Councilor Kim takes a bride

Curtain-raisers:

• Another Valentine Girl who turned a year wiser yesterday is Donna Cruz (Mrs. Yong Larrazabal), now semi-retired from showbiz and based in Cebu, expecting the birth of her and Yong’s second child.

• Watch out for a new gag show on ABS-CBN, topbilling Cesar Montano and Bayani Agbayani, to be telecast from 10 to 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 26 (a Tuesday). Cesar and Bayani were together (with Maricel Soriano) in the defunct ABS-CBN sitcom Kaya ni Mister, Kaya ni Misis.

• Funfare congratulates GMA’s Roberto "Bobby" Barreiro who was recently chosen one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) for 2001, cited for "public service in broadcast media." The GMA Network’s SVP and TV Group Head is instrumental in giving the public such public-affairs programs as Frontpage, I-Witness and Jessica Soho Reports, all of which have received several awards and citations, including the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award (for Jessica).

* * *

It’s not just one wedding ceremony but two for Manila Councilor Kim Atienza, 35, and Felicia Hung, 32, who fell in love at first sight one and a half years ago. The first ceremony will be held at the San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila (Kim’s bailiwick) on March 7 and the second (nuptial blessing) on March 9 at the Holy Family Parish in San Andres district (also Kim’s territory), with the 25 barangay captains as ninong/ninang. The March 7 reception will be held at Puerta Real (also in Intramuros) and the March 9 reception at a public area.

"Why two ceremonies and two receptions?" asked Kim the other night over dinner at a Japanese restaurant at the Rizal Park. "Well, we can’t accommodate all the guests in just one reception, so that’s it."

Felicia was born in the Philippines (where she also grew up) to Taiwanese parents. A cum laude Business Management graduate from Wharton, she has a brother (based in Pennsylvania). Fluent in Spanish, English and Mandarin (she’s still learning to speak good Tagalog), Felicia is described by Kim as "intelligent and elegant, but can also be ‘adjustable,’ at ease and at-home both in a carinderia and a five-star hotel fine-dine restaurant."

And independent-minded, too.

As Kim recalled, Felicia was about to fly to London to negotiate with Meryll Lynch which was pulling out of the Philippines (she and some partners ended up buying into the company) when their paths crossed, having been introduced to each other by a mutual friend. It was a case of two right people meeting at the right time, falling in love at first sight. He didn’t have a girlfriend at that time and she didn’t have a boyfriend, so what were they waiting for?

"She was supposed to leave for London in two days," added Kim, "but I pursued her. I was travelling to Europe and I made it a point to drop by London and see her. How did I win her? Well, maybe unlike other guys I didn’t try very hard to impress her."

Geneva Cruz, once romantically linked to Kim (who insists that they’re just good friends), will sing at the wedding. Kim and Felicia (now Meryll Lynch VP for Philippines and Indonesia) don’t have an idea what song (the couple’s theme song, maybe?) Geneva is going to sing.

Kris Aquino has agreed to be among the principal sponsors, together with Belen Martel (of Harrison Plaza), lawyer and TV host Katrina Legarda, Belen Velarde (wife of Bro. Mike who’s also a ninong), Henry Sy, Totoy Uy and George Go.

After the wedding, Kim and Felicia will fly to Maldives for a month-long honeymoon and settle down first in his bachelor’s pad when they come back.

Now, how will Felicia react to Kim’s pet snakes?

"They’re gone," said Kim. "I’ve donated them to the Manila Zoo, along with some other pets."

Another big break for Kaye

Although she’s doing well in television (as the underdog in Tabing-Ilog, being maltreated at every turn by the quarrelsome Jennifer Sevilla), Kaye Abad is getting more meaty breaks in the movies, such as her role as a prostitute (which required her to smoke which she did convincingly even if she doesn’t smoke at all in real life) in the Maricel Soriano starrer Mila and in her latest assignment, Maverick Films’ Batas ng Lansangan where she plays the daughter of no less than Da King, FPJ.

It was actually Susan Roces (FPJ’s wife) who recommended Kaye for the Batas role after Susan saw her in Tabing-Ilog (the ABS-CBN Sunday mid-afternoon teledrama). "I thank Tita Susan for that," said Kaye, who’s turning 20 on Feb. 17. "I thought that Tito Ronnie (FPJ) was a seryosong tao, kasi everytime I’d see in his movies lagi siyang nakapamaywang. It turned out that he’s a funny guy in real life, mahilig mag-joke. I also noticed that his voice in the movies is different from his voice off-camera. Softer ang kanyang voice in real life."

One time, related Kaye, she mentioned that she wanted to eat sinigang na baboy. True enough, the following (shooting) day, FPJ ordered sinigang na baboy for her. FPJ has always been like that – concerned with the welfare of his co-stars – and Kaye said it made her feel "important" and "special."

First to be shot among her scnees with FPJ was their confrontation scene where Kaye pours out all her bitterness toward him, all the while crying buckets. Yes, Kaye admitted, "I cry easily. Emotional kasi ako, e. Even the smallest things make me cry."

Kaye has just broken up with John Lloyd Cruz after going "MU" (Mutual Understanding) with him for eight months. John Lloyd is now romantically linked to Ciara Sotto, but Kaye remains unperturbed. "John Lloyd and I have remained friends," said Kaye. "Even on the set of Tabing-Ilog, friends pa rin kami."

What’s up?

• St. Scho is holding a fair starting today (until Feb. 17) at the Leon Guinto (Manila) campus. Called Peace-tahan, the fair features fun booths, rides, food stalls, etc. Entrance fee is P25 per.

• St. Mary’s College (SMC) Alumni Foundation president Fe Silica Arellano announces the holding of an SMC homecoming on its Quezon City campus on Feb. 23, 1 to 9 p.m. For particulars, call 427-2771 or 0917-5305170.

• Casino Mimosa tonight presents Ai-Ai delas Alas in concert, with Troy Montero as special guest. Tickets are priced at P1,000 and P500. On Feb. 22, Casino Mimosa will have Pops Fernandez as featured singer.