Amy's reminder to Gelli: Be ready to dodge

As Funfare reported last week, Amy Perez is going on maternity leave from TV5’s two-year-old top-rating show Face to Face (F2F) and Gelli de Belen will take over as host. The show has caught the fancy of televiewers (from classes “A” to “C”) because it tries to sort out cases taken from the files of barangay halls (that’s why it’s called “Barangay-Hall-on-the-air”). Most of the time, but only after hurling invectives (bleep-bleeped!) at each other and throwing punches (even chairs) at each other (often restrained by the heavyweight security guards), the protagonists end up letting bygones be bygones and melt into each other’s arms in tearful forgiveness.

Tiyang Amy is the perfect host for such a show because she’s cool, she doesn’t take sides, she’s sisterly and she gives her own opinion on the issues at hand after the Trio Tagapayo are done with their counseling. I guess that televiewers love the show because the protagonists are doing exactly what they (televiewers) want to but would not or could not do because of inhibitions — you know, wash dirty linen on national television.

Now three months pregnant with her and partner Carlo Castillo’s (a TV5 reporter) second child, Amy will leave the show gradually.

“There are weeks when Gelli will host three episodes at ako two episodes until I completely go on leave,” said Amy who has taped her own episodes for this month and will do some more for the whole month of August. “But Gelli will be doing the out-of-town episodes kasi alam mo naman,” Amy, 42, added in jest, “21 years old na ako and my tummy is getting heavy. Mga light episodes lang ‘yung akin.”

Amy has a son, Adi (15), from a previous relationship and another son, Sean Kyle (three years old), by Carlo.

“I lost a baby in a miscarriage,” said Amy, “kaya pangatlo na sana naming child itong darating. Carlo wants a girl this time.”

Gelli, who will henceforth be known as Ateng Gelli, admitted that it would be a challenge to live up to the standard set by Tiyang Amy who personally handpicked her to take over.

“Being a referee on the show is not an easy task,” conceded Tiyang Amy. “It requires patience, deep understanding of everyday people, and genuine care to resolve their conflict. But I’m sure that Gelli fits the bill perfectly.”

Having watched Gelli as host of the GMA show SIS with her Ate Janice de Belen and another one also with Janice and Carmina Villarroel, I’m sure Gelli will not disappoint.

“I’m excited,” said Ateng Gelli who also acts as presenter for the TV5 food magazine show Gellicious and co-hosts the network’s new Sunday show Game ’N Go (with Joey de Leon, Edu Manzano and Shalani Soledad-Romulo). “Nakahanda na ako sa labanan; ready na ako mag-referee.”

At home, Gelli is a doting mom to her and husband Ariel Rivera’s two boys, Joaqui (12) and Julio (10). Her advocacy, women empowerment, is a good qualification for the F2F hosting. She assists battered women in depressed communities. Not many people know that Gelli is also a “galloner,” a regular donor of Philippine National Red Cross.

“I’m an A-negative,” said Gelli. “It’s a rare blood type and I think only one percent of the national population has it,” added Gelli who participates in the blood-letting activity organized by the Alagang Kapatid Foundation, the charity arm of TV5.

Asked what reminders she has given Ateng Gelli, Tiyang Amy smiled.

“I told her to sit at the edge of the chair, so she can easily dodge when the protagonists lunge at each other. Otherwise, she could get caught in the middle of it.”

But, of course, the burly bodyguards are always ready to pacify the feuding parties.

“Pero mas mabuti na ‘yung mabilis siya umilag at tumakbo,” Tiyang Amy said, still joking.

Seriously now, “I just told Gelli to master the art of listening. It’s important to the protagonists that they know that you’re listening to them.”

And perhaps, Gelli should also master “the art” of screaming “Sandali, sandali, sandali!!” when the protagonists start throwing their chairs at each other. Or else…

Boyet reads poems on the radio

Election lawyer Romy Macalintal (left) with Christopher de Leon, special guest poem reader on his dwBR radio program The Law of the Heart is Love

Those who missed election lawyer Romy Macalintal’s radio program The Law of the Heart is Love (dwBR, 104.3FM) last Saturday (July 7) and Sunday (July 8) will have the chance to listen to Romy’s special guest Christopher “Boyet” de Leon read love poems on air.

“I decided to replay the episode due to popular demand,” said Romy.

On Thursday (July 5) when Christopher taped the show, he was practically mobbed by employees of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Quezon City.

“PIA employees felt the warmth and friendship of Boyet when he accommodated everyone who requested for photo ops with him,” said Romy. “Boyet even made it sure that each and everyone was properly in position for the picture taking.”

Boyet read a love poem, Always Your Own, and a prayerful poem, He Walks Beside Me, both by James J. Metcalfe, and a Tagalog poem, Noo’y Isang Hapon, whose author is unknown.

Romy’s program (airing 8 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and 9 to 10 p.m. on Sundays) is celebrating its third anniversary this month and he has lined up top celebrities to be his guest poem readers for the occasion. The entire proceeds coming from the sponsors of his program directly go to the scholarship program of Mission Guided by Mary Foundation for the 450 poor and deserving elementary and high school students of various Catholic parishes.

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