Showbiz material among Mutya bets

There are showbiz lookalikes among the 24 candidates vying for the 2006 Mutya ng Pilipinas (now on its 38th year) crown at grand finals tonight at the AFP Theater (televised tomorrow night, June 10, on ABC 5).

According to Funfare’s "beauty experts" Felix Manuel, Gery Yumping, Joey Cezeare and Francis Calubaquib who were at the Mutya press presentation, there’s a candidate who looks like Pia Guanio and several others who are deadringers for Pia Pilapil, Cindy Kurleto, Tetchie Agbayani, Aubrey Miles, Erich Gonzalez, Teresa Loyzaga, Michelle Aldana (one-time Mutya ng Pilipinas/Miss Asia-Pacific), Isabel Oli, Kristine Florendo (one-time Bb. Pilipinas-World) and Angel Aquino. Be alert when you watch the telecast and find out who looks like who.

The winner will represent the country in the Miss Asia-Pacific International pageant to be held later this year. So far, the country has produced four winners: Carines Zaragoza (1982), Gloria "Bong" Dimayacyac (1983), Lorna Legazpi (1989) and Michelle Aldana (1993).

The "beauty experts" have chosen the 10 "most likely," namely:

• April Love Antolo Jordan, No. 22 (18, 5’8", 35-25-36), a Hotel and Tourism Industry Management student at PLM and a consistent dean’s lister. She’s the reigning Miss Calabarzon and was a semi-finalist in the recent Miss Philippines-Earth contest.

• Ameurfina Lim Koc, No. 10 (25, 5’6", 34-24-34), a DLSU graduate now working for Philamlife and a candidate in the 2005 Bb. Pilipinas pageant.

• Kirby Ann Tan Basken, No. 23 (20, 5’7", 35-25-36), first runner-up in the 2006 Miss Norway pageant, half-Filipina and half-Norwegian who wants to join showbiz.

• Vera Eumee delos Santos Reiter, No. 3 (19, 5’6", 34-24-35), half-Filipina and half-German who has a string of beauty titles to her name (Miss University of Baguio, Miss Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio and Miss HRM of 2005). The reigning Miss Agoo and Miss Aliwan, she was a candidate in this year’s Bb. Pilipinas pageant.

• Patricia Medina Fernandez, No. 9 (20, 5’6", 34-24-34), a UP student who was first runner-up in the Mutya ng Lungsod ng Quezon contest.

• Lothyssia Toribio Van Heddegen, No. 17 (18, 5’7", 34-25-35), from Bulacan.

• Ma. Jerese Guadiz dela Cruz, No. 6 (18, 5’5", 33-24-34).

• Shanae Elaine Romano Haw, No. 11 (19, 5’6", 33-26-36), representing Northern California.

• Lorraine Orjilla Erum, No. 14 (18, 5’7", 34-25-34), a semi-finalist in this year’s Mutya ng Lungsod ng Quezon contest.

• Honey Jean Serazon Conde, No. 24 (19, 5’9", 34-25-35), the tallest in the batch, niece of Joy Conde (1976 Miss Republic of the Philippines).

Gary and family to relocate to L.A.?

As a rejoinder to last Tuesday’s story on Gary Valenciano, somebody told Funfare that an American record producer wants Gary (and family) to relocate to L.A. to record an album there. Will Gary and wife Angeli Pangilinan, uh, bite? Incidentally, Gary’s compositions Eto Na Naman, Di Bale Na Lang, What More, Shout For Joy and Take Me Out of the Dark are not included (as Funfare wrongly mentioned) in Gary’s new album called Relevance (produced by Universal Records in cooperation with GV Productions, Inc. and Manila Genesis Entertainment).

(E-mail reactions at [email protected])