Young actor wakes up to S.O.P.

Curtain-raisers:

• The first thing most people do when they wake up in the morning is either do some stretching exercises or check their cellphones for missed calls and messages. But a certain young actor is, well, doing something else. Guess what he usually wakes up to – yes, "S.O.P." (ask the adult beside you what it means). He doesn’t know that his "S.O.P." partner is a production staffer of the TV station where he works. The Funfare DPA said that the actor, perhaps still half-asleep, must have misdialed the girl’s number, mistaking it for somebody else’s (another, ehem, "partner"). The girl, maybe out of curiosity, cooperated and that started their early-morning ritual. The girl knows who the actor is but the actor is clueless who the girl is. He doesn’t even know that they sometimes bump into each other at the corridor. Oh well, it’s like a blind date on the phone, isn’t it?

• Rivermaya’s front man Rico Blanco had a severe case of laryngitis so the band’s recent show Road Rocks: Winston On Tour 2005 at Ratsky-Malate was postponed. Watch for further announcement for the show’s new schedule. Meanwhile, the REtroSPECT will be at Bedrock (Tomas Morato, Quezon City) on Sept. 23 as part of the Winston in Concert Series, co-sponsored by Philippine Airlines.

• Are you stuck some place in-between dreams, careers, purposes, directions, loves? Do you want to experience a breakthrough in your life? Have you lived 10,000 days or have you lived the same day 10,000 times? If you want to unblock and reawaken your creativity, re-energize and clarify your purpose in life, you may be interested in a cutting-edge workshop called Tapping the Creative Universe on Sept. 19, 21, 23, 26, 28 and 30, 7 to 9 p.m. at #31 M. Jhocson St., Loyola Heights, Quezon City. Admission fee is P5,000 for all six sessions, inclusive of coffee, tea or juice. Those interested may get in touch with Jim Paredes at 929-0230 (or e-mail at [email protected]).

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Are journalists (TV or print) more at risk practising their profession in the provinces than they are in Metro Manila?

You see, these past few years, several journalists have been killed or swamped with death threats.

Asked about it, ABS-CBN’s man in Cebu Rico Lucena said, "It depends on the place. In Cebu, we journalists are relatively safe probably because there are few rebels in the province."

Rico, 28, is the Cebu reporter you see on the ABS-CBN early-morning show Magandang Umaga Pilipinas (MUP), covering the whole Region 7 (Bohol, the Negros provinces, etc.). He has been a working journalist for six years now, after finishing AB Masscom (major in Broadcasting) at the University of San Jose Recoletos. He helped establish the ABS-CBN relay station in Dumaguete before moving to Cebu where he mans the desk.

The Biliran Province native also hosts the Sunday radio program Kini an Radyo Patrol Sundays, 11 a.m. to 12 noon, on DYAB (sister station of ABS-CBN’s DZMM) where he usually comments on political and economic issues.

"My program also tries to awaken public officials who have forgotten or are negligent of their responsibilities," said Rico.

No, knock on wood, he hasn’t received any death threat and, so far, doesn’t see any need to have a bodyguard ("I can’t afford one") or to carry a gun.

"I have faith in God," added Rico, "and I try to treat everybody fairly."

Doesn’t he want to be recruited by ABS-CBN Manila?

"I’m happy where I am," he said.

Good decision. Otherwise, he might suffer the fate of Aljo Bendijo who was uprooted from ABS-CBN Davao, given generous exposure on ABS-CBN Manila and, after only more than two years, simply faded out of the screen.

Marvin feels doubly lucky, doubly happy

You never guessed it: Those cute twins on Page F-1 are Santiago and Sebastian, sons of Marvin Agustin and his girlfriend Tet Dy. The boys were born on Aug. 15 at the Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, California.

"What did I feel the first time I saw my sons?" asked Marvin who flew to the States to be by Tet’s side during the delivery. "I couldn’t believe it. That must be how first-time fathers feel."

Because Tet was recovering from the Caesarian operation, at home Marvin had to change the babies’ diapers and prepare their feeding bottles. They didn’t have maids.

"I feel doubly happy and doubly lucky," gushed Marvin who came home ahead of his brood but is going back second week of October to fetch them. Relatives have taken over in taking care of Tet.

Asked if he and Tet have plans to getting married – soon – Marvin said "that will come in due time." Meanwhile, "We promise to be the best parents to our twins. Tet is a wonderful mother; she’s prefect."

Although Tet comes from a well-to-do family, Marvin said he will support their twins every step of the way. Tet’s family has accepted Marvin as one of their own.

Santiago and Sebastian have been baptized in California.

"We don’t want them to travel un-baptized," said Marvin.

Before the year ends, the couple will have their twins baptized again here. They’re now making a list of the godparents – including Marvin’s ex-girlfriend Jolina Magdangal? "We still don’t know," said Marvin.

In November, business-minded Marvin will open a Japanese-American restaurant called Sumosan at the fifth level of Shangri-La Mall (at the new gourmet walk beside True Value). His other businesses include Oyster Boy restaurant at the Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City; and Ricecapades in Malate, one near UST and at the Pearl Drive in Makati.

Marvin is in the cast of Kutob, written and directed by Joey Javier Reyes, which is Canary Films’ entry at the Metro Filmfest in December.

(Note: For more on Marvin and the twins, watch The Buzz on Sunday, Sept. 18, starting at 4 p.m. on ABS-CBN.)

(E-mail reactions at [email protected])