What’s eating Ate Vi?

Is something terribly wrong with Lipa City Mayor Vilma "Ate Vi" Santos? Why was she confined at the hospital for a few days? Is there a cause for Vilmanians (and other admirers) to be worried?

Yes, it’s true: Ate Vi was, indeed, hospitalized for a few days, spawning speculations that she was sick of, well, "something serious."

What’s eating Ate Vi?

"Nothing serious," Ate Vi told Funfare in an exclusive phone chat. "My doctor has given me a clean bill of health."

These past several months, Ate Vi has been suffering from pain in the left side of her upper back and in her left chest, and a numbness in her left arm. Alarming symptoms, weren’t they?

So, Ate Vi submitted to an executive check-up, something she was supposed to do annually but has completely forgotten these last five years due to her heavy work load as mayor. She also underwent a mammogram and an electro-cardiogram (ECG).

Except for her high cholesterol level (for which she’s now taking medication), Ate Vi is fine, thank you. Her blood pressure is normal, her blood sugar is okay and so is her uric acid count.

So what was causing the pain in her back and the left side of her chest, and the numbness in her left arm?

Fatigue, that’s what! She’s stressed-out.

"I’ve been working so hard kasi, eh," she said.

Most days of the week, starting with the flag ceremony on Mondays, she’s in Lipa, going there early mornings on weekdays and coming back home early evening in time to help son Ryan Christian (who studies at La Salle Greenhills) do his homework.

With nine more months to go on her third and last term as Mayor of Lipa, Ate Vi is looking forward to a more relaxed lifestyle after the elections in May next year.

Asked if she’s running maybe for governor or congressman of Batangas, Ate Vi flatly said no. Her husband, Sen. Ralph Recto, respects whatever her decision is.

Out and away from politics, Ate Vi said she plans to resume full-time her rudely-interrupted showbiz career.

Meanwhile, Ate Vi is getting as much rest as she can vis-a-vis her punishing schedule.

Miss Tourism Queen International is a Pinay

Another Filipina has just won an international beauty title and she’s none other than Justine Vinluan Gabionza, 2003 Miss Philippines-Air, named 2006 Tourism Queen International in Hangzhou, China, last July 8, beating 87 other candidates in the pageant’s eighth year.

Here’s Funfare’s "beauty experts" Felix Manuel, Joey Cezeare, Gery Yumping and Francis Calubaquib’s report:

A crowd favorite since the start of the pageant, Justine breezed through the pageant with ease. Miss Serbia and Montenegro Gordana Strajin finished second. She was also elected Miss Cyberpress and Miss Europe Queen. Miss Congo Fatouma Eboundit was third and won the Miss Africa Queen title. Miss Singapore Laxmi Sunita and Miss Brazil Livia Pratissoli (Miss Americas Queen) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Justine will receive about $30,000 in cash and a sponsors contract. From 87, the delegates were shortlisted to 16 semi-finalists. Ten were chosen as finalists and from them the top five girls were chosen. The finalists included the delegates from Bolivia, China, Hungary, Thailand and Puerto Rico (Miss Islands Queen). The remaining semi-finalists were the delegates from India, Monaco, Poland, Slovak Republic, Martinique and Australia.

Justine was appointed by Carousel Productions, organizer and producer of the Miss Philippines-Earth and Miss Earth pageants, because of her innate charm, beauty and vast experience in the pageant world. The 5’8" champion fencer from UST (she is a BS Tourism student) was third runner-up at the 2001 Miss Global Queen Philippines pageant. The following year, she was crowned as Miss Philippines-Air and competed at the Top Model of the World competition in Dusseldorf, Germany, where she placed fifth. In 2004, she also won first runner-up honors in the Miss AF3 pageant. She is also a familiar face in various print ads and TV commercials.

This year's candidates visited four Chinese cities, beginning with Chongqing. In addition to parading in swimsuits, gowns and national costumes, the delegates promoted their countries' main tourist attractions. Justine wore a Jontie Martinez Filipiniana creation for the national costume competition. Her gown and additional outfits were provided by Nicky Matinez.

Justine, who bears a striking resemblance to Claudine Barretto, was first runner-up in the Miss Bikini sub competition of the pageant wherein she was given a standing ovation for her flawless and admirable performance during the event.

Here are the official results of Miss Bikini contest, held last June 20 in Chongqing:

• Winner: Miss Belarus Viktoriya Schukina

• First runner-up: Miss Philippines Justine Vinluan Gabionza

• Second runner-up: Miss Serbia and Montenegro Gordana Strajin

• Third runner-up: Miss Bolivia Edith Bonadona

• Fourth runner-up: Miss Congo Fatouma Eboundit

Also from the "beauty experts," this additional report:

2006 Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Lia Andrea Aquino Ramos arrived in Los Angeles last July 5 and received a warm welcome from the people awaiting the arrival of this year's candidates for the Miss Universe Pageant to be held on July 23 (July 24, 9 a.m. Manila time). The 25- year-old Davaoeña charmer was dressed in a stunning pearl-colored corporate suit as she dazzled the crowd with her unmistakable air of class and elegance as she entered the portals of the Wilshire.

According to a Filipino observer present during the event, the people cheered for Lia as she was whisked to a room for registration and fittings. The delegates from Venezuela, Aruba, Ghana, Peru were also warmly received. In fact, during the pictorial for their official portraits, Lia was praised by the pageant's official photographer and was told that she will be smoldering come pageant night. Let's hope this will hold true.

SM Cinema expresses support for MTRCB

The SM theater management has been coordinating closely with the Movie Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) in all its cinema operations, ensuring the proper implementation of its policies. It believes that MTRCB helps the industry by standardizing and uplifting cinema operations. SM supports the endeavors of MTRCB and looks forward to a more collaborative relationship with the regulating body in its chain of theaters nationwide.

Since it was established in 1987, SM Cinema’s cineplexes have been an integral part of the shopping, leisure and entertainment excitement of the SM Supermalls. There are at present 172 cinemas in 25 SM Supermalls, making this the largest chain of theaters in the country.

Among these are the 10 cinemas which opened recently at the SM Mall of Asia which have raised the standards of moviegoing in the Philippines. These include six regular cinemas, one premier cinema, one Director’s Club for private viewing, a Center Stage that can be used for live performances and the country’s first IMAX theater.

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