Little brother following in Kuya Aga's footsteps

The Muhlachs have a fondness for the letter “A” — from Amalia and brothers Alvaro and Alex, to their children Anna Lissa (Amalia’s daughter); Angelo (Niño, Alex’s son); to siblings Ariel (Aga), Albert and Arlene (three of Cheng’s eight children who also include Almira, wife of Bong Alvarez); and to Aga and wife Charlene Gonzalez’s twins (Andres and Atasha).

“Pinagusapan naming mag-anak ‘yon,” says Cheng whose other son, AJ (Adrian Justine), is following in his Kuya Aga’s footsteps. “’A’ has a lot of advantages. Kapag alphabetical order, una ka sa list. Sa roll call, una kang tatawagin.”

A five-year contract artist (as actor) of Viva Films which has for the meantime included him as one of the eight members of XLR8, the Philippines’ answer to the popular Korean K-Pop, by way of introducing him to the public.

“Okay lang,” says AJ who turned 18 last May 20, “because I do love music.”

He finished elementary school at Immaculate Conception and high school at La Salle Greenhills. At UST where he’s taking up a course in Applied Physics (“I’m good in math”), AJ said he envied his classmates who play the guitar very well, so he decided to take one-on-one lessons in guitar-playing. He also plays the drums, the harmonica, the flute and the piano. During summer breaks, he takes up Culinary Arts. Having taken after his mom, Janet Rivera who was a member of the Vicor Dancers, AJ also dances well.

“I jam with Kuya Aga during family gatherings,” says AJ who is close to his other half-siblings (with six different mothers). “Masaya kami, especially during family reunions.”

As expected of a Muhlach, AJ at 5’7” (“And growing!) is gifted with movie-starish looks and an acting talent waiting to be tapped.

“Who’s my favorite actor? Of course, Kuya Aga.” Understandably so.

Asked if, given enough time, he can match, if not surpass, his Kuya Aga’s record as an actor, AJ said he’s keeping his fingers crossed. He’s attending an acting workshop under Gina Alajar. “I don’t want to go into acting unprepared.”

Aga’s brotherly advice to AJ: “Hinay-hinay lang” as far as girls are concerned; and, where career is concerned, “Focus on your work because opportunity in showbiz is often a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”

While waiting for his movie break, AJ (who idolizes David Cook, Brian McKnight, Jay-R and Kris Lawrence) is enjoying his stint with XLR8 which performs regularly on the GMA Sunday show Party Pilipinas.

“I’m focused on what I’m doing,” says AJ. “I don’t want to let my family down, and also my godparents.”

His ninongs include Pres. Noynoy “P-Noy” Aquino, the late FPJ, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Sen. Bong Revilla, Sen. Tito Sotto and Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista.

Exclusive feedback from Survivor set

Sorry but Funfare cannot reveal yet where the participants of Survivor Philippines Celebrity Showdown are holed up, not until the show premieres on GMA (as usual) a few weeks from now. Clue: On an island off a nearby Asian country famous for its beaches.

I’m also not at liberty to identify the participants but I’ll just also give you some clues: One is an actress married to a dashing actor, one is the sister of an actress/TV-host and another one is an “import” from a South American country. That’s all for now, folks!

But here’s an exclusive feedback from wherever the castaways are:

• Bugs, mosquitoes and nasty crawling critters are everywhere! Insiders swear this could be the most cringe-inducing Survivor Philippines yet.

• My sources tell me that one of the celebrity contestants had insect bites all over her body – yes, including her pretty face! The poor woman cried buckets worrying about her kutis artista.

• A rumored couple may be heading dangerously close to splitsville. They have been reportedly bickering non-stop on the island. Could be because of the stress triggered by the surroundings and the game but it could also be their personalities. One half of the couple is a pure alpha male that most of the other celeb contestants find intimidating. So intimidating that this early, the other castaways are plotting to eliminate him and his girl from the game.

• Run for your lives! One male castaway reportedly terrorized the opposing tribe by running amuck with a bolo.

 • A hunky castaway gave away, um, too much ‘information.’ During one of the intense challenges, pieces of his clothing came off. All the way off!

More ”leaks” from the island in future issues. Do stick around.

Reader’s reader

Hi Ricky,

I read your article about Ogie Alcasid, With a Song in His Heart, in last Sunday’s Conversations with Ricky Lo. I want to let Ogie know that his song Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang was perfectly written. I think no lyrics had to be changed as the late George Canseco tried to correct him. Canseco had his era and his way of writing was really befitting the kind of audience during his time.

One reason that Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang was a hit was that it spoke the way those from the ’90s generation loved to express their feelings. I think Ogie is a hit songwriter because he speaks the way members of his generation express themselves.

I respect Canseco and love to listen to his classics. When I listen to his songs, I think of the ’80s when I was a little girl watching all those ’80s movies which reflect how it was back then. Canseco had earned his mark and Ogie has his own mark and era, too. The way I see it, music is “generational,” reflecting the time and the culture of the listeners.

I hope Ogie gets to know this because his love songs speak to and about my generation, a teenage girl in the ’80s and a young adult back in the ’90s; and listening to his hits still touches my heart up to now. He’s good the way he is.

Regards,

Belle Ravelas

Just ‘special friends’

Georgina Wilson, 24, and Borgy Manotoc, 27, are often seen together in public functions, making people wonder if something is going on between them. ‘They’re special friends,’ said somebody close to Georgina who was once rumored to be Richard Gutierrez’s girlfriend. ‘They like each other, he’s very nice to her and very helpful. They are masaya together.’ They were first seen together during the SOLARtv-sponsored red-carpet premiere of Columbia Pictures’ Salt, with Angelina Jolie in the title role originally intended for Tom Cruise who turned it down because he had just done a similar role in Mission Impossible 2. Then on Tuesday (July 27) last week, the ‘special friends’ were again seen together during the gala night (left) of Cats at the CCP. ‘Their schedules jibe,’ added the somebody close to Georgina. ‘Borgy manages his own haberdashery in Greenhills while Georgina is busy with her own work. But they always find time for each other.’

Ethan Akio on dad’s celfone’s wallpaper

Proud papa Paulo Avelino is using the picture of his and girlfriend LJ Reyes’ son Ethan Akio as wallpaper of Paulo’s celfone. The boy weighed seven lbs. and measured 33.5 centimeters when LJ delivered him at 3:26 a.m. last July 24 at the Presbyterian Hospital in New York where LJ spent the last few weeks of her pregnancy with her mother.

‘My only regret is that I wasn’t by LJ’s side when she gave birth even if I really wanted to be,’ said Paulo whose application for a US visa was twice denied.

Mother and child will fly back home as soon as they are fit to travel.

Meanwhile, Paulo is busy with Ilumina, his new soap on GMA which marks his first ‘mature’ role for which he has to cut his hair funk-style.

 (E-mail reactions at [email protected] or at [email protected])