Mga Halo-Halong Hula-Hula 2018

What will the Dog bow-wow this year?

It’s time once again to dust off the Crystal Ball and shuffle the tarot cards and check what the heavenly stars have in store for earthbound stars. In hindsight, I just realized that this New Year Hula-Hula is a decades-old “tradition” and I’m glad to say that the annual batting average is, blush-blush-blush, 99.99 percent.

As I’ve been confessing year in and year out since the mid-’70s (yes, that long, long time ago!), it’s easy to predict the fates of showbiz denizens. All you have to do is review movie columns (such as this one), check the social media and, woe of woes, review your tapes of the late unlamented showbiz talk shows (like Startalk and The Buzz).

Anyway, now that you have (hopefully) rung out the old and rung in the new, swept away the negative (remember, if you sow hate, expect to reap hate even from people that you have loved and lost, sob and sigh!) and swept in the positive (which attracts good karma), sit back and relax and see what the Year of the Dog (photo, top, which starts next month, according to the Chinese Calendar) bow-wows for the stars who make yours and our lives a bit more exciting through the 12 months of the every year.

The Wide-Awake Items

John Lloyd Cruz and Ellen Adarna will get married at a beach wedding (probably in the vicinity of a five-star hotel in Ellen’s native Cebu) anytime soon. By then, they can freely and officially make the much-awaited important announcement (confirmation), if you know what I mean.

Heart Evangelista and husband Sen. Chiz Escudero will finally buckle down to working on their first joint venture — yes, a baby — especially since Heart’s GMA soap My Korean Jagiya is ending and she will have more free time.

Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Lahbati will have another baby boy in two months time or even earlier, and Kuya Zion will happily welcome his little brother.

The release of Mark Bautista’s tell-all memoir, Beyond My Mark, might have to be postponed because some parties insist on going over the manuscript. It’s called pre-censorship, isn’t it? Otherwise, a TRO (Temporary Restraining Order) would be served on the book being published by Viva Publishing.

Although the APT company of Antonio “Mr. T” Tuviera is deadset on producing the second movie of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza, the non-lovers-only-friends might stay apart for a while (as they are now on Eat, Bulaga!, with Alden at the studio and Maine with the Lolas in Juan For All/All For Juan).

Willie Revillame will make a surprise announcement about a major revamp of his Wowowin show. Heads have rolled (out) and new (pretty) heads will roll (in). Stay tuned.

Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes might put on hold their plan to have another baby this year because they are tied down with projects. The stork can wait. Dingdong is preparing for something in 2019.

Sadly, the universe might turn a bit bleaker for Pia Wurtzbach and Marlon Stockinger if temptation succeeds in luring them to keep their eyes away from each other and on other “attractions.” But love (if strong and true) will prevail.

Even if Luis Manzano and Jessy Mendiola have been vocal in shouting to the whole wideworld that there’s “forever” between them, seconded by Luis’ mom Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos, wedding bells won’t ring for them this year — unless they prove this manghuhula wrong.

What about inseparable sweethearts Angel Locsin and Neil Arce who, like Angel’s ex Luis, have been titillating showbiz-watchers with their very public romance? Next question, please!

The Blind Corner

The musical-chairs game will continue as stars (some of them near have-beens) switch loyalty between the major networks Kapuso and Kapamilya.  

 An executive of a big network will announce her retirement. Being a haligi (strong post) of the company, she is hard to replace.

 Those close to him have long known his sexual preference and a certain actor will make the hard/painful decision of finally “outing” himself. Do whatever will make you happy, right?

 A popular loveteam will split up. Short but not-so-sweet prediction.

 A young actress will get pregnant out of wedlock but will not marry the “culprit.”

 A major change will happen at a big network. How many heads will roll?

 A not-so-young love team (real-life sweethearts) will stop pretending (putting up a front) that all’s hunky-dory between them and face the hurting truth that they are not meant for each other…especially since a juicy offer is being dangled before her by a producer. Career or love? She chooses career.

 A controversy will rock the “beauty” business. So what else is new?

A well-loved lady producer will pass on the “baton” of her empire to her eldest daughter. Oops! A not-so-blind item…that!

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)