• What food does preggy Kris crave for? • Jessa, Dingdong settle down in the US

Where were you at the height of Typhoon "Milenyo"’s fury Thursday last week?

Kris Aquino, more than one month pregnant, was literally in the eye of the storm while navigating the distance between Rockwell and nearby One Roxas Triangle where she, husband James Yap and son Joshua live.

You might wonder why preggy Kris would venture out in such a nasty weather. Well, a contract-signing for yet another endorsement was scheduled that day and when she left home (leaving James and Joshua behind) it was only slightly windy. Kris never suspected that before noon, Typhoon "Milenyo" would be raging, but she braved killer winds and falling trees and debris anyway on her way home. One Roxas Triangle is only a whistle away from Rockwell (where the contract-signing was done), all right, but on that Thursday noon, it seemed to be a thousand miles away.

As in most other places in the country, One Roxas Triangle looked like a war zone, with a fallen tree blocking their driveway, forcing Kris and her companions to run from her car to the lobby where a guilt-ridden James waited for her with an umbrella and a warm hug for the soaking-wet Kris. Woe of woes, the elevator at One Roxas, by then powered only by a generator, was good only up to the 14th floor, so Kris had no choice but to take the stairs to their 21st-floor unit.

"I cried and cried," Kris told Funfare. "I pitied myself and my baby."

It’s a good thing she didn’t suffer a miscarriage.

So far, Kris said, she’s in generally good health while infanticipating.

"I can’t eat a heavy dinner because I end up throwing up," Kris added. "What food do I crave for? Fruits – suha, lanzones, ponkan, watermelon and mangosteen, I also take lots of soy milk, low-fat milk and yogurt."

Due to deliver either last week of May or first week of June (birth month of Joshua who’s turning 11 this year), Kris said she’ll continue working (on TV, but no movies now, thank you!) until her doctor orders her to stop. James wants a boy but Kris said it’s okay if their first child is a girl (no name for the time being because Kris has changed her mind about calling the baby, if a girl, Oprah).

* * *

I got an overseas call yesterday from Jessa Zaragoza who happily told Funfare that she and husband Dingdong Avanzado, along with their three-year-old daughter Jayda, have finally gotten their "extraordinary ability visas" together with their greencards. It was Zamboangueña lawyer Jemela Agraviador-Nettles who worked on the Avanzados’ petition (and those of several other showbiz people, including April Boy Regino and family, and Miguel Vera and family).

"It took Jemela less than a year to get our applications approved," said Jessa who left with her family for the US more than a month ago.

Yes, Jessa confirmed, they are settling down in Vallejo, California, where they bought a four-bedroom house.

"Dingdong has bought me a Mercedes Benz," said Jessa who is the current endorser of Dr. Raul Guanzon (a cosmetic surgeon).

In Vallejo, Dingdong works as marketing manager in the family’s mortgage business, with his time at his own disposal.

"We’re busy with shows," revealed Jessa.

Immediately after they arrived, Jessa had a show in Long Beach and San Diego. On Oct. 8, she and and Dingdong will be the guest performers in Martin Nievera and Pops Fernandez’s concert in Oakland, California. On Oct. 15, Jessa will have a show in Hilo, Hawaii, and on Nov. 4 as guest performer in Buck Ram’s (original Platters) show at the Peppermill Casino in Reno, Nevada. She and Dingdong will again perform together on Nov. 11 at an INS event in L.A.

"On Nov. 18," Jessa said, "we will receive an award from Gawad Amerika for being The Most Outstanding Model Couple in the (Philippines) Entertainment Industry at the Celebrity Center in Hollywood."

Asked why they decided to migrate to the US, Jessa said, "For our daughter. When Jayda grows up, she’ll decide where she wants to stay, in the US or in the Philippines."

The Avanzados will be back on Oct. 20 for two weeks to finalize the sale of their house (at a Quezon City subdivision) and to buy a small condo unit for them to stay during homecomings.

(Note: Stars and others interested in enlisting the services of lawyer Jemela A. Nettles may get in touch with her through telephone 213-892-6370, mobile phone +1213-6751281 or via fax at 213-892-2270. She holds office at 700 S. Flower St. Suite 1100, Los Angeles, CA 90017.)

A word from Bernardo Bernardo

Now US-based actor-comedian Bernardo Bernardo sent Funfare the following "clarification" about Ingrata, the Nora Aunor digital starrer recently shown in Metro Manila:

Hi, Ricky,

For the simple purpose of clearing the air, allow me to answer numerable queries as to who actually directed Ingrata. I cannot in good conscience just allow the movie to open without saying my piece: good or bad, I directed most of the scenes in Ingrata and I would have been content to be billed as co-director, but, for reasons unknown, the producer opted to give Joey Gonzales sole credit.

While I would be the first to admit that the work is flawed (given the impoverished movie-for-TV budget, aggravated by a very tight shooting schedule and hampered, sadly, by the most primitive of shooting situations), credit and accountability regarding Ingrata should be made very clear.

We shot in the classic guerrilla style "pito-pito" tradition with the leanest of staffs (two HD Video cameramen and an errant soundman; frustratingly, no video support; and a supporting cast of talented but very raw new recruits). We had no production designer, no makeup artist, nor a crew to speak of.

The rushed shoot was marked by tension-filled confrontations between the line producers and Ms. Nora Aunor which had me rewriting several scenes, several times in order to shoot around her. The role of Noli, Nora’s husband in the film was originally written for Miguel Vera but was eventually played by John Robert Porter at Ms. Aunor’s behest. In a serendipitous turn of events, I found John’s attack on the role uncannily close to the character I had written (my brother-in-law!). I even grudgingly convinced myself that John’s unintentional lapses into Visayan enunciations added topical credibility to his portrayal.

Happily, Ingrata is also peopled with my actual friends who found time to support the project and portrayed different roles as Nora’s friends in the film. Which, in a way, is as it should be, because the story was largely based on/inspired by similar events and people in the life of my real life sister in America. The film, after all, is my valentine to my own sister’s efforts to better her life in a foreign land.

I am speaking up, finally, since no one else would, because the project is close to my heart.

Lastly, Ingrata is also my humble offering to Nora Aunor’s enormous talents. It was a privilege to work with her. In truth, it was far from a smooth experience (she was going through very difficult times) but no less memorable. (On a more personal note, I am happy because: How often do you get to play yourself in a movie with the legendary Nora Aunor as your sister?)

Thanks, Ricky.

Bernardo

* * *

E-mail reactions at [email protected]