Cesar plays ‘nurse’ at Shine’s delivery

Curtain-raisers:

* Lindsay Custodio gave birth to her and husband Julius Caesar Platon’s first child, named Sean Cristopher, at 3:07 p.m. last Sept. 19 (Wednesday) at the Makati Medical Center, by Caesarian section. Lindsay’s attending physician was Dr. Romana Borromeo and her obstetrician, Dr. Rita Dolendo.

* GMA 7 clarified a Funfare report that Bong Revilla’s show, Idol Ko si Kap, would soon be axed. "In fact," said the GMA staffer, "Bong has just taped a new episode." Bong celebrated his birthday yesterday. Guess who was the first person who greeted him "many happy returns of the day."

* Assunta de Rossi said she’d never pose for Playboy (not that she’s being offered), not even for a million bucks. The star of Seiko Films’ Sisid said she’s reserving "that triangle" for her future husband.

* * *

When his wife Sunshine Cruz gave birth to a 6.8-pound baby girl (to be named Angelina Isabelle, and not Isabel Angela as earlier reported; named after Angelina Jolie who, according to Cesar, looks like Sunshine) at 12:25 Monday morning (Sept. 24) at the St. Luke’s Medical Center, Cesar Montano acted both as the "official cameraman" and a "nurse," given the honor of cutting the umbilical cord.

"I was able to photograph every moment of Shine’s delivery, from the time na nagli-labor siya to the time Angelina came out," Cesar told movie writers Monday night during the presscon for his four-episode starrer on GMA’s Larawan (starting next Wednesday, Oct. 3, 10 p.m.). "How did I feel? Excited na kinakabahan.It felt like the first time (Even if it’s his fourth time to be a father.– RFL). When my first child, Angela (by his late first wife who also bore him a son, Angelo), was born, I was only 17, too young to feel the impact of fatherhood."

A Libra, Angelina opted to be born 10 days after her parents celebrated their first wedding anniversary (Sept. 14) with a simple dinner (the usual fare, you know, nothing extraordinary) taken in front of the TV set while Cesar and Sunshine were watching CNN’s non-stop coverage of the World Trade Center and The Pentagon attack.

"When Shine first saw Angelina," recalled Cesar who, until Monday night, could hardly sleep due to his excitement, "parang nawala ang pagod niya."

Yes, Cesar revealed, Sunshine will have to breastfeed the baby for two months.

"I am helping Shine pump milk from her breasts," said Cesar, smiling. "I notice na iba ang reaksyon ni Shine when I’m doing it," he added jokingly. Cesar should be an "expert" on that score, having done it for sure in the past. Practice makes perfect, you know.

With the birth of Angelina just three weeks before the opening of Cesar’s latest movie, Maverick Films’ Mananabas, her proud Papa considers her "my lucky charm."

"Angelina has her mom’s lips and other facial features," said Cesar who wore a medical robe at the delivery room. "I think she’ll grow up to be like Shine dahil mahaba din ang legs niya."

Asked why he accepted the Larawan starrer (when he’s committed to start a new TV show on rival channel ABS-CBN sometime in November, after his sitcom Kaya ni Mister, Kaya ni Misis with Maricel Soriano folded up), Cesar admitted in jest, "I need the money para pambili ng gatas ni Angelina."

Newly-wed Paco, Tiny off to US

Yes, it’s true: Paco Arespacochaga rushed home from the States (Los Angeles), barely three months after he left, purposely to marry his girlfriend Tiny Ambrosio (said to be prettier than Paco’s ex-wife Geneva Cruz who, until now, has never been ackowledged by KC Montero as his girlfriend, in contrast to KC’s brother Troy Montero who is proudly showing the whole world that Nikki Valdez is his girlfriend).

Paco and Tiny were married last Sept. 15 at 11 in the morning at a private residence in Congressional Village, Quezon City, where the reception was also held. It was a hush-hush (rush-rush?) wedding, with Paco’s son (with Geneva) Heaven acting as ring-bearer. Among the 22 principal sponsors were German Moreno, Ricky Reyes, Malou Choa, Kata Inocencio, Boots Anson-Roa, Mel Tiangco and Vivian Sarabia. No, Geneva wasn’t invited.

The newly-weds are scheduled to leave on Oct. 1 for the States where they plan to start a family.

"But first," according to a "disgruntled" friend of Paco, "Paco should settle his financial obligations here so he and Tiny can lead life in the States on a real clean slate."

Korina off to Malaysia

If you missed Korina Sanchez in yesterday’s (and the next few days’) edition of TV Patrol, Funfare would like you to know that, unlike GMA’s Frontpage lady anchor Mel Tiangco who went on a grand European holiday last week, Korina is out on a "mission" – work, you know, and not bakasyon grande.

Korina flew to Malaysia yesterday on assignment as Chief Correspondent for the Integrated News & Current Affairs Division of ABS-CBN Broadcasting. Korina is interviewing Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir on the program In Conversation on Malaysian Channel TV3 as a guest along with some of the top anchors from all over Asia.

A few weeks ago, Korina was also assigned to cover the Gonzalez family massacre in Sydney and wowed the public with a live broadcast from the scene of the crime for TV Patrol.

"It’s all part of the new position I was promoted to as Chief Correspondent I guess. I’m sure many of us in the station are as able and willing to take on these assignments but not all are as senior. Maaga kasi akong nagpa-alila sa trabaho ko," Korina expains. "There will always be a premium to hard work and consistency, loyalty to one’s profession and length of service."

What is her secret for attracting the biggies?

"Sometimes I pursue them and sometimes they seek me out and prefer to be aired through me. More than anything it probably is the sincere desire to get to the bottom of things in an as objective a way possible that is the best pitch that sells to my prospects," Korina said. "Objective, meaning, no conclusions or judgments against anyone until all evidence is on the table and until I can rightfully tell God Himself that, yes, Lord... I can honestly say to you I find this or that person guilty."

Korina may have had to suffer the inequities of her trade for she has received more than her share of intrigues from many who want to see her fail. As a catch-all response to the herd of crabs out there, Korina is short and sweet, "I have no regrets about any position I’ve taken which is mainly middleground. In the end, the objectivity and fairness is remembered and both parties to an issue always, still, come to me and trust me with their side."

To attest to Korina’s sustained, if not heightened, credibility, TV Patrol, still lords it over competition rating as high as more than 50 percent in its second half compared to Saksi’s 16 percent in the competing network. TV Patrol is aired 6 to 7 p.m. daily on ABS-CBN.