NGAYONG July 28 na ang naglalabasang balita ng kasalang Maine Mendoza at Arjo Atayde.

At hindi naman maikakaila at maitatanggi na si Maine at Alden Richards ay naging malaking bahagi ng buhay ng bawat isa.

Nang makausap nga namin si Alden sa naging mediacon ng “Battle of the Judges,” ang bagong programa ng GMA-7 kunsaan siya ang host, nahingan namin siya ng reaksiyon sa nalalapit na kasal ni Maine.

“Very much,” ang mabilis na pagsang-ayon naman ni Alden.

“Maine Mendoza has been a very huge part of my life. Hindi ko alam kung gano’n din ako sa kanya, pero ako, that’s how I feel.

“Parang hindi ako masyadong naging vocal about this for the longest time, but I think, this is the right time.

“Malaki ang pasasalamat ko sa kanya, sa pagtiwala niya sa akin. Although, we may had some differences and misunderstanding in the past, but at least, we remained good friends.

“At ngayon nga po, parang nawalan ng possibility na makabalik ako sa ‘Eat…Bulaga!’ it’s because of different networks and exclusive po ako, medyo nakakalungkot.”

Pero ayon kay Alden, “Now that she’s going to a path na talagang naikukuwento na niya sa akin na talagang gusto niya. Kasi si Maine, very planned ang buhay. Very goal-oriented.

“By the age na ganito, ganito na dapat. So, ngayon na nandiyan siya ngayon, of course, with Arjo, siguro yung naibibigay ni Arjo sa kanya is yung talagang love na deserve niya.

“And I’m very happy and sincerely na sinasabi ko yun sa kanya. I really wished her well and sana, wherever she is now, I know that she’s very happy and for the longest time, she deserves that.

“And yun ang dapat para sa mga taong nagta-trabaho, who are hardworking. And parang biglaan din po ang dating sa buhay ni Maine ng show business. So, I think, this is her rewards.”

Siyempre, natanong din si Alden kung may pupuntahan ba siyang kasalan sa July 28, sey niya na natatawa, busy raw yata siya.

Safe to say sabihin na hindi siya invited, huh.

***

POSIBLENG nasa London na ngayon si Bela Padilla.

Pero bago ito lumipad papuntang London, nag-South Korea muna siya.

Grabe rin ang naging schedules ni Bela dahil pagkatapos na pagkatapos niya ng shooting ng movie nila ni JC Santos, nag-launch ito kinabukasan ng kanyang skincare line, ang “Aera.”

Partner si Bela ng Aera at talagang proud na proud ito sa kanyang produkto na all manufactured in South Korea. May ipinakita sa aming photo si Bela nang nangyari sa kanyang skin kunsaan, nag-break-out itong talaga noong December.

Nahihiya pang ipakita o i-post ni Bela ang picture niya na at that time raw, hindi raw talaga siya lumalabas.

Pero naging daan daw ‘yun para ma-prove ni Bela na effective at maganda talaga ang product nila. At wala rin etchos, sinubukan naming gamitin at maganda nga talaga.

Sabi ni Bela, “I’ve learned my lesson kasi before, nag-business na rin ako ng skin care line, pero hindi naging successful. Now, I partnered with the right people na matagal na talaga sa ganitong business.”

Sa isang banda, hindi pa masabi ni Bela kung kailan siya muling babalik ng bansa. Posible raw kasi na next year na, not unless ang movie nila ni JC ay ipalalabas na nga ngayong September, baka raw umuwi muna siya.

Habang nasa London, do’n daw siya nakakagawa ng ibang work niya tulad ng pagsusulat ng script.

(ROSE GARCIA)

SA Instagram post ni Queen of All Media Kris Aquino, isiniwalat niya sa mahabang post na “hiwalay” na raw sila ng kanyang boyfriend, bestfriend, at confidante na si Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste.

Kasama ang isang larawan nila ni VG Mark, sinimulan niya ito ng, “This is a long overdue Gratitude post. Marc (yes it’s with a C) @markleviste is leaving to go home to fulfill his obligations to his Batangas constituents.

“Nobody I’ve ever been in a relationship with has ever given me as much love & encouragement. He wasn’t only my boyfriend, he became my best friend and confidante, talagang maaasahan. The usage of WAS is correct.”

Hindi rin itinago ni Kris ang tungkol sa kanyang lumalang health condition, “My condition (the connective tissue disease which in my case seems to be my Churg Strauss, the progression of my Crest Syndrome, and the start of both rheumatoid arthritis and SLE) has gotten progressively worse, from all my physical manifestations (namamaga both my right & left knees, there’s excruciating pain especially on my entire left leg, and my right knee, swelling in my lower back, and purplish blue toenails (the pain is so bad that taking a few steps kinakaya ko BUT longer walks kailangan nang mag wheelchair.)”

“I asked Marc for a pause because with my condition the way it is now, I’m self aware enough to know that a long distance relationship will be next to impossible for us to maintain.

“For the Filipinos working all over the world, I know I’m blessed to have Kuya Josh & Bimb with me- but most moms reading this will agree, we don’t want our kids to suffer from anxiety about our health, especially kung solo parent ka like me,” kuwento ng mommy nina Josh at Bimby.

“To A.L. and C.L. thank you for being so warm, polite, appreciative and so easy to get along. Like I promised while your dad’s not around consider the home we’ve leased to be yours as well.

“Thank you Marc for being here for me especially when my 2 ‘giants’ went home BUT our reality is that there’s a Pacific Ocean that divides us, a 15 hour time difference, and a 13 hour flight.

“You know how much I believe in you and the last thing I want is to be an obstacle in your career as a public servant. This isn’t just a line, you will always have a place in my heart.

“We may not have had our ‘happily ever after’ but being sick has really taught me to look at the glass half full- thank you for giving me the chance to again experience the magic of Once Upon a Time,” pagtatapos pa ni Kris na puno ng pasasalamat kay VG Marc.

Reaction naman ng mga netizen:

“Knowing how brutally honest Kris is, she only has good words for Vice Gov. I guess he really has good intentions for Kris kaya lang mahirap talaga ang LDR and he has a province to take care of as he promised to his constituents during election period. Who knows pag nag-align ang stars for them, sila rin pala together in the end.”

“Good. I, for one, am glad to hear this. Take care of yourself muna Kris. Wag mo na dagdagan ang stress mo.”

“May mga nangba-bash na kasi kay marc. wala daw sa work at panay na lang bantay kay kris. as if hindi pwedeng idesignate ang mga works while he is not in his hometown. duh bahala kayo dyan! felt sorry for both of them. pagmamahalang wala sa panahon!

“Baka kaya sinagot then nakipagbreak para matigil na. Charot! tagal na kaya niya umaaligid. Buti na lang si Tetay alam na priority ang health at anak. Si Vice Gov, inuna pagtravel, nakalimutan elected politician siya.

In fairness, may nagpupursue parin talaga kay Kris. Yun nga lang, they tend to underestimate the amount of care Kris needs becauase of her condition. At least nag-try. And they are at the age na pag di talaga pwede, di ipipilit kesa magkadramahan. That’s maturity. I expect nothing less from them.”

“Can’t Kris experience love esp now she’s sick? Bihira na lang may magtyaga sa ganyang may pinagdadaanan but she chose to be alone and not be a burden to the guy. Give her some slack.”

“Feel better soon Kris. Agree ako sayo sobrang hirap ng LDR especially in your case. Mark can always visit you naman. I don’t like Mark Leviste as a whole (trapo, pampam, etc) but it looks like he admires you genuinely naman. I’m sure he will continue to help you out in whatever way.”

“With all her health issues, I’m surprised she entered another romantic relationship. She was already experiencing a health crisis when she got engaged to the last one. Oh well, iba ka talaga Kris. I hope you get well soonest.”

(ROHN ROMULO)

KUWENTO ng APO Hiking Society members na sina Jim Paredes at Boboy Garrovillo na mayroon silang mga personal na paborito mula sa kanilang hit songs na nagsilbing daan para sa pag-usbong ng Original Pinoy Music.

Sa ‘Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel’, sinabi nina Jim at Boboy na hindi lang isang kanta ang paborito nila bilang grupo.

Para kay Boboy, paborito niya ang “Awit ng Barkada,” “Nakapagtataka,” “Kaibigan,” at ang kanta ng pumanaw nilang kagrupo na si Danny Javier na “Care.”

Para naman kay Jim, personal niyang paborito ang “Pumapatak Ang Ulan,” “When I Met You,” at “Panalangin.”

Kilala man dahil sa pagsulat ng kanilang mga kanta, inilahad din nina Jim at Boboy na mayroon din naman silang mga awitin na hindi sila ang sumulat.

Ito ang mga kantang “Ewan” at “Anna,” dahil ang sumulat nito ay ang legendary OPM composer na si Louie Ocampo.

Ang kanta naman na “Saan Na Nga Ba’ng Barkada” na may tema tungkol sa mga pagkakaibigan na nagsimula sa eskwelahan ay isinulat ni Jim ilang taon matapos ang kanilang graduation.

Ayon sa APO Hiking Society, maraming tao na mula sa iba’t ibang larangan ang nakare-relate sa kanilang mga kanta dahil na rin sa mga kuwentong nasa likod ng mga awitin.

“I think for a lot of our followers, it has become the soundtrack of their lives. Like we have songs for OFW, we have songs for heartbreak. We have songs for newlyweds, we have songs for getting married,” sabi ni Jim.

“I think we’ve covered a lot of spaces in the person’s life,” pagpapatuloy pa niya.

Sinabi naman ni Boboy na isinusulat nila ang kanilang mga kanta para magkuwento.

“Walang time ‘yun e, walang old or new doon e, kasi the story is the same—that are heartfelt, you will feel it at any age. So ngayon, even the young kids when they listen to old music like ours, they realize ‘oo nga no, there’s a look at the story,” aniya.

“It’s not nanggagaya ng iba, it’s not repetitive. There’s a real story going on,” pagpapatuloy ni Boboy.

Magkakaroon ng dalawang gabing concert ang APO Hiking Society sa Hulyo 15 at 16 para sa kanilang ika-50 anibersaryo.

Bukod kina Boboy at Jim, miyembro rin ng APO Hiking Society si Danny Javier, na pumanaw noong nakaraang taon sa edad na 75, na for sure nami-miss na nila ng husto.

(RUEL J. MENDOZA)