Is it over between Juday and Ryan?

Have Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncilllo called it quits? This is reportedly the reason why Ryan did not accompany the actress in her recent trip to Guam. But the item is just plain rumor since Juday and Ryan are still very much together.

Even the issue that Ryan failed to get a visa that's why he was not able to join in her trip to Guam after the lovebirds got together in Singapore was also another product of rumor mills. The truth is Ryan got a five-year visa. But he got sick in Singapore and he was advised by his doctor to have complete bed rest for two weeks and to refrain from any strenuous physical activity, and work included.

The TV host turned actor appeared in the episode of "Maalaala Mo Kaya" last Thursday where he played the role of a taong grasa, which earned him good reviews. He showed depth and maturity in tackling his role. Ryan impressed quite a number of people with his performance that he has been offered to play the lead role in an indie film that will pay tribute to his friend, the late Luigi Santiago, the director of "Nginiiig."

The still untitled indie film will also feature 2005 Ms. International Precious Lara Quigaman and Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista. Ryan's also taking part in the making of a commemorative album for Vicor Records' 40th anniversary to be released soon.

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The grand finals of GMA 7's "Pinoy Pop Superstar" will be held in May but people are talking, not about the seven finalists who made it to the grand showdown, but of disqualified "Pinoy Pop Superstar" finalist Ronnie Liang who was booted out of the grand showdown because he supposedly lied about having a manager. Even if he has gotten a release paper from his manager (who says he's only an agent and not a manager per se), still Ronnie was disqualified by the "Pinoy Pop Superstar" staff, saying that they want to protect the interest of the program by doing so.

Naturally, Ronnie felt bad about his forced exit due to the above-mentioned technicality. "I thought that since I've gotten a release paper as they wanted to happen, I would no longer be disqualified and still make it to the finals. I thought the problem had already been ironed out," Ronnie reasons out when we interviewed him last week.

He says he was truly surprised at the turn of events. He was even asked by a certain Ma'am Hazel of the "Pinoy Pop Superstar" staff if he would stand firm in his word that he has been released by his manager whether or not he gets disqualified from the contest.

"Nagulat po ako sa nangyari kasi akala ko po ay okay na tapos tinanong pa nila ako kung paninindigan ko raw ba na released na ako sa manager ko whether or not ma-disqualify ako. Wala rin naman palang ibig sabihin 'yung pagkuha ko ng release paper dahil ididis-qualify pa rin pala nila ako," he relates.

Despite what has happened, Ronnie remains quite optimistic and hopeful that something good might still come out of his controversial exit from the "Pinoy Pop Superstar" finals 8.

"At least, I discovered that I have a singing talent which I could develop. I never knew I had it in me but because of my exposure in 'Pinoy Pop Superstar,' no matter how short my stint was, I became more confident and it boosted by self-esteem," he says.

But because of his disqualification, Ronnie has yet to receive his prize money for the victory he scored in weeks 3 and 4. It is also not clear if he still stands to receive his prize, no matter his disqualification. After all, as far as we are concerned, we believe Ronnie should still receive his prize since he won the weekly contest prior to being deemed disqualified.

Ronnie rues that after his meeting with the PPS staff where he was told of the decision to disqualify him, he saw his clothes dumped in a corner of the lobby of the Studio 3 of GMA 7 where "Pinoy Pop Superstar" was being taped. He was so disheartened by the treatment accorded by the PPS staff, to think he was still the defending champion of PPS that time.

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If you watched "Eat Bulaga" last Saturday, you must have seen Christian Bautista crooning his hit songs together with the show's mainstays Ciara Sotto, Pauleen Luna and Julia Clarete. It was Christian's first time to appear in the number one noontime show. His manager Carlo Orosa had to ask the permission of their ABS-CBN bosses to allow Christian to appear in the rival program of "Wowowee" and "Game Ka Na Ba" to be able to promote his new album under Warner Music Philippines titled "Completely" which features his latest single titled "Invincible." Happily, the request was granted.

Christian, fresh from a successful guest stint in Sharon Cuneta's "My Mega Valentine: The Repeat" at the Araneta Coliseum last Saturday, will join Ms. Kuh Ledesma in the Pop Diva's US concert tour in June where he's the special guest. They will perform in Texas, Chicago, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Seattle and Florida.

We also learned that Christian has been tapped by San Miguel Corporation to be the endorser of a new brand of juices that the beverage company will distribute in four Asian countries namely Vietnam, China, Indonesia and Thailand. The juice pack will carry Christian's picture and will be released soon. The product line includes green tea, coffee and juice. Christian has done a pictorial for his new endorsement.

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The Digital Sweatshop, incorporated in 2003, is a privately-owned, creative Canadian production company that develops, produces quality independent films, documentary films and television drama. "The Sweatshop," an all-Filipino company committed to bringing diverse stories to a mainstream Canadian audience, has been brewing since 1998 and was founded by writer/director/editor Romeo Candido and producer/actor/writer, Caroline Mangosing.

The group entered into a co-production venture with Center Stage Productions, a production company of independent filmmakers who pursue to effect change in the present state of the Philippine film industry by producing original and progressive works. The company has produced "Masahista" (The Masseur) which won the Golden Leopard Award for Best Video in the 2005 Locarno Film in Switzerland last August 2005. The film then made the rounds in 22 other international film festivals. However, it would be "Kaleldo" (Summer Heat) that is produced solely by the banner company under the partnership of Brilliante Mendoza and Arlene L. Sy.

They are now filming "Ang Pamana: The Inheritance," a modern horror story drawing from the age-old Filipino folklore primed to frighten a whole new generation. The film is directed by Romeo Candido, the second feature length film project that he wrote and will also direct.

His first feature film debut titled "Lolo's Child" was the very first film in Canada by a Filipino. It opened the Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival in 2002 and has toured the world. Romeo was also the first Filipino from abroad to win the prestigious Ishmael Bernal Award for Young Cinema with "Lolo's Child" at the Cinemanila International Film Festival, also in 2002.

"The Inheritance" stars Fil-Canadian actors Darrel Gamotin, Nadine Villasin, Nicco Lorenzo Garcia, Carolyn Mangosing plus local actors Jaclyn Jose, Tirso Cruz III, Victor Neri, Angel Aquino, Susan Africa, Cholo Barretto, Ketchup Eusebio and Phoemela Barranda.

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Octoarts Films, owned by Orly Ilacad, has joined forces with Grupong Sinehan, the indie cinema group headed by Cris Pablo, who gave us the digital films "Duda/Doubt," "Bathhouse" and "Bilog." Work on the indie film "Pitong Dalagita" has started Friday at the PUP Sta. Mesa which features a stellar cast of promising young stars and competent young performers.

The indie film stars Angelica Panganiban, Yasmien Kurdi, Valerie Concepcion, Nadine Samonte, Cristine Reyes, JR Trinidad and introduces Starstruck 2 First Princess Iwa Moto in her first movie role.

JR Trinidad, a former TGIS mainstay and Viva Artist Agency contract artist a few years ago, is playing a gay role in this film, hence he's one of the dalagitas in this film written and directed by Cris Pablo. His role as a gay is also as important as the role of the other girls in the film.

"Pitong Dalagita" is targeted for a July playdate and marks the entry of OctoArts Films into the indie film revolution which has swept local cinema since last year with the emergence of movies like "Masahista," "Big Time," "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros," "Ala Verde Ala Pobre," "Roomboy" and many others.