Dayanara, Marc together again; Charlene’s sentimental journey

It’s confirmed: Dayanara Torres and Marc Anthony have reconciled. Love has triumphed and isn’t the world brighter for it?

This is the brief announcement in the Passages section of the latest issue of People magazine:

Three months after announcing their separation, Latin pop star Marc Anthony, 34, and his wife, former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres, 28, have decided to renew their wedding vows at a ceremony in Puerto Rico this December. They have a son, Cristian, 1.

When the sad news reached the Philippines three months ago, most everybody felt sorry for Dayanara who has endeared herself to Filipinos not only because she relinquished her Miss U crown here in 1994 to Miss India Sushmita Sen but also because she preferred to launch her showbiz career here. It’s also in the Philippines where she fell deeply in love (yes, with Aga Muhlach, now the husband of Charlene Gonzales).

There were speculations that Dayanara and Marc broke up because Dayanara got bored being plain housewife, often left at home by Marc who’s forever on tour, and that she got jealous of Jennifer Lopez, said to be Marc’s "ex" with whom Marc was reported to be doing a movie (scrapped, most probably, because no further news was heard about it).

Anyway, the good news about Dayanara and Marc’s reconciliation should make Dayanara’s Pinoy fans happy. Let’s wish the couple good luck and a hundred years of blissful togetherness.

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Singapore will forever be special to Aga Muhlach and Charlene Gonzales because it was in that City State where they sealed their love for each other, for better or for worse, till death... They were taping for one of the last episodes of Aga’s sitcom Oki Doki Doc in late 1999 when Aga proposed marriage to Charlene.

"I was caught off-guard," recalls Charlene. "We were seated in one corner when Aga popped the question to me, ‘Will you marry me?’ I immediately answered ‘yes.’ I must have really been so in love with him because I never had any second thought. Yes kaagad."

No wonder Charlene was misty-eyed two weeks ago when she went to Singapore (her first visit after that memorable event) to shoot two episodes for her ABS-CBN show Feel At Home with Charlene. Part 1 of which will be shown tomorrow (10:30 a.m.) and Part 2 next Saturday, Nov. 16. It was also her first trip abroad minus Aga, who always travelled with her but couldn’t make it this time because he was busy promoting his latest Star Cinema movie (Kailangan Kita which grossed close to P8 million when it opened in several Metro theaters last Wednesday) with Claudine Barretto.

"I was away for five days and I was homesick all the time," said Charlene who missed not only Aga but their twins who celebrated their first birthday last Nov. 5. "But we were in touch all the time, updating each other on the phone."

For the Singapore episode of Feel At Home, Charlene revisited the same places she and Aga (and other Oki Doki Doc stars Roderick Paulate, Agot Isidro and Jimmy Santos) went to, such as the Esplanade Theater by the Bay, the Jurong Bird Park and Chinatown.

Off to Miss World tilt

Let’s wish Katherine "Kate" Anne Ramos Manalo Bon Voyage and all the luck in the world (she needs it) as she leaves tomorrow for Abuja, Nigeria, for the 52nd Miss World Pageant, finals of which will be on Dec. 8.

Thus far, only the Miss World crown has proved elusive to the Philippines which has two Misses Universe (Gloria Diaz and Margie Moran) and three Misses International (Gemma Cruz, Aurora Pijuan and Melanie Marquez), plus tens of semi-finalists and special awardees and winners in regional beauty contests (Miss Asia-Pacific, etc.).

Will Katherine, 23, bring home the bacon? As usual, we hope – and pray – that she does.

A Masscomm graduate from Assumption College (cum laude), she was actively involved in a public relations job for a television show focusing on marginal Filipinos. Aside from her current job as executive assistant in an international consumer financing company, Kate is busy with her commitments to the Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc.

Born in Quezon City, Kate is the eldest of four girls with whom she shares her interest in dancing and playing golf. On her own, she plays the piano and enjoys making jewelry fashion accessories from beads, crystals and metals.

In the beauty pageant, Kate succeeds an aunt (Nini Ramos-Licaros) who was a semifinalist as Philippine representative during the 1968 Miss International Beauty Pageant held in Japan, later a Councilwoman in Makati City and now a successful businesswoman.

Come to ‘Wish’

Welcome the Christmas season with a pre-Christmas bazaar entitled "Wish" hosted by the Alumni Association of Xavier School (AAXS) and the Immaculate Conception Academy Alumnae Association (ICAAA). This two-day event will be held on Nov. 9 and 10 (Saturday and Sunday) from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Xavier High School Gym (beside Mary the Queen Church) in Greenhills West. Wish gathers an exciting mix of concessionaires for the discreminating shopper. Men’s and ladies’ apparel, houseware, home decor, Christmas decors, accessories, gift and novelty items, and even pets will be showcased. For the gourmand, an assortment of home-baked goodies, Chinese and Thai snack item will be sold. North Park Noodle House and Gerry’s Grill participate by serving their famous menu all day. Sponsored by Coke, Grand Dragon Enterprises, Sysu International and Nissen Gallery Ortigas, 100 percent of the bazaar’s proceeds will go to the Fr. Clifford-Fr. Pineau Fund, the Winnie Losaria Fund and various ICAAA outreach programs. Major credit cards will be accepted at the bazaar.