Angel, Luis break up; PLUS: Mother Lily reveals 70th birthday wish; Edu Manzano quits as OMB chief

Mother Lily Monteverde thought  she could get away with letting  her 70th birthday last week slip by unnoticed. But her friends in showbiz believed she deserved to celebrate it – with a bang.

So June Torrejon and Ethel Ramos conspired to organize a surprise birthday party for the Regal head honcho. Entertainment editor Ricky Lo and and entertainment columnist Ronald Constantino played along, inviting Mother to what they said was a quiet lunch with just the three of them.

When they arrived at the restaurant along Tomas Morato, the entrance was festooned with balloons. And when Mother Lily entered the place, she was greeted by a throng of well-wishers who sang “Happy Birthday” as Tita June brought out the birthday cake.

“I thought I was going to cry,” she said, touched by the show of affection.

Among the guests I spotted were Ms. Virgie Ramos, Shirley Kuan, Tita Dolor and Direk Boots Plata, Annabelle Rama, Lolit Solis, Ms. Roselle Monteverde-Theo (Mother Lily’s daughter), Ichu Maceda who brought the flowers, Aida Panggilan and Malou Choa-Fagar.

Tita Virgie presented Mother her gift: a Swatch watch.

The birthday girl’s wish? That “Tarot,” Regal Films’ latest project starring Marian Rivera and Dennis Trillo, makes it big in the box-office.

Typical of Mother Lily!

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News flash: Luis Manzano and Angel Locsin split up two weeks ago. But the two are keeping mum about it. But I’m sure the details will eventually surface in the following days, and I’ll be keeping tabs.

My informant also mentioned the reason for the break-up but I find it hard to believe.

No, definitely it’s not because Angel got jealous over the kissing scene between Luis and John Lloyd Cruz in the upcoming film, “In My Life”!

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Edu Manzano has resigned as chairman of the Optical Media Board. The details are as yet skimpy because Edu is in Sri Lanka. He didn’t mention the reason but the buzz is that he’s running for senator next year.

Edu was billed to run for the Senate in the last national election, but he begged off.

Malacañang has yet to name the new OMB chief.

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A big treat for Michael Jackson fans. The film “This Is It,” which features videos of the King of Pop’s rehearsals for his comeback concert, will open in theaters on Oct. 28.

Jackson was preparing for the “This Is It” gig in London when he died following cardiac arrest in June. He was 50.

The film will be directed by Kenny Ortega, a choreographer who had worked with Jackson.

“Fans will see Michael as they have never seen him before — this great artist at work,” according to Ortega.

The more than 100 hours of footage of the rehearsals was shot for AEG Live, the promoter of the concert.

The movie was supposed to be released on October 30 but Sony Pictures advanced it because of the demand.