Gel (and family) here for sentimental journey

Curtain-raisers:

• Funfare’s item on Kris Aquino and James Yap – and James’ alleged "other girlfriend" Paula Samson-Garcia – drew several rejoinders.

1. From the actor-model on whom Paula was said to have a crush but who had another girl in his heart: "Paula is really such a sweet girl. She is quite nice. But I came to consider her more as a family." Paula’s cousin was the actor-model’s classmate in Ateneo who married the actor-model’s relative.

2. From Kris Aquino: "I’m not following up James’ US-visa application. James is leaving ahead of us (The ABS-CBN entourage of 30-plus stars staging a show on L.A/ and San Francisco this weekend. – RFL); he’s with the RP Youth Team which is playing in the US."

3. From a DPA (a lawyer): Did you know that the father of Paula, the "ex" of James, is my friend? He’s a lawyer and his daughter broke up with James when she found out that James had another girlfriend (Kris, or somebody else? – RFL). But James kept calling her for some time so Paula’s father hired a bodyguard for her."

• US-based readers Joseph Lo (Chicago) and Daniel Schultz (Los Angeles) report that the trailer of The Great Raid, Cesar Montano’s first Hollywood movie, is now being shown on TV. It’s opening across the US on Aug. 12; Cesar is attending the premiere this weekend in Washington DC. "Cesar’s face was featured twice," wrote Joseph Lo, "although his name is not in the main list of cast (led by Benjamin Bratt)."

• The late STAR Philatelist columnist Frank Luto’s stamp collection is currently on exhibit at the Center for Samar Studies of the University of Eastern Philippines (UEP), Catarman, Northern Samar. Included in the exhibit are Frank’s STAR columns on stamps (all kinds, from all over the world) and articles from The Manila Times and Manila Chronicle. Frank held similar exhibits at the National Post Office Building.

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Here for a two-week sentimental journey with her family are Gel Santos-Relos and husband, Dr. Rene Relos, and their four children Christopher (20), Misty (17), Katrina (9) and Lorenzo (7). It’s the Reloses’ second (longer) visit since they migrated to the US five years ago.

"Do I miss the Philippines?" asked Gel during an exclusive interview with Funfare. "Of course, I do! I have adjusted to life in America but home will always be the Philippines."

Gel and the children, minus Rene, first settled in New Jersey and then moved to Minnesota a year later. When they go back next week, they’ll settle down in California.

"Rene was then finishing his scholarship at the University of Minnesota so he couldn’t join us at once," explained Gel. "We agreed that I and the children go to New Jersey because a job was waiting for me there, as public relations officer and marketing manager of Mary Heart Health Care Center. When the hospital management where Rene was studying learned that we wanted to settle down in New Jersey, they offered him a residency position at the university. In the US kasi, a doctor can’t get a license to practise his profession unless one has taken a residency. It was a good offer. At the University of Minnesota, you are required to finish a seven-year program pero ipinagawa lang kay Rene ng four years."

They stayed in Minnesota for three years because Rene had to complete the four-year program.

While in New Jersey, Gel moonlighted as stringer for the Balitang Amerika of the ABS-CBN’s The Filipino Channel (she was the station’s TV news anchor and co-host of a DZMM radio program with the late Sen. Rene Cayetano when she left). The children were busy with school in California where they stay with Gel’s relative. Christopher is a Pre-Med at the University of Minnesota, Misty just graduated from high school, while Katrina and Lorenzo are in grade school.

Quitting her job here in favor of transplanting the family abroad wasn’t hard for Gel who, at that time – "Or even now" – put family above all else.

Not many people know that the Reloses’ love story is so colorful and dramatic that it deserves to be showcased in Charo Santos-Concio’s Maalaala Mo Kaya.

Their romance, which started when they were both 16, culminated at a wedding when they turned 21. Gel had just graduated cum laude with a degree in Broadcast Communication while Rene (a valedictorian) pursued a medical course. Gel taught at UP for seven years until Cheche Lazaro, her professor, told her to audition at ABS-CBN.

"There were a lot of pressures on both of us," Gel admitted in a STAR interview before her family migrated five years ago. "I was busy with my work at ABS-CBN while Rene was always on duty at the hospital where he was working. We hardly saw each other."

To make a long story short, their marriage cracked. Gel said she tried hard to iron things out – in vain. Because Rene is charming and intelligent, women found him attractive.

"My husband is very cariñoso," said Gel. "He has good PR. He was idolized at the hospital."

They broke up. Thinking that their marriage was beyond saving, Gel filed in 1998 a petition for annulment of their marriage, but a year later they reconciled. But they broke up again soon after, until Rene went to the States for his scholarship. He came home the following year for a vacation. He and Gel had a heart-to-heart talk and realized that they still love(d) each other. Rene broke up with his "other woman" (also a doctor) and so did Gel with her boyfriend. They agred to give their marriage one more try.

"It was a happy ending," said Gel, still during that interview five years ago. "Only a few weeks before the verdict on the annulment case was to be handed down, Rene and I renewed our vows before the judge who handled our case. The judge said, ‘This is the happiest annulment case that I ever handled.’"

And they’ve been living happily ever after...

Once a media person, always a media person.

"I’m up-to-date with what’s happening here," said Gel during this interview. "But unlike before, I don’t appear on-camera. I have my own video-cam; wala akong cameraman. I also distribute The Filipino Channel disc(s) in the Filipino community. I also have a license in real estate and mortgage and I also make use of it."

Now that Rene is finished with his residency at the University of Minnesota and has a license to practise, he accepted an offer from Keiser, the biggest health-maintenance organization in California. Thus, their decision to relocate from Minnesota to California.

"We have moved our things (appliances, etc.) to Stockton in Northern California," said Gel. "We decided to come home for a sentimental visit before we settle down in California."

Gel admitted that life in America was tough during their adjustment period.

"We also went through a cultural shock," she said. "We struggled together. We had to learn how to do things ourselves. Alam mo naman sa Amerika, walang maids."

Still and all, she has no regrets.

"I wouldn’t exchange success and happiness of my family for anything else," she added.

Tootsie And Jansen Ready For Wedding

As Funfare "scooped" recently, Tootsie Guevarra (real name: Emma Therese Pinga) and fiancé Jansen Cunanan are set for their wedding on Aug. 8, 3 p.m., at the Santuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park Makati City. They’re arriving from Los Angeles (where they’re based) on July 14 to attend to the wedding’s last-minute details, with the help of Tootsie’s parents, Tess and Manny. The wedding planner is Rita Neri.

Tootsie will wear a Pepsi Herrera gown.

Among the principal sponsors, only a few come from showbiz, including Jose Mari Chan, Vehnee Saturno, German Moreno, Ida Henares and Arnold Vegafria.

The secondary sponsors include Christopher de Leon and wife Sandy Andolong, and KC Montero and Geneva Cruz (who acted as "bridge" between Tootsie and Jansen).

Jansen, a commercial model and a self-confessed frustrated singer, is a Physical Therapy graduate from St. Jude College here.

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