Won’t Pia steal the scene from bride Pauleen at the wedding?

This much Funfare can confirm so far (as a gesture of respect to Vic Sotto and Pauleen Luna who don’t want details about their wedding publicized just yet, never mind if Pauleen herself has been titillating the public with postings on her Instagram): The date is Jan. 30 and the church is the same one where Gloria Diaz and Bong Daza got married.

One thing is sure: 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach will be a bridesmaid. The two “P’s” are good friends, having started in showbiz as Star Magic hopefuls in their tween years (Pia was 12 and Pauleen was 13).

Because she’s now Miss Universe, Pia is predicted to unwittingly steal the scene from the bride, but can she help it? I guess Pauleen won’t mind; she will understand.

“But Pia will try to be inconspicuous,” according to somebody close to both ladies, “if it’s possible at all.”

Pia’s original schedule prepared by the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) was Jan. 23 (arrival at night from Jakarta where she will grace an event) to Jan. 29 (departure back to New York City, her home during her year-long reign).

Thanks to Madame Stella Marquez-Araneta who requested the MUO to extend Pia’s homecoming so that she could attend Pauleen’s wedding.

Since Dec. 21 when she won the crown in Las Vegas, Pia has been keeping an airtight schedule starting with a media blitz organized by MUO. Philippine journalists rushed to New York to get the latest (fresh-from-the-oven) about Pia.

“I found one portion of Dyan Castillejo’s interview (for ABS-CBN) very poignant,” said Funfare’s NYC-based “beauty expert” Felix Manuel. “All of us present at the interview listened intently when Pia opened her heart and revealed that there was a point in her life where she wondered why, despite all her efforts and hard work, she did not attain her dream…such as why she never got as famous as her Star Circle batch mate Bea Alonzo despite diligently working and preparing for her roles; why she had to join Bb. Pilipinas pageant thrice before finally winning the crown.”

Felix also reported that the other day, Pia endeared herself to kababayan when she paid a courtesy call on Consul-General Mario Lopez at the Philippine Consulate in NYC. She fielded questions from members of the Filipino community as a queen who’s “confidently beautiful with a heart.”

But Pia was sorely missed by the Aces & Queens (the team that builds up beauty queens) during its traditional thanksgiving dinner for 2015 at the Seven Corners at Crowne Plaza.

According to a report by A&Q member Gerry Diaz, present during the dinner were 2015 Miss Intercontinental first runner-up Christi Lynn McGarry and 2015 Miss World Top 10 semi- finalist Hillarie Parungao.

“Also missed was 2015 Miss Globe winner Ann Colis who had a prior commitment, 2015 Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International Leren Mae Bautista who was taping for Wowowin,” added Gerry.

Incidentally, A&Q announced the establishment of the Aces & Queens Foundation which will provide education (scholarships) to deserving young ladies who aspire to become beauty queens. The group will come up with events to raise funds for the foundation.

Christi Lynn McGarry dubbed ‘Queen of Hearts’

Christi Lynn McGarry considered her having made several friends during the 2015 Miss Intercontinental pageant in Germany just as memorable as her finishing first runner-up to Russia’s Valentina Rasulova.

“I made lots of friends among the girls,” said Christi. “The Latinas, Europeans, Americans and Asians called me ‘The Queen of Hearts.’” She was also named Miss Intercontinental Asia and Oceania. “I and the other Binibini in my batch are proud of our achievements. Pia won Miss Universe, Ann Lorraine Colis won Miss Globe, Janicel Lubina made it to the Top 10 and was Best Dresser in Miss International, and Parul Shah was Miss Grand International third runner-up.”

The search for 2016 Bb. Pilipinas is on. Christi’s advice to the aspirants: “Be yourselves, be prepared not only physically but also mentally. Keep abreast of the current national and international issues and enhance your communication skills because a beauty queen requires a lot of public speaking.”

Reader’s reaction

From reader Zeny Rodriguez-La Rocque, Charlestown, Massachusetts:

Glad to learn that the next Miss U pageant is going to be held in Manila according to your column. The random facts you revealed about the Miss U pageants held in the Philippines in 1974 (won by Spain’s Amparo Muñoz, deceased) and 1994 (won by India’s Sushmita Sen) were very interesting.

I would like to share a few tidbits of which I was a witness. I am the first cousin of the late actor Bernard Z. Bonnin (father of Charlene Gonzalez. Miss Philippines Universe of 1994). Bernard stayed with us when he was a high school student at San Beda College in the early ’60s. He was then starting his acting career.

While living on Buencamino Street, Aviles in San Miguel district, we were next-door neighbors with Christina Cuerva, mother of 1974 Miss Philippines Guada Sanchez.

Both Bernard and Christina were neighbors and grew up together in that area for a few years. The father of Guada is Filipino Sanchez, a former Jai Alai pelotari and the Sanchez family owned the row of apartments in Aviles where we lived. Christina’s sister Vicky Cuerva is married to basketball legend Carlos (Caloy) Loyzaga whose children Bing and Teresa Loyzaga (mother of Diego Loyzaga) are actresses.

It is also interesting to note that Charlene’s mother Elvie Gonzalez is a former actress. Charlene’s brother Richard and cousin Juan Carlos (JC) are also actors.

Passage

Condolence to the family of lawyer Fortune Balasbas (photo) who died of a heart attack. He was 53. There will be a Mass at 7 o’clock tonight at Loyola Chapels on Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, to be followed by eulogy and songs. Tomorrow, Sunday, Jan. 17, at 1:30 p.m., an interment Mass will be held at the Sacred Heart Parish on Scout Ybardolaza St., Kamuning, Quezon City, where Fortune grew up.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter.com/therealrickylo.)