Why Ai-Ai and Gerald postponed honeymoon

Married for almost five months and no honeymoon yet?

While other newly-weds would hie off to their honeymoon as soon as the last reception guest has left, Ai-Ai delas Alas and husband Gerald Sibayan have decided to postpone their honeymoon to October this year, barely two months before they celebrate their first wedding anniversary on Dec. 12.

Asked why, Ai-Ai shrugged, “Lack of time.” To which Gerald only smiled.

Actually, the couple has been enjoying an endless honeymoon since they began going steady a few years ago, living happily ever after but, according to Ai-Ai, abstaining from you-know-what not only when she has to shoot a movie but since she became a Papal awardee two years ago.

Besides “lack of time,” they are also both too busy to start on their joint “venture,” Ai-Ai with work (GMA shows Sunday PinaSaya and Sherlock Jr., the Ruru Madrid starrer which ended last Friday). On the side, Ai-Ai also regularly checks on her Ay Sarap restaurant (located a stone’s throw from ABS-CBN) which continues to draw customers with its wide choices of affordable (usually Chinese) cuisine, and manages the Ex-Battalion hip-hop group.

Gerald’s cook at his University of Makati outlet, Lanz Libramonte, the crush of female customers.

Ai-Ai has just signed up as “official ambassadress” of “SauceSarap” Bacsilog on-the-go which Gerald (the first franchisee) manages as his first business. Gerald’s first outlet is at the University of Makati where his cook, Lanz Libramonte, is the crush of female customers.

Bacsilog on-the-go was founded by Maricar “Ate Rica” Peñalosa in 2006. She started as a sidewalk vendor pushing her cart daily to La Salle (Taft) and serving quality, budget-friendly silog meals to students and young professionals. With her famous Ate Rica’s special cheese sauce, she adds a sauce-sarap twist to the regular Filipino silog fare with the bacon silog or bacsilog as its anchor offering.

Ate Rica’s inspiring story should be featured by Karen Davila on her ABS-CBN show My Puhunan. Karen will be pleasantly surprised to know why not only students but celebrities support the brand.

“Gerald would always rave about bacsilog which he consumed almost every day when he was still a student,” Ai-Ai told Funfare. “I became more impressed when I learned Ate Rica’s back story and when I got to taste her Bacsilog.”

From just two outlets in 2017 (at La Salle and UST), Ate Rica and her partners in Baconnoisseur Corporation finally opened the food business to franchise. It has since grown to 14 branches in a matter of months.

Meanwhile, Ai-Ai and Gerald are making sure that by October, they can have enough time to proceed with their long-delayed/long-postponed honeymoon.

Do they plan to start having a baby by then?

“Yes, of course,” said Ai-Ai, “we want to have our own child.” (Ai-Ai has three of her own and Gerald has none.)

Revealed: Ai-Ai has her eggs deposited in the bank.

“That’s all I can say for now,” added Ai-Ai.

Take a bow, Arnold!

The Philippines’ Cynthia Magpatoc Thomalla, the new 2018 Miss Eco International, being crowned by outgoing queen Amber Lynn Bernachi of Canada. —Photo by Ahmed Arafa for Miss Eco International

As the saying goes, lightning strikes thrice. Just as luck does.

It’s true in the case of Arnold Vegafria, franchise-holder of Miss World Philippines.

Three of Arnold’s first harvest (the 2017 MWP selections) brought home more crowns for the Philippines: Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” Marquez, 2017/18 Reina Hispanoamericana, a “first” for the country, in Colombia late last year; Sophia Senoron, 2018 Miss Multinational, in India last February; and, Cynthia Magpatoc Thomalla, 2018 Miss Eco International, last Friday, April 27, in Egypt.

The 22-year-old Fil-German stunner was born in Germany and raised in Macrohon, Southern Leyte, her mother’s hometown.

The fourth Miss Eco International title-holder, Cynthia defeated 51 other hopefuls including her runners-up Astira Intan Verdaneina of Indonesia (first), Kelly Poldy Rivera Kroll of Peru (second), Nguyen Thu Dung of Vietnam (third) and Glennys Dayana Medina Segura of Costa Rica (fourth).

Aside from the Philippine Embassy in Egypt and Filipino residents there, Cynthia was supported by Miss World Philippines (MWP) franchise-holder Arnold Vegafria (rightmost), MWP general manager Bessie Besana (left) and a pageant organizer. —Photo from Arnold Vegafria's Instagram

Cynthia was also a finalist in three categories: Top 10 in Resort Wear, Top 15 in Eco Dress and Top 15 in Eco Talent.

Arnold was among those who personally supported Cynthia in Egypt, together with MWP general manager Bessie Besana, delegation from the Philippine Embassy and the Filipino Community in Egypt. 

Cynthia wore a Malayka Yamas for the eco dress, a Kim Gan for her national costume, and a white gown by Patty Ang and a red gown by Cary Santiago for the crowning.

The only member of the 2017 MWP batch who failed to bag a title abroad was Laura Lehmann who made it only to the Top 40 in the 2017 Miss World pageant in China in November last year. — With a report from Celso de Guzman Caparas

Only Paeng, and no other

Bowling legend Paeng Nepomuceno is the only athlete to have been honored by seven Philippine Presidents, clockwise from top left: Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, Pres. Joseph Estrada, Pres. Noynoy Aquino, Pres. DU30, Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Pres. Fidel Ramos and Pres. Cory Aquino.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)