Why is Korina the 'target'?

Curtain-raiser:

• Living up to its new “Totally Xtreme, Totally Xclusive, Totally Xplosive” thrust, Startalk reveals more in this afternoon’s edition (on GMA, after Eat, Bulaga!): Miriam Quiambao (“totally xposed”) finally breaks her silence on what caused the break-up of her and Claudio Rondenelli’s marriage which has just been annulled; is Nadia Montenegro (“totally xclusive”) a “bad influence” on Mark Herras, the current flame of her daughter Ynna Asistio?; have Claudine Barretto and former boyfriend Mark Anthony Fernandez (“totally xciting”) finally kissed and made up?, and Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera (also “totally xciting”) had a heart-to-heart talk with Marian’s father; and Katrina Halili and Dr. Vicki Belo, Aljur Abrenica and new crush Rhian Ramos, and Kris Bernal with her own new inspiration go “totally xtreme.” Plus: Have Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos cancelled their planned trip abroad due to her delicate condition?

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She’s the perfect secret (as in “hidden”) weapon for her husband, Sen./Vice Presidentiable Mar Roxas — you know, not seen but strongly felt.

Contrary to what some people might have suspected, Mar didn’t marry Korina so he could “use” her in his bid for the vice presidency (initially for the presidency until he gave way to Noynoy Aquino).

A Funfare friend quoted Behn Cervantes as saying: “I admire the voluntary low profile maintained by Korina Sanchez. This absence from the scene has belied public perception that candidate Roxas married the TV personality for her national clout. She is nowhere to be seen in this campaign. Her last public appearance was during their well-publicized wedding. Instead, Roxas is standing on his own accomplishments and thus proving that he didn’t marry her to bolster his political ambitions. Wise move if this were conjugally conceived.”

Early on, Korina did say that she didn’t want to be tagging along Mar Roxas in his sorties and rallies. “Ricky, I can do more than just be a smiling wifey na pakaway-kaway.”  

As Funfare earlier reported, Korina has been going around the country and has been to more than 60 towns and cities nationwide and still counting. But, yes, she prefers it without fanfare. She was not even at the recent presscon hosted by Regal Matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde at the Imperial Palace Suites, thought to be the lucky venue for winning candidates, but, as I’ve been saying, her presence was strongly felt. “I was in Vigan shooting for Rated K,” said Korina.

Two months after their first close encounter with Mar, the movie writers were asking, “Wala pa ba? Hindi pa ba naglilihi si Korina?” No, not yet, not now when Mar is busy with the campaign. “Maybe after the election,” he said. 

Mother Lily, who also hosted the first movie presscon for Mar, confessed, “I fell in love with Mar at first sight,” adding, “From the time we had our first meeting with Mar two months ago, I did my own survey among people from all walks of life everywhere. I got to talk to the security guards in the malls, the palengke vendors, the jeepney drivers, school teachers, nurses, doctors, nuns and priests, including my maids and my takilyeras, and they are for the Noynoy-Mar tandem.”

Mar’s numbers are still the highest among all political candidates (40 percent), and he has the highest trust ratings (75 percent) as of the latest surveys. Korina should get a good part of the credit. With her chart-topping show Rated K and her 20 years in news and commentary she is a consistent preference of Filipinos and was recently named SWS’ No. 1 Most Trusted TV Personality.

Korina beamed with pride, “Maganda naman isipin nakakatulong ako imbes na nakakabawas, di ba?”

And how does she feel about the black propaganda against her? 

In her Allure column in this paper last Sunday, Korina wrote: “There are not enough bullets to kill Mar’s chances on May 10 so they go after the highly-visible, celebrity wife.”

Is she so shocked to find out first-hand how dirty politics is?

“I am not shocked. We all know who’s behind this smear campaign and we’ve always known what these people are made of, so it is expected. Pathetic lang kasi siguro wala na silang mahanap kaya ‘yung non-issue pinipilit maging issue and ‘yung patay pilit binubuhay. Ayun, hahahaha, nabuko and then nag-backfire tuloy. Kaawa-awa. But these come with the territory of my choices. God is good and just. Every attempt has fizzled out and those texts are desperate. I am more shocked by betrayal rather than black propaganda. We are thankful that the Pinoys love us and, most importantly, God loves us.” 

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Will Richard Gutierrez come home with a trophy?

“I’m keeping my fingers crossed,” said Richard who is scheduled to leave for New York tomorrow, May 2, to attend the New York Festival (Television and Film Awards), set for Monday, May 3, at the Penthouse Lobby of American Airlines Theater in Manhattan, in which the GMA show Planet Philippines which he hosted is nominated in the Environment & Ecology category.

“I put so much of myself into the docu special,” said Richard. “Nakatutok talaga ako from the conceptualization to the pre-production to the final editing.”

Before Planet Philippines, Richard hosted the Earth Day concert and other GMA TV specials on the environment, including Full Force Nature and Bahay, Buhay, Baha. He’s now preparing to host Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Edition which will start airing in June, and shooting In Your Eyes, a joint venture between Viva Films and GMA Films also starring Claudine Barretto and Anne Curtis, and directed by Mac Alejandre.

“End of May,” added Richard, “I will fly to L.A. with Claudine and Anne to shoot some scenes for the movie.”

Once an item, Richard and Anne were comfortable in their love scenes, although, Richard blushed, “We were a bit nervous because the kissing scenes were shot from different angles kaya ulit kami nang ulit.”

Well, all I can say is, “Good luck, Richard. Come home with a trophy!”

What’s up?

= Yes, of course, the town in Bohol where retired Sampaguita kontrabida came from is Sierra Bullones and not Sierre Leone as Funfare wrongly mentioned.

= Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, who’s running for senator under the Liberal Party with Noynoy Aquino and running mate Mar Roxas, graduated with a degree in Social Studies (not Economics) from Ateneo.

= Starting yesterday until May 3, the Vivian Sarabia Optical in SM Megamall (Bldg. B, 3rd Floor) is offering up to 70 percent discounts on branded sunglasses and frames, and colored contact lens.

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