of calming me down and making me look at the bigger picture.”

Angela, on the other hand says that what she appreciates most about Roy is that “he has a really kind heart, he does. And you can’t find that easily. I think that’s the one characteristic that I really like.”

New horizons

Not only is her marriage doing well, Angela has also found herself a new career and is establishing her own niche, as a designer of a clothing line for girls.

“Our brand is called Miss Behave Girls (their ‘Tween’ line is for 12-14 year old girls) while our young contemporary line is called Modiste (14-28 years old). I do all the designs. A collection would have 80 pieces (four to five times a year). It’s a full-time job, I really can’t do anything else but I love it!”

Roy’s family has always been in garments manufacturing. His father started the business in the 70s in Taipei but he took over its operation in the 90s.

Now he and Angela run it together. “It’s what brought me to the Philippines,” recounts Roy. “We were an agent, we used to manufacture goods for other people. But I think I always knew that I always wanted to have a brand. We tried previously with another designer sales team. But sometimes, things aren’t meant to be and it never quite worked out. We were always missing that one component.

We also had a trading company until about two or three years ago. That’s when we decided to start our own brand and that’s where Jeanne came in.”

Angela does the designing, the pattern and even the cutting of every single dress, in every collection, for every season, before passing it on to a sewer. A collection has about 80 pieces, and there is one collection for each of the seasons.

As soon as a collection is completed, Roy takes it to New York and to their sales representative for trade shows. Once the orders are in, he then brings it to China for production.

It was actually Roy’s father who suggested that Angela get involved as a designer.

“My dad said, try Jeannie, she has a really, really good eye. Give it a shot. I was very hesitant because we had a great marriage and I thought, ‘What are we gonna do if we mixed that (business and their marriage)? We’re never gonna be apart!

But push came to shove and we decided to give it a shot.”

Angela has turned out to be an amazing

designer, says her husband. “It’s been two years and it’s been fantastic. We haven’t looked back since.”

She describes it as a “fulfilling and challenging job.

I don’t like routines, so I’d rather do this,” adds Angela.

“Each season is different, we have spring, summer, fall and then resorts & cruise, which is exciting. I find it exhilarating. I love the challenge. That’s the reason why I don’t mind all the hard work.”

With such a full load in her hands, Angela dispels any notion of a comeback in showbiz, at least not anytime soon. “I am Roy’s only designer, I can’t do anything else!” she laughs.

Their future plans include “Total global domination!” says Roy in jest. “No, but seriously as far as our family life is going, it’s just to keep growing, maybe finding the time to add another baby. We’d love to have a girl, love another boy. As far as our clothing line is concerned, we’d like to see growth, maybe even internationally. I hope sometime, we’ll be in the Philippines. I really meant it when I said I would love to have a presence here.”

Meanwhile, the couple intends to keep on opening more and more stores in the US. Their Young Contemporary brand Modiste is in higher-end stores like Bloomingdale and Nordstrom, while their more affordable line, Miss Behave Girls, is available in Target and online via retail website Amazon.com.

Their clothes have even been featured in US TV shows like It Girl and Dance Moms.

Life for Angela has made a complete turn-around.

Away from the glitter and glam in front of the camera, it is relatively quiet and unassuming, but it is one that she chose and now enjoys.

“One thinks that since it is fashion, it’s glamorous.

It’s not. You get dirty literally when you go to the fabric markets and in the factories. Some Filipinos, especially, still do recognize me in the US (as) a former artista. I am not in the limelight anymore but I’m happy, I have no regrets. There’s nothing I would have done differently.”

Angela and Roy have built for themselves a strong marriage and a happy family—and willingly share their secret.

“We try our best to always put family first,” says Roy. “Like our weekends will only be with the boys. We don’t work on weekends. That’s the best thing about being Jewish. That goes to show you how amazing God is! You know, if it wasn’t for Shabbat, we would have burned down already. You just have to have that one day when you just turn it off, with just family.

Enjoy yourself and relax. Don’t think about work. You need it, absolutely!”

Angela has the last word. Having settled comfortably into her new life, she offers some helpful advice.

“Stop thinking that the grass is greener on the other side,” quips Angela. “Just enjoy the moment, enjoy what you have, and be grateful. Stop constantly looking for something else. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. If you already have a good thing, why would you want to jeopardize that?”

Seeing how happy and blessed she is now, with her family, that’s one piece of advice the rest of us ought to take seriously.

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When they get married, Paul will not stand in the way of Toni’s career. He is the type who likes to let her have the spotlight and instead quietly supports her— and despite the differences in their personalities, they get along extremely well.

TRUE LOVE WAITS It took Paul Soriano and Toni Gonzaga nearly eight years to get to this stage in their relationship. Now engaged to be married, their love story proves that true love waits — and yes, it waits patiently

By Jerry Benedict C. Rosete

Special thanks to Alex Gonzaga, Nancy Yabut, Romer Gonzales, Mico del Rosario, Jenny Ingalla, The Buzz, Umagang Kay Ganda and ABS-CBN News

W

ithout a doubt, Toni Gonzaga is one of the biggest names in the Philippine entertainment industry. The multi-hyphenate artist won’t be referred to as the Ultimate Multimedia Star if not for her dynamic and versatile artistry in a wide range of media platforms. Her fans follow her every move, whether in television, film, concert stage, endorsements and even in social media.

So when Toni skipped The Buzz—where she is a regular co-host together with the King of Talk Boy Abunda and Queen of All Media Kris Aquino—one Sunday afternoon (January 25, 2015), not a few people expressed concern for the multimedia personality. On that Sunday’s episode of the celebrity talk show, she was set to celebrate her birthday (she turned 31 a few days earlier, on January 20) with The Buzz staff and her fans, but her sudden absence created quite a stir.

Further making the situation intriguing was the way Toni’s explanation was couched, and this naturally invited curiosity—and even a spate of speculations. “I know it’s my birthday celebration sa [The] Buzz. I’m sorry but I cannot attend The Buzz this Sunday. I love my [The] Buzz family so you will be the first people to know why. I’m just going through something personal,” was Toni’s short but loaded statement.

Immediately, viewers got mixed signals. The phrase ‘going through something personal’ conjured negative images in the minds of Toni’s loyal fans.

Kris tried to keep their spirits up, but to no avail. At that point, they became anxious for Toni.

It also didn’t help that later that evening during the live broadcast of The Voice Season 2—where Toni is also a regular co-host—she appeared in her element.

Also, when viewers realized how Toni blew the audience away with her ASAP 19 number a few hours earlier that Sunday afternoon, the apparent inconsistency certainly added more fuel to the fire.

Could there have been a brewing rift between The Buzz staff and Toni? Was there a medical emergency right before The Buzz, that necessitated her absence?

Could she have split with long-time boyfriend, film director and producer Paul Soriano, and that she allowed herself to drown in depression and self-pity?

The questions were endless, and soon after people started

connecting the dots. But since no one outside her family was privy to the real goings-on—the speculations went from malicious to absurd.

As her fans waited with bated breath for what really transpired, unbeknownst to many, Toni was, in fact, in high spirits on the day of her birthday and the days that followed.

All the while, amidst the stir that her absence created, she was privately savoring every minute of a very ecstatic moment.

It was not a domestic squabble, neither was it a major love spat, nor an unexpected pregnancy. It was not even work-related grounds that caused Toni to be sidelined that day on The Buzz. But yes, it was something personal —sweet, romantic and personal to be precise, and one she would not trade for the world.

In The Buzz a week later, where she took the opportunity to set things straight, Toni was a picture of serenity. Here, she finally announced what would become the week’s most surprising news—a most pleasant, most awaited one.

Celestine Gonzaga was, finally, engaged to be married.

When the surprise news of her engagement with her long-time beau was finally brought out into the open, she was at such a loss for words when she showed everyone the 1.5 carat diamond ring that made her 31st birthday celebration all the more meaningful and special.

And right there beside her was the dashing man of her dreams. “She’s been such a great part of my life, the best blessing, you know, I’ve ever received and, you know, I wanna spend the rest of my life with her. And she said yes, by the way. And you know, we’re engaged,” beamed Paul.

Yes, Toni was all aglow. Finally, Miss Celestine Gonzaga was going to be Mrs. Paul Soriano.

Crossing paths

Toni Gonzaga is an enigma. In many ways, she redefined the traditional standards of a showbiz A-lister. She has that exquisite beauty and relaxed charm—one that subtly draws you in. She is God-fearing and is very vocal about it— something that is an exception rather than the rule in the entertainment industry.

And not to forget, Toni was raised in a fairly conservative environment by her parents—Carlito (or Daddy Bonoy) and Crisanta (more known as Mommy Pinty)—that she grew up living a sheltered life.

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There is also something that is similarly close about Paul to observe Paul up close and personal. And when Paul started Soriano. Even with a showbiz pedigree on his shoulders pursuing her romantically, Toni became ‘kilig’ over the fact (Paul is the grandchild of the late acting legend of the 50s that there was this person who was not only good-looking and and 60s Nestor de Villa, and the son of advertising director intelligent, but also sincere and genuine who was showering Jeric Soriano), there is not a trace of arrogance in him, not a her with concern and attention. mean bone in his body. He has the looks suitable for a career

By June 2007, or nine months after the project in front of the cameras, but he prefers working behind the had wrapped up, things looked pretty well. Paul’s scenes as a director. persistent ‘panliligaw’seemed to have won Toni over. It was He studied in the United States, but has remained because Toni, after so much introspection and who was until genuinely Filipino at heart and spirit. And yes, he’s a Christian that time a certified member of the so-called no-boyfriend(which he professes with much passion)—something a typical since-birth club, finally said ‘yes’.

Pinoy male won't show.

“He’s an answered prayer,” revealed Toni.

Truth be told, some divine hand had actually changed the Paul was equally emphatic. “She’s definitely one of the best, course of their individual journeys. This was in 2006. if not the best blessing I’ve ever received,” said the ardent It was at Gary Valenciano’s concert at the Music Museum suitor. in October of that year where And the years leading up they first met. Toni—who to the proposal were the best just knew Paul as a concert moments they could have ever director—was there to catch imagined. the show, and incidentally, Paul—who barely knew Toni Daddy’s girl (except as a quirky host in the One of the many things perhaps comedy news show Wazzup that made the Toni and Paul Wazzup)—was the show’s love story click among Pinoys— director. That chance meeting aside from the legions of Toni was the start of something Gonzaga fans—was the fact that deeper for the two. they complement each other Smitten by Toni’s quiet in many ways. Yes, they share confidence, Paul admits that a lot of interests but it cannot he developed an immediate also be denied that, to a certain liking for her. Who wouldn’t extent, it is their contrasting be—Toni was a lady who was personalities that helped put smart, had a positive aura, and the relationship on an even a laid-back persona. keel.

Of course, no man in Paul’s the quiet, reserved his right frame of mind type; Toni’s the kikay type. He’s would want—and certainly a morning person, she’s not. not Paul—to pass up the He’s mostly Inglisero; Toni is chance of getting to know more at ease with Tagalog. In The couple in a shot from the February 2011 cover shoot they did with StarStudio. In someone like her better. fact, at one point, Paul being that issue, they admitted that they were officially ‘on’. Because the romance was still new, Paul—who’s used to being behind the camera—was a bit shy, and Toni had to In a StarStudio exclusive an Inglisero and ‘Americanized’ encourage him to be more expressive about showing affection. Now thanks to her, Paul interview in February 2012, became a contentious point is no longer as shy. Their seven-year relationship has won the admiration of younger Paul said, “She has a certain for Toni’s parents. It was a valid friends and showbiz colleagues. Hannah Espia, who directed the Cinemalaya entry Transit (which was produced by Paul’s film company) says: “Their relationship is to be appeal that makes you want concern given the fact that the admired; younger couples could definitely learn from them.” to know her more. I definitely Gonzaga couple only had two wanted to get to know her but daughters—and Toni’s the ‘Ate’ without being too obvious, without being aggressive.” (elder sibling).

As it turned out, working together was the best way to start.

Understandably, some ground rules had to be laid down.

The chance to build a professional relationship presented There was the 12 o’clock midnight rule. “Sinabi namin sa itself when the music video project for Toni’s single (Catch kaniya ‘yung dos and don’ts, kung ano ayaw namin, kung Me I’m Fallin’) was mounted by Star Records.It was a ano ‘yung gusto namin. Sabi niya, mahal niya si Toni so magperfect opportunity for the two to stride across the bridge of a-adjust siya. Adjust siya talaga. Sabi ko, hindi ka puwedeng friendship—and the road to romance. mag-stay hanggang 12, may curfew dito sa house. ‘Pag 11 Paul gave it his best shot. “When I was o’clock talaga, nag-re-ready na siyang umalis,” recalled courting Toni, parang I was courting the whole Mommy Pinty. family, parang package silang lahat. I go to their house, Paul was also not allowed to go up the second floor of the listening to the rules of the parents, kasi medyo strikto sila,” Gonzaga house, let alone stay inside Toni’s bedroom. confided Paul in a The Buzz exclusive interview.

The greatest challenge, perhaps, was the seeming aloofness On the part of Toni, the working relationship allowed her of Toni’s dad towards Paul.

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But of course, Paul knew that he had to deal with it— and deal with it nicely.

“I continue to respect them even if sometimes it’s hard to agree with them pero I don’t argue, I just listen,” said Paul.

But as they say, there are no challenges too tough for a man who’s so in love. For the past seven and a half years, Paul was able to prove to Daddy Bonoy and Mommy Pinty that he’s the right person for Toni. The ‘Am-boy’, after all, was man enough to prove that he’s worth their trust.

Slowly, Daddy Bonoy began warming up to Paul. After all, if things will end up the way they ought to be, he stood to gain something that’s quite as precious as having two daughters —a son.

Seizing the moment

It has been nearly eight years since the time Paul practically passed through the proverbial eye of the needle for him to win Toni’s heart. They also came to realize many things about life in general, one of which was that their relationship turned things for the better.

“I’ve become a different person. Parang I’ve become a woman na kasi before, bata pa. With Paul coming into the picture, my vision about things, my perception, it’s different now. It’s full of wisdom, full of discernment, full of maturity,” said Toni.

It was also crucial that the couple had built a solid relationship with God. Paul thinks that this has made the foundation of their relationship stronger. “I think that’s one of the qualities I saw in her that made me tell myself that this girl is for keeps. [In] my heart, because of that, I knew that, [when] I saw her even then, [I think of her] as someone I could spend my whole life with. So I thought, okay, it is worth it,” pointed out Paul.

As their relationship grew and the years added on, that day where Paul could pop the question anytime became more and more of a distinct possibility. In fact, as early as 2009 and each year that followed, Paul had really wanted to push through with the marriage proposal but he had to hold himself back every time, because he felt that Toni was not yet ready to take the plunge.

And Toni had good reasons for it.

“Kasi noong time na ‘yun, parang sabi ko, hindi ko pa kayang iwan ang Mommy at Daddy, tapos si Alex din, tapos may career pa [to think about]. Parang sabi ko, hintayin mo lang ako, may mga pangarap pa akong makatrabaho,kapag nakatrabaho ko na sila. Sabi niya, sino ba pangarap mo [pang] makatrabaho? Sabi ko, noong mga time na ‘yun, mga three years ago, kung nadirek na ako ni Inang [box-office director and Star Cinema creative head Olivia Lamasan],” revealed the actress.

Perhaps taking the cue from there, Paul pondered long and hard whether this year was the right moment for the long-delayed proposal. Paul also thought that, anyway, Toni already had the opportunity to work with Direk Olivia Lamasan in the 2014 box-office mega-hit, Starting Over Again. It just meant that, this time, there was no turning back—the love die had already been cast.

And so it happened unexpectedly. “It was right after her birthday. It was like 12:30AM on January 21, you know. We had just come from a birthday dinner and, you know, I had the ring in my pocket the whole [time during the] dinner, and I wanted to wait for the right moment,” said Paul who admitted that he chose to do it in private because it was the way Toni would have wanted it.

After sending off Toni to her bedroom, Paul mustered the courage to ask permission from Toni’s parents—out of courtesy, respect and delicadeza.

“I talked to Tito Bonoy and Tita Pinty just right outside the door and I showed them the ring. I said, ‘Do you mind po, if I propose to Toni?’ And the mom was like, ‘Oh, it’s about time’. So, that was nice, you know, and the Dad looked at me and said, ‘Why are you asking me? Ask her [Toni]’. So that meant, there was that blessing,” recounted Paul.

At this point, Daddy Bonoy knew that things had become inevitable. “Iniisip ko kasi ‘nung mag-aasawa na ako, at ako’y namanhikan, nakita ko ‘yung aking father-in-law, parang nalulungkot siya, dahil pakakasalan ko ‘yung kanyang anak dahil akala niya iaalis ko sa pamilya.

Nalungkot ako dahil nakita ko ‘yung biyenan ko na nalulungkot at alam ko darating ang araw, mangyayari [rin] ‘yun sa akin. Ayoko namang ipagkait sa inyo ‘yung buhay niyo sa kinabukasan—na kayo ay magkakaroon ng sariling pamilya.”

I think of her as someone I could spend my whole life with. So I thought, okay, it is worth it."

- Paul on Toni

"Parang sabi ko, hintayin mo lang ako, may mga pangarap pa akong makatrabaho, kapag nakatrabaho ko na sila. Sabi ko, noong mga time na 'yun, mga three years ago, kung na-direk na ako ni Inang [box-office director and Star Cinema creative head Olivia Lamasan]."

- Toni on Paul

Direk Paul brings such a positive vibe to their relationship that has boosted Toni’s selfconfidence. In a recent interview with StarStudio, Toni said that the last time she felt beautiful was when “Paul told me I was!”

I don't want this marriage to take away the dreams that she worked hard for the rest of her life.

I guess, just this time, I'll be right beside her all the time making sure that she gets home okay."- Paul At that exact moment, the sisters Toni and Catherine (or Alex) were also in a serious discussion of their own.

“Nandu’n kami sa kuwarto. Nakadapa kami sa kama, naguusap pa kami, nagpho-phone-phone kami. Gumaganyan pa si Catherine, sabi niya, ‘Hindi nag-propose, ‘no? Buti nga!’ Sabi pa niyang ganyan, ‘Dapat lang hindi siya magpropose. Masyado siyang predictable ‘pag birthday mo siya nag-propose.’ Sabi ko naman, Oo, hindi talaga yun, alam naman niya na ayaw ko ng malaking proposal. Alam niya na

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ayaw ko ng grand, ayoko ng mga whatever na celebration. Gusto ko simpleng-simple lang,” explained Toni.

It was so simple really that Toni was already in her pajamas when Paul, Daddy Bonoy and Mommy Pinty came up to her room. Toni was puzzled for a moment but she came to her senses immediately, and right there and then, she knew that something was about to happen.

Then Paul went down on his knees, and prefaced his proposal with a heartfelt message.

“I just told her family basically [that] I know there are only four of them—Toni, Catherine, and the parents—and I said, I’m not here to take her away from you guys. I’m actually here to join you guys, if that’s possible,” declared Paul.

And Toni said ‘yes’ even before Paul could finish the all-important question.

“Nag-flashback lahat sa’kin from day one, and I remember there are times when he would ask me, for the past seven years, ‘Tin, I was never a priority in your life. It has always been God, your family, your work, and me.

I’ve accepted that.’ Kaya ako, I always pray to God, sabi ko, kung darating ‘yung time na mapagod na si Paul kasi hindi niya na kayang maghintay, sabi ko kayo na ang bahala.

Pero he really stayed [on],”said Toni.

Good news

After the proposal which happened past midnight, Paul and Toni began sharing the news to very, very close friends in the following days, and before their big announcement in The Buzz the following Sunday (February 1, 2015), the newly-engaged couple paid a visit to ABS-CBN’s big bosses who, in a way, have become like second parents to Toni.

Paul, being the husband-to-be, took the lead. “I actually told [ABS-CBN Chairman] Sir Gabby [Lopez], [ABS-CBN President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Content Officer] Ma’am Charo [Santos-Concio], and [Star Cinema Managing Director] Miss Malou [Santos], yes, we’re getting married this year and it’s a blessing. I don’t want this marriage to take away the dreams that she worked hard for the rest of her life.

For the last 15 or 16 years, she’s been dreaming of being a movie star, a talk show host and, you know, she can continue to do that. I guess, just this time, I’ll be right beside her all the time making sure that she gets home okay,” Paul explained.

Toni also took the visit as an opportunity to reiterate her commitment to the network and its projects. Being one of the network’s exclusive artists, she thought she owed it to them that they’d be one of the first to know of her forthcoming marriage with Paul. “I’m still a Kapamilya, I will forever be a Kapamilya. And thank you very much dahil welcome pa rin ako sa tahanan [na ito] na minahal ko, [dito] ang kalahati ng buhay ko. Sabi ko, gagawa ako ng last romantic comedy ko…

the makings of an advanced ‘pamamanhikan’.

In return, Toni’s ‘parents’ in the network were generous with their pieces of advice and of course, their stamp of approval.

Toni’s musings

While the engagement was roundly met by happiness within showbiz circles, it was in fact a life-defining decision on the part of the Ultimate Multimedia Star. Although she had no misgivings whatsoever about her decision to get married, her status as a sought-after artist was on the line. Marriage may, after all, affect her career given the fickle-mindedness of viewers.

Nonetheless, Toni had such great belief in her fans that any anxious feelings she may have harbored were totally overshadowed by their love and support, which has been tremendous through the years.

“One of the biggest blessings talaga na ipagpapasalamat ko, yung mga nagmamahal sa akin, yung mga sumusuporta. Maramingmaraming salamat kasi [kahit na] maraming masasamang isinusulat about me, maraming masasamang perception ang ibang tao about me, hindi nila hinahayaan na ‘yung ibang tao na magdikta ng magiging pagmamahal nila para sa akin. [Sila] talaga ang isa sa biggest blessings ko kung bakit ako nagpapatuloy sa industry and why I continue to strive to be a better person, a better artist,” was Toni’s message to her fans.

Speaking of love, however, Toni was all praises for the ‘tough’ but caring concern of her parents.

It was the one thing that helped her pull through life’s challenges and even her success at dealing with her relationship with Paul.

“Talagang ‘yung values na in-instill [ng Daddy] sa akin, na pinaglabanan ko nu’ng bata ako talaga, na hindi ko maintindihan kung [bakit] ‘yun ang itinuturo [niya] sa akin, kung bakit ganun [siya]. Ngayon, nagpapasalamat ako dahil naalagaan [niya] ako sa ganung paraan.

Kasi, the way Paul respects me and treats me, dahil ‘yun sa kaniya,” shared Toni.

And if there’s one similarity Toni shares with her mom, it’s being able to find true love at the first instance. “Maraming maraming salamat for helping me become the woman I am today at ‘saka yung mga values na tinuro mo sa ‘kin, thank you very much dahil ‘yung dream ng Mommy Pinty, first [and last] boyfriend niya [kasi] si Daddy Bonoy, sabi niya sa ‘kin ‘nung bata ako, sana mangyari sa ‘yo ‘yung nangyari sa ‘kin. [Ayun nga], first and last boyfriend [ko] si Paul, so ayun, natupad yung dream [niya],” explained Toni.

These are photos of the actual proposal (courtesy of The Buzz) that took place at Toni’s family home in Taytay, Rizal on the night of January 21. They were shown when Toni returned to the show for a live interview during which they announced the engagement to the public. The proposal took place shortly after midnight, with Toni already dressed for bed and in her pajamas. But the following day, when they appeared on the show, the bride-to-be was glammed up and smiling broadly as her groom-to-be said: “Yes, we’re engaged.”

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21

BIG, BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL. Paul and Toni’s big announcement in The Buzz's February 1 episode was preceded by bold ‘forecasts’ and speculations from showbiz pundits and column writers. In the end—and quite logically—almost everyone guessed that the announcement had something to do with their engagement, which later turned out to be a piece of welcome and beautiful news. During the interview, Toni explained why she was absent on the day she was supposed to celebrate her birthday on the show. She told co-hosts Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino, “I said it was very personal because there are some things na you can’t share with everybody publicly. Hindi ko kasi kayang magsinungaling sa inyo because I consider you and Tito Boy my family. And I feel like kung a-attend ako nu’ng Sunday, baka magsinungaling ako.” Obviously, her other shows that Sunday , ASAP 19 and The Voice of the Philippines Season 2, only required her to perform and present the show; she didn’t have to answer any probing questions thrown at her.

Tears of joy

The proposal not only brought joy to the engaged couple, but also to the parents of Toni, who by now have welcomed Paul as their own son. When everyone had already settled down after the proposal, Mommy Pinty turned to Toni and said, “We have saved all of your money. You can just ask us kung kailan mo gusto kunin lahat. Sabi niya, ibibigay ko na ‘yun sa ‘yo kasi yun naman ‘yung pinagtrabahuhan mo.”

Paul was quick to respond. “It’s obvious that she earns ten times more than me, but that’s never been an issue, and it will not be an issue in our marriage because, you know, I would like to be the one to provide for her. And the fact that I asked her [hand in marriage] means that I can provide for her for the rest of her life. And, you know, with God as the center of this, and if He is for us, then there’s really nothing that would go against us,” Paul emphasized.

Hearing those words were like sweet music to Toni’s ears. She felt a sense of security—something that Paul has consistently shown ever since their courtship days.

But what struck Toni the most was Paul’s strong sense of identity. “Hindi ko naman kailangan ng pera mo, Tin.

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You can give all of your money to your parents, if you want.

That’s your gift to them and then we can start [on] our own, and we can save up for our own,” Toni remembers Paul saying matter-of-factly.

Towards the end, Toni turned emotional. “He proved to me that true love waits. Kaya sabi ko, if I become his wife, hindi na siya number three priority. I will make sure na he will be my only priority, and everything else is secondary na lang. I’d like to thank him for enduring everything. Thank you very much for understanding, and for honoring my parents,” said Toni.

Paul responded with these comforting words: “You talk about me being patient but it’s all worth it. We have the rest of our lives to do everything we couldn’t do. We have the rest of our lives to look forward to. And there’s so much impressing I wanna do.”

They have promises to keep, and for now, Paul and Toni are just grateful that they have heeded God’s call for love, especially that Bible verse from First Corinthians 13: love is patient, love is kind; love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

2006

TALE OF A ROMANCE

OCTOBER

2007 JULY

Paul admits that he and Toni are officially together as a couple in Boy & Kris. He said, “I wanted it to come from me. I guess being the man in the relationship, I wanted it to be the one to tell everyone na we are in love and that we’re together.”

Paul and Toni meet at Gary Valenciano’s concert. Paul was the show’s director while Toni was at the event to support Gary V. Their lives intersected that night when they were introduced to each other. Not long after, Paul was able to direct Toni in the music video of "Catch Me I’m Fallin."­­­­­­­­­­­

2008 JULY

Paul and Toni mark their first anniversary as boyfriend and girlfriend

2011 AUGUST

In their live guesting for The Buzz, Paul asks Toni: “When are we getting married? When will you be ready?”

2009 SEPTEMBER

After more or less two years together, Toni and Paul work together in the indie film My Journey Home. Toni declares Paul’s a perfectionist when it comes to his directorial craft.

2015 JANUARY

Paul and Toni announce that they’re already engaged during a guesting on The Buzz.

'My Ate

Is Engaged!'

Toni, though she has only been in one romantic relationship, has been a great help to Alex when it comes to matters of the heart. In the acknowledgment section of her book Dear Alex, Break Na Kami. Paano?! Love, Catherine, Alex wrote a message to Toni which read, "Ate, I'm so happy with the relationship we have as sisters especially now. Magagalit ang mami pero ikaw ang pinakamalaking influence sa'kin. Every decision I make in my life, I will always share with you...

Aside from the Foreword, you contributed a lot in this book dahil ang dami ko natutunan sa'yo sa buhay lalo na sa love life." And now that she's about to walk down the aisle, Toni advises Alex keep her hope alive and wait patiently for her own Direk Paul (aka The One) to come.

T

oni and Alex Gonzaga are arguably the closest siblings in local showbiz. Since they’re the only kids of Daddy Bonoy and Mommy Pinty, to say they grew up close would be an understatement. And with only a four-year age gap between them (Toni is 31, while Alex is 27), they can fully relate to each other’s interests and hobbies.

There’s not a hint of sibling rivalry anywhere.

“Wala, wala talaga! Kahit ano’ng pilit, wala talaga,” Alex says in jest, adding that, “Kasi we shared the same room for, siguro, sixteen years. We shared the same bathroom. Sometimes du’n pa din ako natutulog sa kwarto niya, minsan du’n siya sa kwarto ko.” They even borrow each other’s clothes, bags, shoes and accessories! So one can just imagine how close they truly are. They’re not only sisters, they’re also the best of friends.

Between the two of them, Toni was the first

To celebrate her 15th anniversary in the industry, Toni Gonzaga held a successful concert, "Celestine," at the Mall of Asia Arena last October 3. The concert showed Toni's versatility as a singer and performer, but her showdown with sister Alex on the songs "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" by Celine Dion and "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea turned out to be the highlights of the event. In her speech after their performance, Toni thanked Alex, saying, “Honestly, si Alex talaga, malaking bahagi siya ng 15 years ko dahil hindi ko alam kung papano ako makaka-survive ng 15 years sa industriya na wala akong kapatid na tulad niya kasi loka-loka, masaya, laging positive.”

After her much talked-about “walkout” during Direk Paul’s proposal to her ate Toni, Alex sheds light on the incident and shares with StarStudio what her wish is for the soon-to-be-married couple

By Grace Libero-Cruz

to enter showbiz, a pursuit which their parents were in full support of. However, Toni wrote for the foreword of Alex’s bestselling book Dear Alex, Break Na Kami. Paano?! Love, Catherine: “Growing up, since I was the first one to boldly ask my parents that I wanted to pursue my dreams of being in showbiz, they dropped everything to support and guide me. Minsan naiisip ko, kawawa din pala si Catherine dati kasi lahat ng attention napunta sa akin. She would always be on the side, naka-support lang lagi sa pangarap ko, not knowing she had her own dreams as well. But she never showed me any sign of hatred or jealousy. She was always the best cheerleader. She still is.”

So when Alex finally decided to follow her footsteps in showbiz, Toni gave Alex her 100 percent support, constantly giving her advice on how to handle life in the industry and always looking out for her. “Ang advice ni ate sa akin ay

naman siya talagang barkada, ako lang ang lagi niyang kasama.”

In a recent interview with StarStudio, when asked about how she feels exactly about Toni finally leaving home, Alex offered: “Expected ko na naman na ma-e-engage sila. ’Yung thought lang na it’s official, na mawawala na siya…hindi naman talaga mawawala, pero it will never be the same.”

The walkout

’wag daw akong masyadong maingay,” laughs Alex.

But career advice is not the only matter that Alex always gets or seeks from Toni; having experienced getting her heart broken thrice, Alex also loves talking to Toni about her feelings on guys, relationships and love. Toni says, “She would ask me, ‘Kailan dadating ang Paul ko, ate? Bakit lahat mali?’”

Whenever Alex is heartbroken or problematic, it was comforting for her to know she has her ate to cheer her up and motivate her all the time. “Kasi s’yempre ’pag kapatid mo, ’pag may problema talaga ako na hindi ko masabi sa Mommy, siya (Toni) naman talaga ’yung tinatakbuhan ko,” Alex says.

With the recent engagement of Toni to Paul, however, things are expected to change, and the Gonzaga sisters are having some serious separation anxiety, especially Alex (who is yet to find her The One).

In a past StarStudio interview—when Toni and Alex both appeared on the cover of the magazine’s August 2013 issue—Senior Editor Tinna S. Bonifacio asked them this inevitable question: “What will Alex do when Toni—who has been in a long-term relationship with film and commercial director Paul Soriano for the last six years—leaves home to get married?”

To which, Alex said, “Naiisip ko, ’pag naghiwalay kami [ni ate], ’yung mga gamit n’ya, mawawala na, at baka hindi na kami close…Naisip ko ang ate, clingy kasi siya sa akin, at saka aside from Paul, ako ’yung friend niya. Wala

When Paul proposed to Toni, Alex reportedly “walked out” because she couldn’t accept her ate is getting married. Of course, she felt sad about the reality that she won’t be able to see and be with Toni as often anymore, but she didn’t mean to walk out during the proposal.

What happened was, since Paul didn’t make accomplices out of Daddy Bonoy, Mommy Pinty and Alex for his proposal, they weren’t prepared to have the whole event documented.

So, when Paul was about to make his proposal speech in front of all of them, Alex immediately ran to get her phone so she could take photos and videos but Paul ran after her and tried to stop her from running away.

“Hindi ako nag-walkout. Gusto ko lang kunin ’yung cellphone ko. Hindi ko makuha kasi nga pinipigilan ako ni Direk Paul…[Buti nga] because of me nagkaroon sila ng kaunting pictures kasi nakita ko ’yung cellphone ni ate sa sahig so kinuha ko kaya nakapag-video ako ng kaunting parts,” Alex shares.

It is natural for Alex to feel momentarily sad, but, at the end of the day, she’s happy her ate found a good man to spend her life with.

“I wouldn’t choose another guy or I wouldn’t want to pick another guy to marry my sister kundi siya,” Alex tells StarStudio. “It’s painful for me na hindi na magiging the same. Pero wala eh, walang choice. [My wish for them is to] stay happy. Don’t forget about me and don’t you dare ‘out me’ in your life.”

Alex even jokingly asked Paul, “Ano’ng kuwarto ko dito sa condo mo?”— talking about the condominium unit Paul and Toni reportedly bought, which they plan to live in after getting married—so she could live with them.

To which, Paul said, “Dito ka, o, mattress.”

During The Buzz episode last January 25, where the couple revealed their engagement, Toni gave a message to Alex: “Si Alex, sobrang hirap na hirap siya kasi ’yung rooms namin, connecting. And I believe na it’s not just our rooms which are connected but our souls are so connected to each other, na bago pa ako masaktan, nasasaktan na si Alex for me. Bago pa ako magsalita, siya na ang unang unang magsasalita for me. And lagi niyang sinasabi, ‘’Pag ikinasal ka na tapos may bahay na kayo, may kuwarto ako?’ Sabi ko, ‘Oo, Catherine, anytime, and hindi ako mawawala sa buhay mo. May madadagdag pa nga sa buhay mo, si Paul ’yun.’ Always know na I’ll always be here pa din to guide you, to help you, to support you. I’m very happy kasi you’re now opening up your wings and you’re flying on your own. You don’t need any of my help. And kanina, buong day pinag-uusapan niya, bakit single siya. Nagwi-withdrawal na siya, sabi ko, ‘Makakahanap ka rin ng Direk Paul mo, maghintay ka lang, huwag kang magmamadali.’”

Toni and Alex are not only sisters and best friends, they're also travel buddies—a fact which makes it even harder to imagine how much of an adjustment period the two sistersSTARSTUDIO would need to get used to not seeing eachVO otherL as1 N O 2 • HONG KONG often once Toni and Paul set up their own household.

25

The Man In Her Life

PREDICTABLY UNPREDICTABLE. Paul was determined to make the proposal an unforgettable experience for Toni. So, the big question was how to surprise Toni, and when was the perfect time to do it. Her birthday (January 20) seemed to be a good choice, but it just needed a little tweaking to fit the requirements. So Paul proposed shortly after midnight, around 12:30 AM of January 21 (when Toni thought that a proposal wasn’t forthcoming). “Of course, I was in… I kinda broke down, I was in tears. It was quite an emotional moment, something I’ve never done in my life,” says Paul.

Shy and soft-spoken, Direk Paul Soriano is the perfect complement to his fiancee Toni, showbiz’s Ultimate Multimedia Star. Here is the leading man of this story and how he lets the woman in his life shine like she should

T

he best way to describe Toni Gonzaga’s soon-to-be better half is to say that he is at once showbiz and non-showbiz.

Paul Soriano, 33, grew up in a showbiz environment. His father Jeric Soriano is a known commercial and film director (among the projects he’s done are Alice Dixson’s ‘I can feel it!’ TV commercial and the movie musical Hotshots that starred Gary Valenciano and Aga Muhlach). His grandfather is the late actor-dancer Nestor de Villa, more famously known for being the longtime screen partner of Nida Blanca. Paul, the eldest of four sons, was inspired by his father and grandfather’s legacy and put up a production company called Ten17P, a name coined because of his birthday, which falls on October 17.

He directed his first film, A Journey Home, in 2009. His latest was Transit, a movie about a single father forced to hide his children from immigration police in Israel after the Israeli government decides to deport children of immigrant workers. The film competed in the New Breed category of the 2013 Cinemalaya Film Festival and was also chosen as the Philippine entry to the 86th Oscar Awards Best Foreign Film race.

That Paul chose to work behind the cameras is very telling of his personality.

While he grew up with a showbiz background, he never wanted to become an actor. There were offers, but he turned them all down to pursue what he really wanted to do. “I’ve always wanted to be a director since I was young,” he told StarStudio back in 2011.

Outside of Toni, her A THING OF BEAUTY. They say a thing of a beauty is a joy forever. Perhaps Direk Paul—who posted this photo on his parents and younger sister, Instagram account, with the caption “My fiancée: Celestine”— the other people who know took this to heart in choosing Toni’s engagement ring. It was Paul well are those who have a 1.5 carat diamond ring which Paul ordered and bought from worked with him.

Israel, the value of which, according to news reports, could Hannah Espia, writer and carry a hefty tag of P2-million.

By Tinna S. Bonifacio

director of Transit is one of them. She describes him as someone who has achieved that rare balance between being strict and serious when he needs to be, and light and fun when around friends and colleagues.

“He is a ‘no nonsense’ kind of guy but he also makes sure that people around him are comfortable. He definitely isn’t temperamental,” says Hannah. “I’ve seen him get angry once or twice, but always with a good reason. He treats people with kindness and respect. He’s not quiet, but he does like his privacy.

I’ve met a lot of people who, after getting to know Paul, would say ‘Ang fun pala ni Direk Paul. Akala ko kasi snob.’ He jokes around a lot and has a really quirky sense of humor.”

Working with him in Transit, Hannah observed that Paul never let his private life affect his work. Although Toni would sometimes be on the set—she had a cameo role in the movie—she never got in the way, and it is doubtful whether Paul would have allowed her to. “(With him), work is work, and his professionalism is definitely one of the best in the industry. With regards to Toni, from what I’ve observed, he is very protective of her private life, and doesn’t disclose unpopular information about her,” notes Hannah.

She likes the way they relate to each other. In that situation, says Hannah, with Paul being the producer and Toni being the actress, “Paul wanted to make sure that Toni would give her best performance. He would remind her of her cues and other little things such as to make sure that her hair doesn’t cover her face (it was windy on the day we shot). From what I observed, they are not the type of couple who spoil each other, instead, they push each other and make sure that each one is giving their best.”

A private person despite being in showbiz, Direk Paul normally does not discuss his off-cam life, especially while at work. He once confessed that especially in the beginning of their relationship, he would shy away from the spotlight so as not to draw unnecessary attention to himself. He lets Toni have the lion’s share of it.

“I really try not to draw any more attention. If anything, I try to lessen it. Some people would tell me, ‘Direk, ang boring naman ng answers mo (in interviews). Oo naman, I do that so they don’t ask any more questions,” he laughed.

If there is one thing that people appreciate about Paul, it is how he enjoys being a mentor and passing on what he has learned, not just about filmmaking, but about life in general.

“He has told me some of the things he learned growing up and being in an industry that can be really tough. He has had his share of haters, disappointments, and failures, and he would share that to give me a better perspective of things and situations. Being a kuya to me, he has a lot of times given me relationship advice as well, and he is very credible considering that he has been with Toni for seven years. Their relationship is to be admired; younger couples could definitely learn from them,” shares Hannah.

On Ruffa: Apple green draped dress by Rajo Laurel On Jordan: light blue linen blazer and powder blue trousers by Faรงonnable, white longsleeves button down shirt by Rajo Laurel

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COVER

STORY

A STARSTUDIO EXCLUSIVE

Suddenly

LOVE

IT WAS A ROMANCE THAT NEITHER BEAUTY QUEEN AND ACTRESS RUFFA GUTIERREZ NOR FRENCH-ISRAELI INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EXPERT JORDAN MOUYAL EXPECTED TO HAPPEN,​ BUT THEY WALTZED INTO EACH OTHER’S LIVES ANYWAY,​AND DEFIED OCEANS AND TIME ZONES JUST TO BE TOGETHER. HERE IS THE FULL AND EXCLUSIVE STORY OF THIS MULTI-CULTURAL ROMANCE THAT HAS SHOWBIZ BUZZING

BY GRACE C. DIEZ PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARA BLACK STYLED BY BEA CONSTANTINO MAKEUP BY STEVEN DOLOSO HAIRSTYLING BY EDDIEMAR CABILTES SET DESIGN BY GIDEON HERMOSA SPECIAL THANKS TO JUN LALIN

STARSTUDIO • HONG KONG VO L 1 N O 2

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I

t’s bewildering, in a strange sort of way, to see someone who closed herself off to romance suddenly find it. Over a year ago, during an interview with StarStudio, Ruffa Gutierrez was in an “I’m swearing off love” sort of mood.

This was some 10 months after the courts granted her an annulment from her husband, Turkish businessman Yilmaz Bektas, father of Ruffa’s daughters Lorin Gabriella, now 11, and 10-year-old Venezia Loran, or Venice. Ruffa announced the annulment in an episode of The Buzz earlier that year.

The couple married in a lavish ceremony in May 2003 at the NBC Tent, followed by a Muslim wedding in Istanbul, Turkey.

Four years later, in 2007, the marriage ended, with Yilmaz accusing Ruffa of prioritizing her showbiz career over their marriage, and Ruffa claiming physical and psychological abuse.

They were granted an annulment, a costly process that had Ruffa swearing she would never want to go through that again. She admits: “I was cynical. I said that I was never going to get married or fall in love again.

What for?”

It took happenstance, some time for healing, and a disarming FrenchIsraeli to change her mind—and her relationship status.

Love unexpected

​ apamilya head writer Garlic Garcia, K one of Ruffa’s best friends with whom she worked on the Coco MartinSarah Geronimo starrer Maybe This Time, recalls that love came back into Ruffa’s life just when she was not actively looking for it.

The beauty queen-actress was on a self-imposed “love sabbatical” so she could focus on herself, her kids and her career. It was a move that their group of friends supported. “We told her to not get bogged down by love relationships. During the ‘​love sabbatical’​, she got to know herself better and her non-negotiables in a relationship,” Garlic says.

Then one by one, people in her circle of friends began to fall in love and started dating. It left Ruffa wondering if she should try again. After giving it some thought​,​however, she found herself unable to commit 100 percent to the idea of another relationship.

Ruffa was ambivalent at best. “I was open again to meeting new people but I wasn’t (actively) looking. (I told myself) that if it happens, it happens. Love always just catches me at the weirdest time,” Ruffa admits.

Then one evening in January 2014, another friend, designer Charina Sarte, unwittingly pushed Ruffa to a decision point when she invited her to dinner and drinks with her French friends. Charina wanted to introduce her closest Filipino friends—which included Ruffa—to the ‘Frenchies’.

Tired and jet-lagged, she was hesitant about going but decided, at the last minute, to show up at their meeting place, a restaurant called Finders Keepers along Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati.

“I just got back from the States. I spent my Christmas and New Year in Los Angeles and at St. Bart’s in the Caribbean respectively.

When I got back, my friends missed me,​so we decided to have dinner and drinks as they wanted to know all about my trip,” Ruffa begins. “So I showered and failed to even brush my hair pero fresh pa rin, mabango but no makeup. I went there to catch up with my friends and there were three Frenchies who were there. They were friends of Charina’s boyfriend Valentin, or Val,” she smiles.

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One of the ‘Frenchies’—as Ruffa and her friends referred to them—was a tall and​attractive businessman and IT expert.

His name was Jordan Mouyal.

Separate roads

Jordan is French-Israeli and is based in Paris; Ruffa is pure Filipino​, is an actress and lives and works in Manila. Yet somehow, fate conspired to bring the two of them together.

Jordan’s name first surfaced in local showbiz news through ​ entertainment columnist R ​ icky Lo’s Funfare column in The Philippine STAR,​and in events genius and TV host ​Tim Yap’s Instagram posts.

Both alluded to Jordan as the man who captured Ruffa’s heart.

At the time, however, the public knew little about him. It was largely because Jordan is a highly private individual. Born and raised in France, Jordan was born to parents of French and Israeli descent.

The elder of two kids, he serves as a big brother to a sister. At 17, he moved to Israel for two years but went back to France to pursue his Computer Sales and I.T. Engineering degree at the University of France in Paris. Afterwards, he spent eight months in Hong Kong for work.

He is currently based in Paris where he works for an I.T. company.

Ruffa, of course, everyone knows. She grew up in the limelight as the only daughter of showbiz couple Eddie Gutierrez and Annabelle Rama,​before jumping into showbiz herself as a teen actress.

She is famously known for her captivating Ruffa and Jordan at the celebration of beauty, but it’s her charming personality, her birthday in June smart quips and talent that brought last year where she her success and has, thus far, sustained had a special-effects photo booth that her long career in show business. turned out black and Ruffa began her journey as an actress,​but white photos. At she was able to reinvent herself as a beauty the time, reporters queen,​and represented the Philippines in noticed Jordan and asked Ruffa who he the 1993 Miss World beauty pageant where was in her life. Ruffa she was eventually crowned Miss World-2nd didn’t say anything Princess,​in the pageant held in Sun City, definitive. “Naku, South Africa. Ruffa also had her turn as a ‘wag na. Very private naman siya, hindi TV host in programs like entertainment naman siya showbiz. talk show The Buzz,​before starring in the Actually, takot nga E! Television hit reality series It Takes Gutz ‘yan sa camera.

Huwag na siyang To Be A Gutierrez with her celebrity family. pag-usapan.”

Romance-wise, her life has been an open book. From the time that she started in the business and became involved with then fellow teen actor Dennis da Silva to her controversial marriage to Yilmaz—which was painful for her, as she had to endure its breakdown right in front of the prying eyes of the public and showbiz-watchers—and later, with actor John Lloyd Cruz and Colombian businessman Eduardo Puertas, Ruffa has been all about living it large and being open. But curiously, this latest romance went the opposite way. Not too many people knew about it, until now.

First encounter

Prior to coming to Manila for a leisure trip on the invitation of one of his friends, Jordan had spent a month-long holiday break in Thailand.

There wasn’t any extraordinary reason why Jordan visited the Philippines. He first came to the country two years ago to check out the country’s legendary ​beaches, but like all other tourists, the Philippines,​ for him,​was simply a holiday destination. Or so he thought.

“A friend called me up randomly. I was just in Thailand for the holidays. My friend who lives here told me that I should visit Manila.

I’ve been here before but I’ve only been to Coron (in Palawan) and Malapascua (an island in Cebu). I came here the first time for leisure.”

So before returning to Paris this time around, Jordan agreed to make a side trip to Manila. It was going to be a short trip—just four days—but turned out to be anything but.

About two days before his flight back to Paris, some Ruffa is outspoken; Jordan is shy—and of his Manila-based French acquaintances invited him yet, they seem to get along famously. to the same dinner that Ruffa was going to be at.

He’s friends with her friends, who call him At the dinner, Ruffa and Jordan did not warm ‘Jordy’ for short. They seem like a perfect up to each other right away. Garlic, who was also match. Ruffa’s good friend, ABS-CBN headwriter Garlic Garcia present, recalls that initially, it was she who struck hazards a guess on why they fit together up a conversation with their good-looking guest. so well. “Si Ruffa kasi, pag na-in love,​ “At first, Ruffa wasn’t even talking to him. So I chatted parang kuting. When Jordan came along, he was able to tame the lioness that Ruffa up Jordan, then you know how it is when you’re in a big is. Ang maganda kay Jordan, he lets her group, you kind of switch it up. The next thing I knew, be. He’s not controlling. I think that’s Ruffa was already talking to Jordan. We went outside to very important in every relationship. He have burgers,​and that’s when I saw the two of them.” lets her do what she wants. He allows her that certain kind of freedom. Ruffa is not Garlic and some of their other friends needed only someone you can control. They listen to a few minutes to figure out that the two could have each other and take care of each other.” some serious couple potential. When they got Ruffa alone, they teased her endlessly about Jordan. “We told Ruffa na, ‘Oh my God! He’s so your type! ​ ​ Isa lang ang type mo! Walang nagbago!’ Kasi she veers towards me anything. But even when I found out, I wasn’t at all intimidated his kind physically—tall, handsome and Moroccan-​looking. Tawa because I really had no idea who she was. I didn’t realize how big kami ng tawa,” Garlic shares. But as it turns out, they were only she was. S​he’s like a regular person to me,” Jordan explains. half-serious. Says Garlic, “To be honest, as her friends, we weren’t Jordan was surprised by his own decision to extend his original expecting anything,​since we all knew he was flying back to Paris four-day stay to three weeks,​so he could get to know her better. in two days. What are the chances he would come back?”

“I found her attractive right away,” he shyly confesses.

And yet, for all that it was a joke, Jordan seemed seriously charmed He didn’t expect to fall in love—and for that matter, neither by the beauty queen-actress. He does not deny that he zeroed in did Ruffa. But like the song goes, love moves in mysterious ways, on Ruffa that night. “I don’t know. I was just trying to be friendly. I and the two of them finally became an official item a year ago. saw her and thought of her as someone independent, smart, strong and pretty. We got to know each other after talking a little bit.”

Love stories They were apparently drawn to each other. “We just started talking Although both Ruffa and Jordan went to great lengths to keep the and chatting,” smiles Ruffa, whose initial impression of him was positive. relationship out of the media, now, a year later, with Ruffa successfully “(I thought) he was obviously attractive. He was very friendly but only to convincing Jordan to agree to this StarStudio interview—the me. He was aloof to everyone else,​and I like that. I like suplado guys.’” first lengthy one he has ever granted to a local publication— However, their first meeting nearly turned into a disaster,​because numerous interesting stories come spilling out of them, including of a communication problem. “He was talking so fast I couldn’t the answer to when their official anniversary is as a couple. understand him. He has this heavy French accent and I said ‘Wait! ​This was where the cultural differences set in. Jordan, being Can you slow down? Your accent is so French,’” says Ruffa.

French, marked January 15—the day that they met—as their official But later that evening, Ruffa confided in Garlic: “You know anniversary. But Ruffa, like most Filipinas, counted differently. what, Garlic, I don’t expect anything out of this,​but it’s nice She explains: “For us Filipinas, you have to really ask us formally (to to make a connection and actually have a good friend.” be your girlfriend, and that’s the date we mark as the anniversary).”

It was Jordan who made the first move. He got Ruffa’s number As far as Jordan was concerned, there was really no need for from Charina, a​ nd started sending her text messages. His first a formality. He didn’t realize that Ruffa needed a firm date. To message was an attempt to see her again: “Hello, this is Jordan from his mind, the fact that they were communicating constantly last night. Am I gonna see you at Tim Yap’s birthday party?” was already an indication that they were ‘together’.

She still remembers her reply to him. “I had a huge headache that night, “He was telling me that day that he got so many friend requests on although I said ‘Yeah. But I have to see you a bit later because I’m coming Instagram after I tagged him on a photo. I jokingly said something like from another party (the box-office party of Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy, ‘They’re all saying that my new friend is handsome’ and he was like Vice Ganda’s movie with Ruffa, an entry to the 2013 Metro Manila Film ‘Excuse me, what are you saying? A friend? Am I just your friend?’ And Festival).’ I was three hours late to the surprise dinner party for Tim. I said ‘yeah…’ Jordan asked me, ‘Why? Do you hold hands with your From that point on, we began to message each other every single day.” friend? Are you sweet to all your guy friends? Of course, we’re not just It was showing up at Tim’s party that confirmed for Ruffa’s friends,’ and I told him ‘Well, you’ve never asked me,’” she laughs. businesswoman-friend Cristalle Henares, daughter of celebrity Jordan was bewildered and amused at the same time, saying, doctor Vicki Belo, that this was something potentially serious.

“My God, do I have to ask you? Do you think I’m wasting “I initially thought it was a friendly thing until she brought him as her my time? I’ve been messaging you every single day…” date to Tim’s birthday party,” confided Cristalle to StarStudio​. “That’s “It’s the first time someone asked me to ask her to be my usually a big statement, because everyone is present in Tim’s yearly parties. girlfriend,” laughs Jordan, who told Ruffa, “I’m your boyfriend!”

Ruffa always makes it a point to walk in as a group if she is not interested ​ ​ He apparently found the Filipino custom of a formal “asking” to be (in a guy). The fact that she came with him (Jordan) was pretty telling.” a couple “weird”. Says Jordan: “For me, it was the first time I saw that, But Jordan had not yet begun to realize how big a star when she said, I was a good friend when I’m not,” Jordan explains, Ruffa really is. In fact, as he recalls, he didn’t even know that apparently getting educated about the finer points of Filipino love, she was an actress until ​four days after they first met. courtship and romance.But they have already doing ‘couple things’, “It was a surprise. My friend Val told me (she was an actress). I like traveling together and visiting each other. Last April, Ruffa and wasn’t that impressed or intimidated because it was in the Philippines her daughters were visiting Paris, on their way to the Holy Land. and I didn’t know much of it,” Jordan says. There would be other “It was Easter Sunday,” she recalls. “It was my kids’ first time to more potentially intriguing discoveries, like the fact that Ruffa was stop by Paris again as a family. We went there on purpose so I could a mother of two daughters. “In the beginning, my friend didn’t tell get to see him—it was like hitting two birds with one stone!”

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Trouble in paradise

When the news first reached their small and common circle, their friends were surprised, but not because they didn’t think the relationship would work. “The only reason nagulat kami with this pairing was because he’s not based here. To give up time in Paris to be here for her for long periods of time—that shows commitment and dedication to the relationship. It also worked because Jordan made the effort. Ruffa would also make time and they would travel together,” Garlic explains.

There were many ways that Jordan—or Jordy to Ruffa’s set of friends— proved how serious he was about her. When the incident involving Ruffa’s Mommy Annabelle—​the adorably feisty matriarch of the Gutierrez clan— broke, prompting that famous walkout at Annabelle’s birthday party in late 2014, the fact that Jordan stood by Ruffa’s side quietly really impressed her friends. The incident was the first time that Jordan would learn just how famously protective Ruffa’s mom is of her.

Mommy Annabelle’s reputation as a strong woman emerges especially when it comes to her family. There have been many times in the past when she would express disapproval of Ruffa’s choice of men and to her, it didn’t matter if these would be aired on TV or not—and the case with Jordan was not an exception.

At her birthday party, Annabelle reportedly gave a speech and peppered it with phrases like “patay gutom” which Ruffa felt alluded to Jordan. The actress was greatly offended and walked out of the party, with Jordan in tow. The public got wind of what happened when mother and daughter continued their battle on social media, exchanging emotional ​ tweets. ​​ A ​ fter this talked-about exchange, ​Ruffa posted more sober ones.

“When you fight with someone you love, it hurts. You’re angry, upset, say things that you don’t mean. You want to take them back but can’t.”

“You’re feeling sad….remorseful. Yet you remind yourself that you’re just speaking up and taking ​a ​stand. After all you’re not 16 anymore.”

A lot of people were curious as to how mother and daughter were able to resolve their issues. Ruffa set the record straight. “We’ve kissed and made up,” she clarified. She told my friends that she was only talking in general,​and she’s not pinpointing to a person.”

Then Ruffa recalls a moment of introspection she had that night. She asked herself, “Why do I feel guilty? Why do I feel that she’s alluding to Jordan when she’s talking in general about her situation with my dad?’

During that dinner, I really just felt bad because how old am I? I don’t want to be embarrassed with or without Jordan being there even if it was or wasn’t about him. I felt that you also have to treat me like a lady. I have two kids. Don’t treat me like I’m 12 years old, treat me as an equal. I guess with mothers, they’re being protective,” she explains.

How did Jordan react? “​He knows. He’s an IT guy so I don’t even have to tell him about the issues. As a matter of fact, I didn’t even tell him that my mom’s been tweeting,​but he already found out through the Internet,” she says. Jordan was cool about it,​saying, “Actually, I was there. I just felt bad because I knew it was a little bit about me and about her—maybe. But I don’t care if it’s only about me. I was sad because I saw how Ruffa felt bad about that. Of course, I would care a little but I know who I am. You can say what you want but it won’t affect me.”

“He’s a strong guy! What I really like about him is that he doesn’t really care. Whatever my mom says, for him, it’s okay. He’s there to hold my hand and support me through whatever it is. There’s a 99% chance that if the guy is Filipino, they would’ve run away and be so scared especially if they’re in showbiz. My mom’s probably gonna say things on TV and the guy will worry that he’d lose his career. With Jordan, she can say whatever she wants but it’s not gonna affect him because he’s not in showbiz. Of course, he still cares what her opinion is,​because she’s my mom,” she continues.

Ruffa ​then proceeds to explain the dynamics of her relationship with her mother. “We don’t really sit down and have this formal talk about the situation. For me, if I kiss her and I say ‘Hi,’ it’s back to normal again.

Before that, we’ve already exchanged messages and things have already 32

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been ironed out. Once it’s over, it’s over. Moving on.”

The statuesque beauty goes on to say that Jordan has met the Gutierrez family a lot of times already.

“It’s funny with my mom, cause even if she’s outspoken, she’ll be like, ‘Where’s Jordan? Invite him.’ I’ll say, ‘Oh really?’ When he’s not there, she looks for him. I told Jordan, d​on’t take it personal, my mom’s always been like that. If my mom doesn’t like you, she will do everything she can to deport you. Trust me.’ She’s just overprotective as a mom, it doesn’t matter who it is, it’s just maybe because I’m the only girl. She’ll never gonna be like ‘Hiii!!! Oh my dear…’ but if she super hates you, you’ll know right away. Mom even invited Jordan to come to last year’s Christmas Eve dinner.”

Asked about his relationship with Annabelle, Jordan put it plainly, “We don’t talk so much.”

To which Ruffa laughingly​replied, “Because she can’t even understand you! They speak,​like,​two words for each other. ‘Hello, Hi, How are you?

Did you eat? O eat na! Eat lechon!’ We had a dinner one time and she passed Jordan the pancit. They only have a few words for each other,​ because you know my mom when she talks to a foreigner, she only has a few choice words. She expresses herself more in Tagalog. Jordan always smiles at her when he sees her.”

Garlic has an interesting take on this. “Ruffa is, ironically, even if she won’t admit it is a lot like her mother. Ruffa’s fiery and feisty, both she and her mom fight for what they believe in, fight for who and what they love and I think that’s a very admirable quality. At the same time, si Ruffa matapang yan pero may side siya na sobrang lambing. That’s what we love. Malambot ang puso ni Ruffa. She’s the first person who will cry when you share your latest heartache and latest trials,” describes Garlic.

Perhaps, more than Ruffa’s romantic relationships, the actress’ relationship with Annabelle is the one most widely publicized and more talked about. Given how brutally frank and honest Annabelle can be, fireworks can always be expected when it happens to involve Ruffa and her love life.

“Our relationship has gone through trials in the past. My mom and I have been through ups and downs. But at the end of the day, she’s still my mom. My mom’s the type of person who, come what may, if I run to her or if I need her help, she will always be there for me. My mom’s the type that when she has, she’s very generous and she’ll give everything if she can. She puts her children first before herself,” Ruffa acknowledges humbly.

Though it’s a fragile relationship, Ruffa finds ways to understand her mom’s strong stance when it comes to family and personal issues and weighs in on their differences.

“I think, for me, I’m more of a modern mom in the sense that I can hang with my kids and do bonding stuff together. Before, with my mom, it’s all work, work and work with my dad. She needed to work hard in the US so she could take care of us,” she said. Still, she has resolved to humble herself when it comes to her mom. “As a daughter, there are things she does that I don’t agree with but I’m always the one that gives in. If I see her, I’d kiss her first. I’d be respectful first. Maybe it’s because of our Filipino values and that’s how we were raised. No matter what she does, I’ll express my thoughts but, at the end of the day, I will always make the first move,” she shares.

Talking to the girls

The relationship between Jordan and Ruffa’s daughters Lorin and Venice was somehow more trouble-free.

Her daughters found out about the romance in the most unusual way. “Well, they went through my phone and they saw a photo of me and Jordan holding hands and being sweet with each other. And then, apparently, they found out my password. So they sat me down.”

Ruffa was surprised by what came next. “Imagine my two girls saying, ‘Mommy, you said that if ever you’re gonna have a boyfriend, you would tell us and we’ll be the first to know. We went through your phone and we saw sweet photos of you and Tito Jordan. What’s the story? Tell us! Tell

Indeed, their romance—aside from being the union of two good-looking individuals—is also a meeting of the minds. Both describe themselves as conservative and share the same values when it comes to what they want out of life and what their expectations are of the relationship, which has now officially passed the one year mark. The two of them even came up with a social media hashtag for it: #Happy365Days.

On Ruffa: hot pink fringed dress by Herve Leger, gold cuff by Ann Ong On Jordan: blue linen blazer and powder blue trousers by Façonnable available in Rustan’s, white longsleeves button-down shirt by Rajo Laurel

Just visiting

Right now, Ruffa and Jordan’s future as a couple seems more or less settled, although Jordan isn’t sure if his stay in the Philippines is permanent. Since visiting in January last year, around the time he first met Ruffa, he’s been back in the country for five times already.

“I’m still just visiting now for leisure, I visit Ruffa and I have many friends here. I’m thinking of one day, (if) I can just come here but I’m thinking about it for a moment. There’s nothing concrete yet,” he narrates.

Though he shuttles back and forth between Manila and Paris, he was able to stay for three months—his longest—in the Philippines and spent the 2014 holiday season in the country with Ruffa and her family.

“I’m seriously thinking of staying. There’s no concrete plan for the moment but I will see in the few next weeks. It’s an idea because I don’t want a long distance relationship. It’s not my goal,” he discloses.

Time flew by so fast that they have actually celebrated a year of being together last January.

During this interview with StarStudio, he gamely answers the proverbial question, “What do you like about Manila?” He says: “Apart from Ruffa, and she’s the main reason why I’ve been coming back, Filipino people are very nice and welcoming. That’s what I learned. There’s much to do in Manila. You need to have a group of friends to enjoy Manila.”

It takes some doing, however, to get used to Ruffa’s being a celebrity, which has also rubbed off on him. As partially willing as he was to do this interview, Jordan remained guarded about some details about his life, including his age, his family and the company he works for.

“I’m serious yet I’m social. I don’t know how to describe that but I’m relaxed when I’m with people I’m comfortable with,” Jordan explains.

“I’m shy. I don’t like to share. I’m not like that but I can understand people who are like that. I’m on social media but it’s on private settings. I prefer to share with friends but not to everyone,” he adds.

No, it wasn’t Jordan that made Ruffa shed tears during the press conference of BargnFarmaceuticiPhils Co.’s new beauty product, Cosmo Skin Premium Collagen (a product that results in younger-looking skin), which Ruffa is endorsing.

The former Miss World 2nd Princess was asked what her ultimate beauty secret is, and she said: “The secret is always to be happy, that’s one.

Always live a positive life. Erase all the negativity in your life.”

Having found a man to bring back the kilig in her life, she looks more blooming and happier than ever. It’s a definite bonus and a constant source of happiness, too, that her career continues to flourish.

But back to the tears: during the event, Ruffa cried tears of joy upon seeing familiar faces among the entertainment press members who were present. She was so overwhelmed that even after being in the industry for 20 years, she still has their support.

Photo by ALLAN SANCON

us!” After I got upset that they went through my phone and after changing my password right away, I told them our story. It was the first time that I was open to them, they already knew and I didn’t want to lie to them. I would rather tell them first before they read it in the newspaper. I just told them everything,” she recounts.

“I told them in May. Basically, my kids were like ‘We went to Paris Disneyland together in April. Were you guys together then?’ And I had to reply, ‘Officially we weren’t.’ They went, ‘Oh, you weren’t?’ It became a girl conversation. My daughter said, ‘Oh my goodness!

I thought you’re together already, you were wearing matching leather jackets mommy!’ Well, we didn’t do that on purpose. It was just a coincidence.’ We had a girly conversation,” she smiles. “Basically, they just said they didn’t want Tito Jordan to break my heart.”

The kids met Jordan when Ruffa’s group of friends watched the musical Wicked at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

“I have a lot of guy friends, so they weren’t wondering. I’m never sweet with anyone in front of my kids,” Ruffa offers.

The actress underscored the role of her kids in her relationships. “First of all, I wouldn’t introduce them to someone who won’t be good for me or if it’s a very tricky subject because I’ve never introduced anyone to my kids since 2007. It’s only now that I’ve introduced anyone to my kids as my boyfriend. I think timing is everything as well. It’s been seven years and they’re 11 and 10 now, they’re more mature. They have friends that are in similar situations and it’s the right time for me to share what I felt at the moment and I value their opinion and I would like my partner to love my kids.”

She went on to ask Jordan if he loves her kids and Jordan replied affirmatively. “I want them to have a relationship. Not like be their dad but to have a friendly and good open relationship. He helps Venice with her French assignments,” she smiled.

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When pressed to reveal more about Ruffa and their relationship, while reluctant, he tries to answer as much as he can.

He clams up when the conversation veers towards his family, his work or even the age gap between him and his ladylove. Understanding that Ruffa being in showbiz means he’s going to attract attention, he admits he’s not really comfortable with it.“It’s new for me but it’s not a major issue. I like to stay in the back when she’s working,” he says.However, he was open enough to share details about his interests. “I like everything linked to technologies since it’s linked to my work. I’m very logical so I like mechanics and stuff like that. I also need to be updated in things like computer science. I love traveling and the beach. I like sports. I’m into boxing and martial arts,” he shares. “I never expected to fall in love. Not at all. I only came here for four days in the beginning but I ended up staying three weeks,” he states, referring to the time he extended his stay just so he can get to know Ruffa better.

Big secret

It was a year-long relationship that was uncharacteristically low-profile and the couple—who are seated next to each other during this interview— shares the reasons behind it.

“I still haven’t posted anything about him on Instagram. It’s always in a group. It’s not like walking in the sand with my love. I’m not cheesy like that. I’m very discreet when it comes to this especially because he’s nonshowbiz,” she laughs.When they were finally official, Jordan made it a point to say, “I would love to be your boyfriend but your secret boyfriend.” Ruffa asked him what he meant by that.

“He said, ‘I don’t want to be your public boyfriend. It’s okay for our close friends and family to know but I’m not ready yet for the public to know’ so I respected his privacy. He only came out on It Takes Gutz To Be A Gutierrez because basically I have two choices: hide him and pretend that I was single or be open about it. I’m in a reality show and that’s the reality. My director said, “Either hide him completely and you’re gonna be dating people as a single woman. When he learned about it, he was like ‘What???!’ So even if he didn’t want to come out and even if he only half-heartedly approved to be on the show, it’s still not him to be showbiz. He’s still private,” she shares.

Despite the showbiz aspect, Ruffa and Jordan are just like any other people doing regular things as a couple. “We work out together, we watch movies and travel…we’re not hiding. Just look in the newspapers,” Jordan says.

Ruffa observes that Jordan’s a bit more relaxed about the spotlight now,​ after they came out on the show and having granted this exclusive interview with StarStudio.

“Now when we’re at a party or an event and people take photos, he agrees to be seen now. But before, we would go together but I will go to the red carpet solo.”

Most of their relationship milestones involve travelling. Since Jordan’s from Paris, the pair has explored a lot of the Philippines like Palawan, Bohol and Cebu. “I love socials and I go to dinners and socials with Ruffa ​ but the real me loves Mother Nature, beaches and I wanna do bonfires,” he says. Despite the giddy feeling that comes with the romance, there are adjustments they each had to make. Jordan, for one, has to deal with the fact that Ruffa works in the entertainment industry.

“The showbiz stuff wasn’t easy. I don’t like that everyone is interested on who I am or why I’m with her. If it’s just friends, it’s okay,​but not if it’s someone I don’t know. For both of us, you have to be able to manage each other, and deal with the everyday life. There are no adjustments when it comes to her mom. It’s not an issue.” He got pensive when asked what else he had to adjust to. “Nothing. I really I don’t see anything. I met her like that. Sometimes, she’s in a bad mood. It’s okay, everyone’s like that,” he smiles.

“Well, sometimes when I’m in a bad mood, iwas ka muna, be quiet. If both of you are in a bad mood, then you get into fights. We’ve had a few memorable fights that I don’t want to discuss but after that, we learn from it. We try to adjust and work things out. I think there’s no such thing as a perfect relationship and a perfect life. I think that would be so boring and it’s not real. Ours is a very authentic one. It’s different when you’re in a 34

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long-distance relationship because you only see the best of each other and the good times. It’s not like you’re on a holiday, you’re in a good mood, not working, always having a nice time exploring different cities,​but it’s not life.

When you’re actually together and you have the stress of everyday work, you’re busy, your schedules are different, you have to be able to manage that. I think so far we’ve handled it well,” Ruffa observes. Jordan cuts in to add, “If there’s anything I want to change about her, I want to make her more adventurous!”

“You know what he made me do in Bohol? I just showered and he wanted me to walk on and roll around in the sand with him. He made me lie on the floor. He tells me that it’s okay to be dirty sometimes and to be a little more rugged. He even wants to take me to Sagada and go camping,” says Ruffa, a statement that elicits a laugh from Jordan.

With Jordan making the effort to fly in whenever he can, the prospect of an LDR (Long Distance Relationship) still doesn’t appeal to them. Jordan said he’s not for it.

“For me, timing is everything. We don’t want to plan the future too soon.

We’re just getting to know each other and it’s a new relationship. Let’s just keep it light and easy first. Things like having kids and getting married, we’re not even close to that. He still wants to achieve many things in his life and I want to do a lot of things this year and I don’t even think I want any more kids,” Ruffa starts.

“You don’t want kids, right?” Ruffa shot him a look. “I could want one,” he charmingly replied.

“With every relationship, what’s important is to make each other happy.

Why are you going to be in a relationship if you’re just gonna be in a bad mood or stress out your life? You have to make each other happy. That’s the most important thing. It has to be light,​and learn how to cope with grace in the future. I think he takes the gold medal for that. Imagine my mom tweeting and being on TV and he’s still here. This guy is so tough!” she thoughtfully continues. For this twosome, their relationship transcends cultural differences and age concerns​.

“He’s conservative too. He’s conservative when it comes to family, values and stuff,​and I’m the same. He’s very friendly and open,​but we share the same values when it comes to what we want in life and what we expect from the relationship,” she says. For Ruffa, Jordan’s character and personality meshes well with hers. “He’s very strong. He’s not the type who would just say yes to me. I have a very strong personality so I need someone who would balance me out. And he’s very stubborn too! He’s very smart, he’s like a sponge,​and he knows how to adapt in any situation. Whether it’s a ​ showbiz situation or anything, he’ll adapt. He gets along with my friends.

He’s the type who converses with other people. ​I don’t have to always be there. I’m also independent and have my own life and he understands that.

So far, so good. Of course, he’s also good-looking and tall!”

Jordan waxes poetic when he describes their first year of being together.

“It was a year of discovery. We discovered each other, we discovered the world and travelled trying to make experiences together.”

Ruffa agreed, saying, “I can’t find a better word. It truly is a year of discovery. I’m happy. It’s not that feeling na ‘you and me against the world’ and then elope. It’s more of like we’re comfortable with each other,​and we’re ​just there for each other. I think in life you go through different kinds of love and relationships and for me, he just came at a perfect moment.”

Ruffa’s yet to meet Jordan’s family but it is set to happen this year. The one year they’ve been together may have been a year of discovery, but it was also something that taught them valuable lessons.

“He came out of a six-year relationship so he learned to just have fun and enjoy. I, on the other hand, learned that love always happens when you least expect it. I wasn’t even looking. My hair was wet and I just wanted to see my friends that time. I think that’s what makes love special. When you go out and you try to look for it and make things happen, you’ll never find it. That’s the beauty of life and love—unexpected things. We’re still, as of now, getting to know each other but I can’t wait to have more adventures with him!” she exclaims excitedly. With Ruffa finding love once again, the princess may have finally met her prince,​and they’re all set for more exciting adventures ahead—​leaving all ​the residual memories and troubles ​ of the past behind.

LOVE FILES Ruffa on Jordan coming into her life: “I can’t find a better word. It truly is a year of discovery.

I’m happy. It’s not that feeling na ‘you and me against the world’ and then elope. It’s more of like we’re comfortable with each other,​and we’re j​ ust there for each other. I think in life you go through different kinds of love and relationships and for me, he just came at a perfect moment.”

Ruffa’s lovelife has been an open book, and has always been of interest to the wanting public. Here are some of the names that have been linked to hers romantically before Jordan Mouyal came into her life Text by Tinna S. Bonifacio

Researched by Geracel Fresco and Joko Veluz Zoren Legaspi

Ruffa and Zoren, son of veteran character actor Lito Legaspi, were together from 1989 to 1992. After they went their separate ways, there was a seven-year period during which they did not speak to each other.

Zoren is now married to actress-TV host Carmina Villarroel. Ruffa was not invited to the wedding (Zoren said it was because he learned from her assistant that she had a prior commitment), but Ruffa downplayed it and wished the couple well.

Possibly her most controversial Dennis Da Silva relationship, Ruffa, then a teenager, wanted to run away with Dennis, who was also a teen actor. Mommy Annabelle reportedly called the police and threatened to file kidnapping charges against her daughter’s beloved.

Aga Muhlach

The supposed reason for the AgaRuffa split was a third party. But despite the relationship turning controversial, Aga and Ruffa were able to eventually settle their differences and be friends. Ruffa even gave up taking her kids to the Justin Bieber in Manila concert in 2011 to show up at the premiere of the Aga-Angel Locsin film, In the Name of Love.

The budding beauty queen and ac- Robin Padilla tion star paired up in the movie Lab Kita, Bilib Ka Ba in 1994. In 2013, abs-cbnnews.com reported that during a chance encounter with the now action superstar, Ruffa jokingly talked about becoming “stressed” when being photographed beside Robin.

Yilmaz Bektas Retro-print one-shoulder floor-sweeping dress by Emilio Pucci available in Rustan’s

Ruffa and Jordan posed for this photobooth picture during the first birthday party for her nephew Zion, son of her brother Richard and actress Sarah Lahbati. It seems to be a clear indication of how happy Ruffa is to have Jordan in her life, although at the time (the event was held on June 15 last year).

They had a fairytale wedding, but unfortunately Ruffa’s marriage to the rich Turkish businessman did not last.Following their breakup—which saw Ruffa leaving their home in Turkey and coming back to Manila where she resumed her showbiz career—several issues arose, and the two exchanged hurtful words and counter-charges in the media.

Ruffa and John Lloyd’s almost one- John Lloyd Cruz year relationship started in March 2009. The relationship came to light when photos of the two entering the swanky SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills (formerly the Le Meridien) hit the media. The photos were supposedly shot as the couple was spotted emerging from a black limousine on their way into the hotel.

Eduardo Puertas

He was described in the press as a “dashing international businessman” who captured Ruffa’s heart. But the match fizzled out. Puertas later told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, “Ruffa and I are still in contact with each other, and we both are still good friends. But sometimes things just don’t work out, so we both decided to go our separate ways.”

ON ANGEL’S WINGS

Gerald Anderson, who will soon be appearing in the new primetime series Nathaniel, a show about an “angel come to earth”, sits down to talk to StarStudio about wishes, hope, and angels and what he would give his wings up for if he were one of them

WHEN I WAS A CHILD I THOUGHT ANGELS WERE…

’yun mismo, kung paano si Nathaniel ‘yung maliit na bata lang tapos may halo, may wings at naka-white na robe. ‘Yun ang image ng isang angel para sa’kin.

IF I HAD WINGS, THE FIRST PLACE I WOULD FLY TO IS...Paris. Pupunta ako ng Paris, para at least maano ng konti ‘yung problema nila, kasi alam n’yo naman yung nangyari doon.

Kung paano naging inspirasyon si Pope Francis dito for five days, gusto ko ganoon din ako sa kanila.

THE BIGGEST ANGEL IN MY LIFE IS… myself? Pamilya sana, dahil siyempre may nanay ka, may tatay, but if you can just have one,siguro nga ‘yung sarili ko na lang, kasi you’re your own hero, eh. You’re responsible for yourself.

Nandiyan lang yung pamilya mo at mga kaibigan mo para alalayan ka, pero ikaw pa din ‘yung nag-de-decide what’s best for you.

IF I MET MY GUARDIAN ANGEL, I WOULD SAY… Wow! I don’t know. Siguro, una, ‘Thank you’ siyempre, ‘Thank you’ na I’ve spent 25 years on this earth, tapos ‘yun nga, na maraming blessings. I would say ‘Thank you’ for guiding me.

I TRY TO BE AN ANGEL TO OTHER PEOPLE BY… just being a good example and an inspiration through kung ano ‘yung trabaho ko. Kumbaga, this career is a good vehicle para maging inspiration (sa iba) and in trying to change the world.

I BELIEVE IN ANGELS BECAUSE… because minsan, nararamdaman ko na may nag gu-guide talaga sa atin. Alam mo ‘yung instinct, ‘yung gut feeling natin, feeling ko galing ‘yon sa mga angels natin ‘yan eh.

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THROUGH MY ANGEL I WOULD

WANT TO TELL GOD THAT… sana binigyan tayo ng manual for life, kasi life is really hard to figure out and full of surprises. Mahirap. Maraming tanong na walang sagot, na habambuhay hindi mo masasagot. Or minsan, masasagot, minsan hindi.

IF I WERE AN ANGEL, AND I HAD TO GIVE UP MY WINGS, I WOULD EXCHANGE THEM FOR… peace on earth. Lalo na ngayon, peace on earth talaga. That, and life.

MY PARENTS ALWAYS TAUGHT ME… to stay humble and down to earth.

AS AN ANGEL, THE MESSAGE I WOULD WANT TO SEND TO ALL PEOPLE IS THAT… there is always hope. Laging may pag-asa. Never give up sa mga bagay na gusto n’yo, at sa mga pangarap n’yo para sa pamilya.

—Interview by Julian Mauricio

About Nathaniel

Here’s more about Gerald’s current project Gerald Anderson has been pretty busy lately. Before his star turn in the film Halik Sa Hangin with Julia Montes and JC de Vera, he had already begun working on the upcoming teleserye Nathaniel.

Gerald, who’s playing a lawyer in the soap, describes his character’s journey as an emotional rollercoaster.

The titular character is being played by new child star Marco

Masa. Gerald hasn’t taped many scenes with Marco thus far, but is looking forward to working with him more. For now, Gerald is focusing more on doing well opposite his new leading lady Shaina Magdayao.

He raves about Shaina— “sobrang galing niya, sobrang professional. She really raised my game talaga”—and says that Nathaniel is ”isa sa mga pinakamabigat ever na nagawa ko sa teleserye. Grabe!”

ABS-CBN named Best TV Station at the 1st 'Mapúa Gawad Kamalayan Awards'

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BS-CBN Corporation was hailed as the Best TV Station at the first ‘Gawad Kamalayan Awards’ of Mapúa Institute of Technology held at their campus in Intramuros, Manila (Metro Manila).

“TV Patrol” won as the Best New Program, “Rated K” as Best Magazine Show, “Umagang Kay Ganda” as Best Feature and Lifestyle Show, “ASAP” as Best Variety Program, “Maalaala Mo Kaya” as Best Drama Program, and ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation as Best Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Project.

Meanwhile, Kapamilya anchors and hosts were also honored by Mapúans namely, Ted Failon as the Best News Program Anchor, Korina Sanchez as Best Magazine Show Host, Anthony Taberna as Best Feature and Lifestyle

Show Host, and Robi Domingo as Best Tourism Host for “Sunday’s Best: Lakwatsero Hokkaido.”

The ‘Gawad Kamalayan Awards’ is the first TV awards program launched

by Mapúa’s School of Languages, Humanities, and Social Sciences during the university’s 90th Founding Anniversary celebration. It was named after the Filipino word, ‘kamalayan,’ which means awareness. It aims to recognize the TV programs and personalities who promote consciousness among the Filipino TV viewers. The win-

NOW ON TFC

Luis Manzano returns in an all-new Kapamilya Deal or No Deal

The award-winning host and ‘Lucky Stars’ hold the briefcases that can change their fellow celebrities’ lives

BY MARIANNE DE VERA

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n all-new “Kapamilya Deal or No Deal” opens this 2015 with host Luis Manzano returning with a diverse mix of popular personalities who will not only hold the briefcases that can change the contestants’ lives.

Launched this week with ratings that beat its rival program in the Philippines and which earned remarkable views online via TFC’s official online service, TFC.tv, “Kapamilya Deal or No Deal” is the newest version of the worldwide franchise which

“FLORDELIZA” PUTS FAMILY FIRST, AIRS WORLDWIDE VIA TFC

Marvin Agustin and Jolina Magdangal reunite in ABS-CBN’s newest series

BY AARON DOMINGO ADDITIONAL TEXT BY SOMEWELL ALJAMES GADIANE

ners were voted by over 13,000 students, faculty members, and staff of Mapúa. All awardwinning shows and personalities can also be seen worldwide via The Filipino Channel’s (TFC) various platforms: Internet Protocol television or IPTV, satellite, cable, mobile, and its official online service, TFC.tv. For more updates, visit www.facebook.com/ TFCHongKong.

brings together contestants who will be given the opportunity to make the deal of their lives. For the first time in “Deal or No Deal” franchises around the world, the 24K girls have been replaced by celebrities or stars who can also trade in their briefcases. The contestant of the day will be chosen via spin of a roulette called Gulong ng Tala and then will be given the chance to choose a case that will change their future.

The celebrity contestants include sexy stars Yam Concepcion and Nina Jose; beauty queens Melanie Marquez and Bianca Manalo; “PBB” alumni Matt Evans and Karen Reyes; comedians Long Mejia, Eric Nicolas, Bonito and Ryan Bang; character actors Rez Cortez and Baron Geisler; showbiz royalties Epi Quizon, Ramon Christopher Gutierrez, Arlene Muhlach, and Garie Concepcion; youtube sensation Donnalyn Bartolome and heartthrobs Dominic Roque, Markki Stroem and Arron Villaflor.

Out to sway the Kapamilya stars to succumb to his offers of money, the iconic Banker still makes his presence felt with his signature coat, phone gadget, and undisclosed identity.

Witness celebrities help open the briefcases that will change the lives of fellow celebrities on “Kapamilya Deal or No Deal” Mondays to Fridays on TFC. Viewers can also catch the exciting and fun episodes of the game show via TFC’s official online service, TFC.tv right after its Philippine airing.

For more updates, connect with fellow Global Filipinos and visit www.facebook.com/ TFCHongKong.

Jolina Magdangal, Marvin Agustin and Ashley Sarmiento

Desiree del Valle, Rhed Bustamante and Marvin Agustin,

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BS-CBN’s newest drama series “Flordeliza” reminds viewers of the crucial role of the family in molding the hearts and minds of children as it spreads values on its worldwide airing via The Filipino Channel (TFC).

Featuring the highly anticipated return of the ‘90s iconic Kapamilya love team of Jolina Magdangal as Florida and Marvin Agustin as Crisanto, “Flordeliza” is based on the names of the lead characters, Florida and her daughter Flor (Ashley Sarmiento), and Elizabeth (Desiree del Valle) and her child Liza (Rhed Bustamante). “‘Flordeliza’ is a tale of two families and how their two loving mothers and their daughters, will be drawn closer by love but will be torn apart by one sad truth. It will make viewers realize that the love of our family is what really makes us whole,” said Master Storyteller Wenn V. Deramas, who conceptualized the story and will co-direct the series with Tots SanchezMariscal IV. Also part of the “Flordeliza” cast are Carlo Aquino, Elizabeth Oropesa, Tetchie Agbayani, and Juan Rodrigo.

“Flordeliza” shares family values Mondays to Fridays on TFC. Viewers worldwide may also catch the newest series about family via TFC’s official online service TFC.tv, right after its Philippine airing.

For more updates, connect with fellow Global Filipinos and www. facebook.com/TFCHongKong.

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Balitang Hong Kong

StarStudio Magazine is now finally in Hong Kong!

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FC, together with Voice Image Productions, launched the first issue of StarStudio Magazine Hong Kong Edition last February 15 at the Activity Area of Worldwide House.

Kapamilyas joined the festivities by having their photos taken at the photo wall, and participated in the karaoke contest. Doctor Mike Manio also accommodated a question and answer segment where our Kapamilyas raised questions about their health. Sisters Alyssa Ramos (featured in the Bida Kapamilya section of StarStudio HK Edition February issue) performed with her little sister Alyanna.

StarStudio Magazine HK Edition will be regularly distributed for free in partner stores in Worldwide House and at the Philippine Consulate.

COMMUNITY IN ACTION

TFC and VIP Teams with Vice Consul Fatima Guzman

The University of Hong Kong joins Filipinos in celebration of ‘Women’s Month’

SERVICE 100: Domestic Workers Empowerment Project brings Philippine and Hong Kong experts together to help fight breast cancer

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n line with the “Women’s Month,” the University of Hong Kong SERVICE 100: Domestic Workers Empowerment Project in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong and Voice Image Artist Club, invites Filipinos in Hong Kong to the second series of talks dubbed “Health & Nutrition Talks” which will focus on “Awareness on Breast Cancer” on March 15, (Sunday) from

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1:30 to 5:00 pm at the Library Extension 1, The University of Hong Kong.

The HKU CEDARS SERVICE 100: Domestic Workers Empowerment Project which aims to empower domestic workers in Hong Kong, will gather physicians from Manila and Hong Kong in one important date to discuss an even more important discussion on a disease that some women face and some women

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should watch out for. Discussions will cover the common causes of breast cancer, the signs and symptoms and preventive measures.

Certificates will be awarded to participants who attend five out of the six discussions of “Health & Nutrition Talks.” Interested parties can visit facebook.com/HKU SERVICE 100: Domestic Workers Empowerment Project.

Balitang Hong Kong

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH LEA SALONGA Salonga was named a Disney legend for her work with The Walt Disney Company as she provided the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin in 1992 and Fa Mulan in Mulan 1998.

Among the different characters she portrayed, she considers her role as Fantine in Les Miserables as her most challenging. She recalled having only 25 minutes on stage to make and leave an impression on the audience because she died fighting for the cause which Jean Valjean (lead character) believed in. Unlike when she played Kim, there was enough engagement with the audience and a lot of challenges with the two and a half hours, Salonga said. As a Broadway star, Salonga performed almost every day during her stints in Miss Saigon and Les Miserables.

She had to be physically fit and had to rest her vocal cords in order to hit the notes at the best, if not, in the most perfect way. How does she go back to normal after long hours of rehearsals and heavy, dramatic scenes? Salonga said that after her intense performance either on stage or film, she, like other actors, remembers it’s just a role. Like a machine, Salonga automatically resets all her emotions, spends time with a friend to play poker or video games or eat and she’s all set for the next challenge.

COMMUNITY IN ACTION

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orld class performer, one of People Magazine’s Most Beautiful in 1991, multi-awarded actress and the Philippines’ pride, Lea Salonga, recently held a series of concerts with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of her brother Gerard Salonga at the Hong Kong Cultural Arts Centre Concert Hall and Tsuen Wan Town Hall Auditorium respectively.

Captivating the audience with her crystal clear voice, she performed her Broadway hits “I’d Give My Life For You,” “I Dreamed A Dream,” and “On My Own” from Les Miserables.

On Her Own Like OFs for whom she performed for in Hong Kong, Salonga’s road to success began outside the Philippines, specifically in London’s West End. In 1988, Salonga was asked to audition for the role of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon and chose to sing Boublil and Schonberg’s “On My Own” from Les Miserables. Salonga impressed the panel members with her rendition of the song. Every time Salonga would see her audition video, she remembers how extremely nervous she was and had no absolute idea on what was going to happen. Feeling challenged, she tried to learn brand new songs and new compositions. Regardless of the result of the auditions, she had nothing to lose anyway.

During that time Salonga was already ready to take an alternative path as a physician.

For her dramatic performance as Kim in Miss Saigon, Salonga won the Laurence Olivier for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical for 1989-90 and subsequently won the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and the Theatre World for the same role. Salonga was the first Asian actress to play the roles of Eponine and Fantine in the legendary musical Les Miserables. She played the role of street waif Eponine in the 10th Anniversary production of Les Miserables and Fantine in 25th Anniversary of the same musical. In 2011,

She Dreamed a Dream Almost three decades in the business, Salonga’s career expanded. She has dabbled in musical theatre, recordings, concert, movies, endorsements, sold-out performer, TV guestings, writing, and coaching - name it and she has done almost everything. When asked

by StarStudio which phase or chapter of her life is her favorite, she candidly replies, “Whatever phase I am in now, it’s the now that I try to live in. I try to live in the moment as much as possible. Past is past. There is no reason for me to go back as the future may be uncertain but it feels beautiful. So I must rather live in the moment, live it today and enjoy the moment as it is happening.”

A Whole New World Known for her wit and straightforward comments as one of the judges in The Voice of the Philippines, some netizens disagree with her comments or sometimes decisions.

Salonga, an avid user of these social networking sites, does not get affected with bashers. Salonga says, “There’s nothing you can do about people who bash you. It comes along with territory. It’s just that they have become impudent because of the anonymity of the Internet and you cannot do anything about that so I just leave them.

Her Sun and Moon But one thing she cannot part with is her family. Salonga married a Chinese-Japanese Robert Charles Chien with whom he as a

daughter named Nicole Beverly, born in 2006.

As a mother, she is physically affectionate and supportive to her daughter. However, she says, Nicole cannot be spoiled. At a certain instance, Salonga shared how strict she was when she scolded her daughter Nicole for missing a key while playing the piano. But if her daughter gets something right, Salonga would be effusive and very generous with her praise and that encourages her daughter Nicole.

Reflections of Who She is Inside This year Salonga will be 44. What else does the audience expect from her? Salonga is still hopeful for a movie and waiting for her “favorite” leading man to lose some weight before they will start filming. As far as concerts are concerned, she loves to do more as she is comfortable in doing them. Concerts are more fun and relatively not difficult to put together unlike a film. As far as family is concerned, she candidly said “no” when asked if she wanted another baby, especially now that she is 44 and is considered a high risk. During her concert, StarStudio witnessed Salonga’s soulful performance of Filipino classics “Nais Ko” and George Canceso’s medley. The Filipino audience joined Salonga in singing these classic songs. During the interview, StarStudio asked Salonga for advice to OFs in Hong Kong.

She said, “Save your money. Don’t’ indulge in expensive stuff because those things break down, those things get lost. Invest in your children’s education because that is something no one can steal. Also, when retirement day comes, you see something to enjoy.”

She Was But a Small Girl Above all these accomplishments and achievements, Salonga’s number one fan is her devoted mom. Her mom was her champion cheerleader, cook, laundry woman, cleaner, makeup artist, dresser and her believer.

Mommy Ligaya Salonga is the one person who truly believed in her before everyone else did. She has nothing to say but thank her mom for being such a constant force around her and to her brother Gerard. “The two of us would not be who we are without my mom,” Salonga ended.

Lea Salonga at the Philippine Consulate General HK (PCG HK)

Balitang Hong Kong COMMUNITY IN ACTION

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”­ —NELSON MANDELA

UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG OPENS ITS DOORS FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS

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he University of Hong Kong (HKU) opened its doors to 130 domestic workers in January and welcomed them into the campus, dubbed one of the best academic institutions in the world. For the first time in history, HKU, regarded as the top Asian university by the QS World University Rankings for three consecutive years from 2010 to 2013, tapped student ambassadors of HKU’s Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS) SERVICE 100: Domestic Workers Empowerment Project (DWEP) to tour the Filipino domestic workers who were eager to learn and expand their horizon.

Aimed at helping empower domestic workers, the SERVICE 100: Domestic Workers Empowerment Project (DWEP) sought the student volunteers to uproot the Filipino domestic workers from their typical day off on the streets on Sundays. Above all, they wanted to change

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the perception of the majority regarding domestic workers and stop the discrimination against them.

Headed by graduate student John Kubi Akrofi (Medicine PhD in Reproductive Biology), the volunteers from different countries (Belarus, Chile, China, Germany, Ghana, Korea, Luxembourg, Japan, Macau, Netherlands and Philippines) demonstrated a fitness program which included facial muscle exercise. The guests, including the student ambassadors, actively participated in an aerobic routine to relax after their days of work.

After the fitness exercise, the student ambassadors led the guests around the centuryold university, also ranked number one in Asia by the World University Rankings from 2010 to 2011. The tour delegates visited the oldest and newest buildings, the library, museums, monuments, the Lily Pond, the Centennial

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Campus, the Chi Wah Learning Commons and other historical sites and landmarks inside the campus. Student ambassadors essayed historical facts and provided educational insights for the guests.

Beyond the tour, student ambassadors shared their experiences also as students. Aside from sharing their knowledge, student ambassadors also learned from the domestic workers as they talked about the Filipinos’ diverse culture as well.

Consul Charles Macaspac showed his support and encouraged all OFWs to join the HKU CEDARS SERVICE 100: Domestic Workers Empowerment Project, which is dedicated to empowering domestic workers via its Health & Nutrition Talks, service workshops, concerts and publications.

For HKU and the

consulate, education is for everyone.

Following the campus tour, the guests were treated to a sumptuous lunch at Jockey Club Student Village III. The HKU CEDARS SERVICE 100: Domestic Workers Empowerment Project is conducted in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong for all domestic workers. Follow HKU on facebook.com/ HKU SERVICE 100: Domestic Workers Empowerment Project.

Balitang Hong Kong

StarStudio Magazine COMMUNITY Hong Kong Edition is now IN ACTION available in our partner stores

How Bloomberg’s David “Chico” Ingles won over his own ‘Goliaths’

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or this month’s Bida Kapamilya, StarStudio visits Bloomberg presenter David Ingles at his home network where he shares for the first time, his journey from being a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) student to a business journalist.

During the course of the conversation, David also provides a glimpse of his personal life.

The beginning of his journey

David, fondly called “Chico” by his close friends was born in Quezon City, Philippines where he grew up in a family with a law background. His dad and younger brother are both lawyers. David graduated from the Ateneo De Manila University with a degree in business, and followed this up with an MBA in Finance from the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS). Prior to moving to media and journalism, he spent several years in banking and investments.

Before his successful stints in Bloomberg Television, Ingles first worked with ABS-CBN Star Records for nearly seven months as part of the operations, helping out on movie soundtracks.

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BIDA KAPAMILYA

He then flew to Shanghai to learn Mandarin for a year and moved back to Manila for about two years to work in banking before moving back to Shanghai for his MBA. But during those years, because of global financial crisis, it was very difficult to find a job. He then found himself working as parttimer in China Central Television (CCTV).

At first, Ingles thought he would be applying for something else but landed as a presenter instead.

After a year and a half, Ingles received a phone call from Bloomberg inviting him if he would like to join the team. Without any hesitation, he said yes. Just like anybody else, he went through the interview process that took almost two weeks and a screen test. After a month, staying in Shanghai for almost six years, he moved to Hong Kong.

David is fluent in Mandarin and is one of his proudest achievements considering he didn’t speak a single word of it prior to moving to Shanghai.

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The high point of his career

In just a few years, he became one of the famous presenters.

Bloomberg TV is also a global channel. One of the most celebrated

figures in business journalism in Asia, David, and his team provide in-depth coverage of economic, political developments in the region and beyond. He closely follows and comments on international financial markets-from stocks and bonds to currencies and commodities.

Although, he has been in the camera for more than four years, the nature of his work at the newsroom is very fluid and mostly they don’t use scripts (not all the time obviously) and mostly adlib. Hence, leaving it a little bit more open to make small mistakes.

Now, his hard work and perseverance are paying off. David says, “The pressure to always get better in this line of work and to be relevant is my major concern.” He adds that in his job, one should maintain integrity.

“Once you lose your credibility, mahirap gawin iyong job namin. As a journalist, you are there for the truth and that’s really what journalists are for. Whether good or bad, you need to bring the truth to them,” David adds.

Fighting his own Goliath

Over the years, he has been slowly accomplishing his goals, making a mark with his brilliance and eloquence in his role on Bloomberg Television. But, despite his success, there was a time when David couldn’t see any of his current success coming.

David grew up watching Bloomberg and he cannot believe that one day he will be working with these people whom he used to just watch on TV. Feeling nervous during his first day, Ingles had difficulty at first adapting

the fast-paced environment at Bloomberg and also getting used to Bloomberg Terminal (multiple computer screens), which gives real time information on financial market, news, and stocks.

Paying it forward

Among his interviews, one that struck him most was his recent interview with the NBA star Ray Allen, not just because he grew up watching him play basketball but also because David is a huge basketball fan.

When Ray came to the studio, Ingles recalls how he requested the basketball player to sign an autograph and pose for a souvenir photo with him before he would start the interview.

He also admires entrepreneurs who start their own business and are very passionate about the thing they do. For his dream interview, he wishes to interview a fellow journalist.

Given the opportunity to pay it forward to budding journalists, he advises others in the same situation: “Don’t lose hope and be patient. Huwag kang magpaloko at huwag kang manloloko. Just keep at it.” He never dreamed of working in front of a camera, but he now loves what he does and feels blessed. SSM asked David that if he was not a journalist now, what he could have been. He firmly believes he could be a banker.

For the aspiring journalists, he gives this piece of advice: “What I have learned is that you must follow the story. You have to be fair and present it in a neutral way.” On the other side of the fence, David adds that he

continues to learn as well. He considers his colleagues as his mentors and learns each day from these people whom he usually just watched during his younger years.

The other side of David

Behind the camera, StarStudio tries to probe who David Ingles is.

For more than three years, David has called Hong Kong home, and now finds quiet time and solace from the crowd at his Midlevels apartment. When he wakes up at four in the morning he usually says a silent prayer, turns the TV on to do yoga (to fix a bad back), freshens up with his favorite scents “Issey Miyaki or Bvlgari” and then dresses before going to the office. David goes to the office very early around five in the morning from Monday to Friday, to refresh, prepare and do some research before he goes on air. He also attends the 5:30 a.m. editorial meeting to discuss what would be the coverage of the show before the live broadcast at 7 in the morning. Ten minutes before the live show, he would reflect back on his script and organize his thoughts.

Before moving abroad to pursue further studies and working professionally, he used to be a member of the Ateneo football team, and on his last year, captained the team to a UAAP championship. That team then went on to win 2 more after he left. Ingles also played on several of National Youth Football teams, having also played for the Azkals for a year. But since he moved to Hong Kong, he has been opting to sleep and relax every weekend after a stressful week’s workload.

Into his world

painting by a Filipino painter called “God” in his flat which he bought in a gallery in Hong Kong.

On the other side of his living room, he has pictures of his daughter’s growing up years and reminisces the time they spend together while traveling in Tokyo Disneyland and Barcelona. David says he misses his daughter very much and promises to make up to her for the days he has been gone.

He prays that she and the rest of his family continue to have good health.

Family comes first

Despite his many achievements, especially as one of the best in his field, David truly continues to carry the Filipino values of a loving son. This humble guy thanks not only the Lord for his blessings but also his parents. Without their help, without their support, their presence during good and the bad times, David says, he wouldn’t be where he is today. He tells them, “Genuinely from the bottom of my heart I thank you. It’s really both of you who helped me through and get me where I am. I am sure you are also the happiest people in the world for me. Thank you very much and I love you guys.”

To end, the StarStudio team challenged him to a game. The team tasked him to describe himself per category, in one line.

As a Filipino citizen: “Proud dahil kaunti lang kami sa business na ito na Filipino.

There’s Rico Hizon (BBC) and Cathy Yang (I used to work with her).”

As a colleague: “I am an icebreaker, I try and make things light. More relaxed.”

David’s hectic schedule also cannot provide him the comfort of cooking his own meal even if he can cook traditional Filipino food like Adobo, Sinigang. In his own kitchen, he usually just cooks in bigger proportions that can last him for a week. He adds though that Japanese cuisine is his top choice.

During weekends, he usually invites his friends to his flat for gatherings. He has a wine collection ranging from white (his favorite) to red wines which he enjoys drinking with friends.

In his closet, he has around 70 neckties as part of his collections. He uses the ties in his collection largely as part of his work.

Inside his closet, we also found a “boxing gloves” which he used to use for boxing.

In his living room, he has a big television where David spends hours watching news, “American Idol,” “Friends” (his absolute favorite), and “Brothers and Sisters.” His favorite movie is “The Godfather 1 and 2.”

On the corner side of his living room, StarStudio team find books which he admits he really enjoys. He also has an abstract

As a father: “I am trying my best. I have a daughter based in the Philippines. I really hope I could be there more. Working in Hong Kong, it helps dahil malapit. I can fly every so often. I hope to be there more.”

As a son: “Hashtag sana proud sila (laughs).”

As a boyfriend: “You have to ask (his girlfriend her travel buddy) her for that.”

Since he worked with ABS-CBN before, the StarStudio team also asked whom he would like to portray him if his life would be featured in Maalaala Mo Kaya (MMK) and he prefers John Loyd Cruz or Aga Muhlach or even both. He pushes it further and says he wants Anne Curtis to be his screen partner.

With a clear goal for himself, work-wise and even beyond, and with a hunger for excellence that for shall never be satisfied, David is set to face more challenges and go places.

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A Mother’s Tale

OF Marietta Sunga essays her life like a movie sans the unnecessary drama but with all the happy ending

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he famous lines spoken by Vilma Santos in the movie “Anak” speaks well of how overseas Filipinos (OF) feel taking care for others when they themselves could not look out for their own kids. In a conservative society guided by traditions, norms and beliefs, it is truly fascinating how women perform the role of breadwinners and give up their chosen careers for a chance to work in a foreign land and improve their families’ lives. Uncertain about their future, some may end up with a good story others may not. What is important to them is the realization of their dreams for their loved ones back home. StarStudio features an inspiring story of a mother who tirelessly devoted her time and sacrifice personal happiness to give a better future for her family.

In 1991, Marietta Sunga decided to leave the country (Philippines) for greener pastures by working as a domestic in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). She always remembers the lonely nights she had to endure for three years, with a voice tape and letter as her only means of communication to her family during those times. “Ilang beses akong umiyak at nangulila sa mga mahal ko sa buhay dahil sa unang pagkakataon, nawalay ako sa aking dalawang anak at pinakamamahal kong asawa,” Marietta remembers. To fill in her loneliness and boredom, Marietta would find telephone booths to communicate with her family.

After her three-year contract in KSA and seeing the need to take care of her family of

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“…gaano kasakit sa akin aang mag-alaga ng mga batang hindi ko kaano-ano samantalang kayo, kayong mga anak ko, hindi ko man lang maalagaan. Alam mo ba kung gaano kasakit iyon sa isang ina?”

—Vilma Santos in Anak

BIDA KAPAMILYA

four kids personally, she decided not to renew her contract with her Saudi employer and went home to be reunited with her family.

Based on studies, it is typical for some OFWs to spend their monthly salaries for their families’ day-to-day needs and Marietta admits she is one of them. She saved what she could only in her last few months in Saudi Arabia. “Sabi ko sa sarili ko, I need to do something kasi lumalaki yung mga bata at lumalaki na rin ang gastos. Kahit nagwowork ang asawa ko, kailangan magtulungan kami para sa future ng mga bata at para sa amin,” she adds.

She was convinced by her cousin to work again overseas and applied for work in Hong Kong. Forced by circumstances, she further experienced a downhill journey. Backed by her previous experience in Saudi and driven by her goal for her family, she then experienced an uphill.

Marietta shared that her employer cannot speak English neither she can speak Chinese so the only means of communication is by sign language.

She had difficulty at first but later on, gradually accepted. Surprisingly, since she came to Hong Kong in the mid-90s, she has been with the same employer for 20 years.

“Sabi ko nga sa employer ko, kung gusto nila akong tumagal sa kanila they should accept me at ituring nila akong kapamilya”. During her first few months, she vividly remembers

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Marietta’s family

her experience taking care of the eldest son (four years old that time and is now 25 years old and a lawyer) and later on with the youngest son (now 18 years old and a first year university student). “I could not imagine taking care of these kids na lumaki na sa akin. Hindi ko man sila kadugo, napamahal at itinuturing ko silang mga anak din,” Marietta says in true Vilma Santos form.

Marietta recounts, “Binaling ko ang aking attention sa mga inaalagaan kung mga bata. Mga batang hindi nanggaling sa akin, para kahit papaano maibsan ang lungkot na nararamdaman ko sa pamilyang iniwan ko sa Pilipinas at para makapagbigay ako ng magandang buhay sa kanila. Hindi ko inaasahan na magkakaroon din ako ng isa pang anak na abogado (lawyer). Passionate

Kids of Marietta’s employers

Eldest son Eric

and dedicated, she even asked to clean her employer’s three flats without any complaint.

“Ang inisip ko kailangan kong pagbutihin ang aking trabaho para masiyahan ang aking amo,” Marietta shares. She seldom goes out during her day off as she believes it would be better to stay home and chat with her family back home.

Just like any other mom who wishes all the best for their kids for whatever dreams they have with all the support she can give. Marietta regrets that she did not finish college. She wanted to be a police woman but because of financial difficulties she needed to stop and reached first year only. “Kaya pinilit kong mag-ibang bansa para matustusan ko ang pag-kokolehiyo ng dalawa kong anak lalo na sa kursong Nursing. Ano man ang hindi ko nakamit sa buhay lalo na ang college diploma, I would like to see my kids achieve. That is why I ended up sacrificing for my kids, mapagtapos ko lang sila. Now that Eric, my eldest and Ralp, my youngest are nurses, worth it lahat ng sakripisyo ko sa kanila at siyempre sa lahat ng ito hindi ko magagawa kung wala din ang asawa ko at ang lola nila na naging kaantabay habang wala ako sa tabi nila,” Marietta ends.

In the process, Marietta said she missed birthdays and graduations because she chose to save her airfare for her children’s tuition fee. With tears in her eyes she muses “Napakasakit isipin na sa kanilang pagtatapos hindi ko man sila nayakap at nakasama sa entablado para sabitan ng medalya at kasamang tanggapin ang kanilang diploma. Alam ng aking mga anak how much I love them at kung gaano ako ka-proud bilang isang ina kahit nandito ako sa Hong Kong at malayo sa kanila. Batid nila ang aking pinagdaanan at sakripisyong hinarap mapagtapos ko lang sila at mabigyan ng magandang bukas.”

Youngest son Raph during his graduation

Every time she goes on vacation, Marietta would pamper her kids with so much love and time not with expensive gifts, but with inspiring stories of what she went through the years. “Kaya pag umuuwi ako, kahit malalaki na sila para ko pa rin silang mga baby. I usually go sa room nila pag gabi and I check them kung okay sila.”

Unlike in the movie “Anak,” Marietta’s kids are well-disciplined. “I am very happy and proud kasi hindi sila naging pasaway at naging mabubuti silang anak. Ako na yata ang pinaka-proud na mother nung napagtapos ko sila. My children are the reason I laugh, smile and get eager to work every day,” Marietta beams.

During her birthday, Marietta got the reward she deserved most. Her husband and kids surprised her when they visited Hong Kong to celebrate her birthday. She says that was her most memorable experience.

“Ito na yata ang pinakaaasam-asam at pinakamaligayang araw ko bilang isang ina

at bilang isang magulang kasi nabuo ang aming pamilya kasama ang aking asawa dito sa Hong Kong. Kahit na ilang araw lang, para ko na silang nakasama ng isang buong taon.”

During the visit, Marietta’s family witnessed her life here in Hong Kong. She told her family, “This is my life, I have nothing to be ashamed of. This is my work. Without my work, I may not have been able to send you to school and I may not be able to give you what you have now if it wasn’t for my work.”

Her eldest son Eric tried to convince his mom to settle down and go home but Marietta insisted she needed five years more and then she will go back home for good. In the twenty years she worked overseas, she was finally able to save and invest in two passenger jeepneys, a land, two apartment units, and a tricycle. She is aiming for a dream house before she retires and reunites with her loved ones.

In the end, Marietta wants to impart this message to young kids whether biological or not. “I wish na ang mga batang inaalagaan namin ay maging matulungin sa kanilang mga magulang, mag-aaral sila ng mabuti at mag-iipon sila habang bata pa, para pagtanda nila at bubuo na sila ng sariling pamilya, kaya na nilang tumayo sa sarili nilang paa.”

She stresses, “Sa aking mga kababayang OFWs, we must keep our family intact.

Maraming tukso dito sa Hong Kong.

Remember, ang pangunahing dahilan bakit tayo nandito sa Hong Kong ay para magtrabaho at mag-earn para mabigyan ng magandang bukas ang mga mahal natin sa buhay.”

Every overseas Filipino has a reason why he or she decides to go overseas. One thing though is for sure – they all want to earn and support their families and their relatives back home. For some who have not experienced challenges, they should be thankful for what they have because others, like Marietta have struggled or are still struggling to make their life easy and comfortable. Marietta, backed with her unconditional love for her family and driven by her dreams for them, got what is the best for her family and her kids in the end. It is truly a tale, like a movie worth retelling.

Marietta with her friends in Hong Kong

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BIDA KAPAMILYA

S

tarStudio’s post-Valentine’s launch in Hong Kong was a scene straight of a movie premiere as kababayans from different parts of the island gathered to show their support for The Filipino Channel’s (TFC) new offering. Like movie stars, overseas Filipinos (OFs) walked proudly as they showed their Sunday’s best. In true fashionistas mode, our kababayans ‘worked it’ on the red carpet and gamely shared the rhyme and reason behind their outfits. For more photos, like TFC Hong Kong Facebook page (www.facebook.com/TFCHongkong) and check out the album StarStudio Hong Kong Edition Launch – Photo Wall Pictures.

Fashionitas show their Sunday’s Best at the StarStudio HK launch

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MEN CAN ALSO GET BREAST CANCER PLUS OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE In celebration of “Women’s Month,” we present the second leading cause of cancer death among women - “Breast Cancer”.

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alignant (mapaminsala at agresibo) tumor (bukol) of the breast is a group of cancer cells that may grow rapidly and invade surrounding tissues or spread to distant areas of the body. Majority of breast cancer patients experience the following signs and symptoms including: a.

Lump (bukol) on the left upper side of the breast that feels different from adjacent tissue b. Bloody nipple discharge (pagdaloy ng dugo sa utong) c. Changes in size and shape, with uneven or irregular border of the breast d. Dimpling or retracted (talikwasan or paglubog ng balat) skin over the breast e. Inverted nipple (condition where the nipple, instead of pointing outward, turned inward) f. Flaking or scaling of the nipple (skin becomes dry and cracked) g. Redness or pitting of

the skin over the breast (similar to the skin of an orange) Experts have identified the risks contributing to breast cancer. Around five to 10 percent of breast cancers are linked to gene mutations (permanent damage or change in the sequence of DNA-hereditary traits from an individual) passed through generations of families. It is likely that this cancer is caused by multifactorial interaction, which may include one’s genetic composition, food, and the environment.

Clinical studies revealed that patients with cancer in one breast have increased risk of developing cancer in the other breast. Patients receiving radiation therapy, are bordering on the obese, and are drinking alcohol excessively have increased risk of breast cancer.

Meantime, the following are associated with increased risk of developing breast cancer: having your period at the age of 12, having menopause at an older age, giving birth to a first child after age 35 or never experiencing pregnancy, and taking hormonal medications like estrogen and progesterone

BIG C

BY: MICHAEL M. MANIO, MD, MHPED, PHD

to treat menopause.

According to studies, one in eight women will get breast cancer in her lifetime.

Although it occurs mainly in women, men can get it, too.

Many people are not aware that men can be affected and that they can develop breast cancer.

All people, both men and women, carry the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. These genes keep the cells from making mistakes while dividing and reproducing.

However, if you inherit a faulty copy, it can increase your chances of having breast cancer as much as 87 percent.

In cases you tested positive for gene mutation, a preventive mastectomy (surgical removal of all or part of the breast and sometimes associated lymph nodes and muscles) may be considered as it decreases the risk of developing breast cancer to around three percent.

This preventive measure requires a lot of thinking and psychological preparation. It is recommended to have an early detection-screening program, annual mammograms, breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and clinical breast exams every six to 12 months.

If patient is negative for gene mutation, the BRCA genes are

only one of the parameters of the potential risk-screening test.

If cancer runs in your family, early detection program is recommended. But how much do you know about your mother’s or sister’s health condition? What about her mother or your father’s mother? If you have a strong family history of ovarian or breast cancer, this dictates your chances of being at risk. The closer the affected family member or relative and the younger she was when diagnosed, the more watchful one should be. Blood test that may help to check for gene mutations is necessary.

Despite therapeutic breakthroughs in medicine, breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer deaths. Health information drives like on self-breast exams is important. If you suspect breast lumps and abnormal changes, please visit your physician for proper evaluation and treatment. Remember that prevention is better than cure.

References: www.mayoclinic.org Women’s Health September 2013 Pathologic Basis of Disease by Robbins latest edition

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