Gloria loses bag at her own tribute

The dinner-tribute to Gloria Romero last Friday night at the Fiesta Pavilion of the Manila Hotel ended on a not-so-funny note. When the honoree went back to her table after the highlight where she was presented with a plaque of appreciation by former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson and Amalia Fuentes, she found her bag gone; it seemed to have simply disappeared into thin air.

Whoever the culprit was must be that daring, considering that Gloria and Chavit shared the presidential table with such bigwigs as Vice President Tito Guingona (who delivered a brief but glowing introductory speech), Security Adviser Roilo Golez, Justice Secretary Nani Perez (who also delivered a glowing tribute to Gloria) and Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos who joined them halfway through the event produced by Gloria’s good friend Daisy Romualdez’s DR Productions.

I suspect that the culprit was dressed to the nines just like everybody else. But he/she couldn’t have been a gatecrasher because nobody but nobody could enter the Pavilion without any, presumably paid-for, ticket (P2,500 per). That’s what you and I and everybody else should beware of: Thieves in high places, including five-star hotels (Armida Siguion-Reyna also lost her bag a few years ago at the coffee shop of a Makati hotel). The culprit usually looks innocent – and sosyal – mixing with the crowd and, that’s it, strikes when nobody is looking or everybody is focused on what’s going on onstage.

Shrugging it off and charging it to experience, Gloria lost valuables in her bag, including undetermined cash and important personal effects (IDs, etc.). Too small a "price" to pay for an unforgettable evening which turned out to be less of a tribute than a serenade to one of the real queens of Philippine Movies (the other being, you guessed it, Susan Roces).

A Filipiniana-dressed Jolina Magdangal opened the more than two-hour show with a delightful rendition of Manang Biday, from one of Gloria’s early Sampaguita movies. Other performers were Pops Fernandez, Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, Jessa Zaragoza and Dingdong Avanzado, Danita Paner, Mitch Valdez, Janno Gibbs and Marissa Sanchez who was a showstopper as usual with her "musical impersonation(s)."

The show was capped by a fashion special, with Gloria Romero-inspired gowns by Renee Salud modeled by, among others, Liezl Martinez, Joyce Jimenez and Lucy Torres-Gomez who was stunning as the bride.

Boy Abunda as host of the event deserves a round of applause for keeping his poise and dignity during some minor "kinks" and so do his co-hosts Amy Perez and Cherie Gil who kept her balance and, yes, poise and grace when she nearly tripped on her gown while walking down the stairs onstage, making fun of it later by "reenacting" the near-slip with a big smile.

Among the celebrities we spotted were Mommy Nene Vera-Perez (with daughters Manay Ichu, Lilibeth and Gina de Venecia) on the same table with Susan Roces, German Moreno and director Maning Borlaza; Liz Alindogan; Delia Razon, Nita Javier and Marita Zobel (and husband Boy Rojas) with Danny Dolor, Lody Tan and Dr. Henry Yu (of Cebu); Barbara Perez and husband Robert Arevalo; Tirso Cruz III and wife Lyn Ynchausti; and, of course, Gloria’s daughter Maritess (whose son was among Danita Paner’s back-up dancers).

(Note: The dinner-tribute was taped and will be telecast on RPN 9 as a TV special on Dec. 15, eve of Gloria Romero’s 69th birthday.)

Richard’s ‘dramatic’ dream

No, the Regal flick Bakit Papa? which is opening in Metro theaters on Wednesday, Dec. 4, is not the first movie of new Dream Boy ng Bayan Richard Gutierrez who is paired with Chynna Ortaleza, his leading lady in the GMA teen show Click. It’s Richard’s first movie as a grown-up, all right, but when he was a kid, Richard starred in a few movies with his twin brother Raymond (now studying in L.A.), including Kambal Tuko; Lahing Pikutin (with their dad, Eddie Gutierrez); Takbo, Bilis, Takbo; and Takbo, Talon, Tili (with the late Rene Requiestas).

Bakit Papa?, directed by Uro dela Cruz and also starring Allan K, Jeffrey Quizon, Wendell Ramos and six of the 14 Sex Bomb Dancers, again exploits Richard’s comic talent, especially in the scene where he and Chynna are chased by goons who think that the two are hiding something precious the goons are looking for. But if he had a choice, Richard would rather do drama.

"My dramatic talent hasn’t been put to a test," said Richard who is the most popular among the more than a dozen Click stars. "That’s why I’m happy with my new soap, Habang Kapiling Ka (on GMA, with his Ate Ruffa among his co-stars), kasi nakakapag-drama ako doon, just like in Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin (as Gina Alajar’s son). In one scene (in Kapiling), they made me cry. I found it hard to cry but after using Vicks, nakaiyak din ako. In my life kasi, panay masasaya ang experiences ko, walang malungkot, kaya wala pa akong masyadong nahuhugutan."

Richard is thanking his veteran soap co-stars from whom he’s learning a lot.

"In my next movie," said Richard, predicted to be the next big star, "I’m ready to do heavy drama already."

He has enough time to prepare between now and then.

Text a vote for Katherine

The Philippines’ bet to this year’s Miss World beauty pageant, Katherine Anne Manalo, might yet be the first Filipina to win the crown, as the organizers based in London have decided to include text votes from all over the world as one of the criteria in selecting this year’s winner.

Fifty percent of the final vote for Miss World 2002 will come from global text votes, while the other 50 percent will come from this year’s panel of judges. Newly formed media outfit Audience Impact secured the rights to air the Miss World 2002 pageant in Manila. The company is headed by Roberto "Bobby" Barreiro, with lawyer Dan Albert de Padua as business partner.

Chikka Asia Inc. is the Philippine service provider that will allow Filipinos to vote for Katherine through a local number, instead of having to send a more expensive text message to a UK number. Dennis Mendiola is chief executive officer (CEO) of Chikka Asia.

To vote for Miss World, text MW <COUNTRY> (example: MW Philippines) and send to 246 for Smart and Talk ’N Text and 2342 for Globe subscribers. The text messages will be forwarded to a UK number, under an arrangement with the pageant organizers. There is no limit to the number of votes a texter can send.

Other countries like China, Spain, Italy and Germany and France have similar arrangements with the London-based organizers. The Miss World pre-pageant will air on Dec. 3, 9 p.m. on RPN-9. The pageant will air on Dec. 8 (Sunday) from London, from 8 to 11 a.m. It will be replayed that same night, 6 to 9 p.m.

Miss World 2002 will see 110 countries as participants. Miss Nigeria Agbani Darego is the reigning Miss Worlds.