Who are the Miss World front-runners?

In barely 48 hours, the new (2005) Miss World will be chosen from a field of more than 102 candidates (the largest assembly of beauty queens from the same number of countries) during the grand finals beamed live from Sanya, China, to several countries around the world (the Philippines included this Saturday, Dec. 10. Watch for it on ABC 5 and on Star World, starting at 9 p.m.

Touted to be a top favorite of oddsmakers/bookmakers who have listed her as No. 1, will our bet, Carlene Ang Aguilar, finally bring home the only international beauty title a Filipina has yet to win?

Let’s keep our collective fingers crossed.

Meanwhile, Funfare’s "beauty experts" Felix Manuel, Joey Cezeare, Gery Yumping and Francis Calubaquib have come up with their usual line-up of the girls "most likely" to make it to the finals. Here it is:

•Asia-Pacific

– Philippines, Carlene Ang Aguilar, 23, 5’9", student

– China, Ting Ting Zhao, 19, 5’10", student

– Australia, Dennae Brunnow, 20, 5’10", model

•Americas

– Venezuela, Berliz Susan Carrizo Escandela, 21, 5’9", student

– Costa Rica, Leonora Jimenez Monge, 22, 6’, student/model (and reigning Miss Asia-Pacific International)

– Canada, Ramona Rina Amiri, 24, 5’6", medical research assistant

•Africa

– Tanzania, Nancy Abraham Sumary, 19, 5’7", student

– Namibia, Leefa Shilkwa, 23, 5’9", student

– South Africa, Dhiveja Sundrum, 23, 5’6", medical student

•Carribean

– Dominican Republic, Elisa Abreu delos Santos, 21, 5’6", student

– Puerto Rico, Ingrid Maria Rivera Santos, 22, 5’8", student

– Trinidad-Tobago, Jenna Marie Andre, 22, 5’11", model and administrator

•Northern Europe

– Iceland, Unnur Birna Vilhjalmsdottir, 21, 5’8", student

– England, Hammasa Kohistani, 18, 5’7", student

– Russia, Yulia Ivanova, 5’9", student

•Southern Europe

– Slovenia, Sanja Grohar, 21, 5’5", student

– Spain, Mireia Verdu Tremosa, 22, 5’10", student

– Italy, Sofia Bruscoli, 17, 5’9", model

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of ‘em all?

Fr. Joey Faller’s healing sked

Readers have been requesting Funfare to reprint Fr. Joey Faller’s full healing schedule. Here it is:

•Every Monday – 9 a.m. Healing Mass, Kamay ni Hesus Healing Church

•Every third Tuesday – 9 a.m. Healing Mass, Buklod ng Pag-ibig Chapel, 97 Balete Drive Extension, Quezon City

•Every first Wednesday – 12 noon Healing Mass, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City

•Every second Friday – 5 p.m. Healing Mass, St. Francis of Assisi Church, Sariaya, Quezon

•Every third Friday – 7 p.m. Healing Mass. St. Joseph The Patriarch, Mabolo, Cebu City

•Every fourth Friday – 1 p.m. Healing Mass, Shrine of Divine Mercy, Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City

•Every Saturday – 9 a.m. Healing Mass, 5 p.m. Anticipated Mass /Blessing of the Sick, Kamay ni Hesus Healing Church

•Every fourth Saturday – 9 a.m. Healing Mass, 5 p.m. Anticipated Mass / Blessing of the Sick, 6 p.m. Candlelight Rosary Procession at the Grotto of Healing and Purification, Kamay ni Hesus Healing Church

•Every first Sunday – 9 a.m. Sunday Mass, SM North EDSA

•Every third Sunday – 9:30 a.m. Sunday Mass, Circle-C Mall Congressional Ave. Quezon City

•Every first, third and fifth Sunday – 8 a.m. Sunday/Healing Mass, NBN Channel 4 Visayas Ave., Quezon City

•Every second and fourth Sunday – 9 a.m. Sunday Mass, SM Bacoor, Cavite City

•Every Sunday – 4 p.m. Sunday Mass/ Blessing of the Sick, Kamay ni Hesus Healing Church

•Every third and fourth Sunday – 7 p.m. Sunday Mass, St. Louise Parish Church, Lucban, Quezon

For inquiries, prayer request, invitation and scheduling for healing sessions, call (042) 540-3085, (02) 929-0333, (0917) 853-6267 and (fax) (02) 920-0910.

Lotlot, Gardo: Just ‘platonic’?

Separated from husband Ramon Christopher for more than three years, Lotlot de Leon has been romantically linked first to Ramon Recto (for whom Lotlot campaigned in last year’s elections) and, lately, to Gardo Versoza.

True to form, although not denying anything, Lotlot described Ramon as "just a friend" and her relationship with Gardo as "just platonic."

Lotlot said that she and Gardo do confide in each other and share confidences.

Will the "platonic" develop into something deeper?

Only time can tell.

Lotlot has four children by Ramon Christopher, the eldest of whom is 16, one year younger than Lotlot was when she and Ramon got married.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected])