Why Troy and Nikki broke up

"I’m confused; I don’t know what to do!"

With those (eight) words, Troy Montero not so subtly delivered his message loud and clear two weeks ago and Nikki Valdez, his girlfriend of barely seven months, reacted accordingly by, that’s it, breaking up with him.

More than 10 years older than Nikki, Troy should have known how to handle the matter in a mature and direct manner, and not in the ungentlemanly and immature way he did.

"He should have been man enough to say it straight, he shouldn’t have beaten around the bush," said somebody privy to the (un-)couple’s short-lived romance. "Ang laki ng tanda niya kay Nikki, halos uncle na siya ni Nikki, and he didn’t even have the balls to express his feelings as clearly as he should have."

Now, what was Troy "confused" about? Could it be true that Troy has been advised (by whom? what for?) to "lay off" Nikki because their romance wasn’t doing his career (what career!?!) any good? Did Troy use Nikki as an "emotional shield" after he was reportedly broken-hearted by rumored ex-girlfriend Charlene Gonzalez’s decision to marry Aga Muhlach?

If Nikki is nursing a broken heart, according to a Funfare DPA at ABS-CBN’s Talent Center, "she doesn’t show it."

If you ask me, Nikki should thank heavens that Troy has shown her his true colors this early and what "kind of a man" he really is. Only 21, Nikki can find another boyfriend – somebody better, somebody who should know what to do even if he’s, uh, "confused."

Jose Mari’s sentimental journey

First week of December, Jose Mari Chan is set to embark on another sentimental trip when his new album, aptly called A Heart’s Journey, is launched. Since Jose Mari doesn’t do it every year, his album launching is definitely a much-awaited event. The last time Jose Mari did an album, Souvenirs (now a double platinum, meaning more than 80,000 copies sold), was in 1998, so it’s about time a new one followed.

A Heart’s Journey (Universal Records) will carry 14 original compositions by Jose Mari, including I’ve Found a World in You, sung by Jose Mari’s daughter Liza, which is the product of Jose Mari’s chance encounter with Denise Rich (wife of famous billionaire fugitive Marc Rich), a composer in her own right, in New York three years ago.

"Denise and I got to talking," recalled Jose Mari during a brief phone chat yesterday, with him calling from Osaka where he’s spending a vacation with his wife Maryann, the same place where, as a newly-married couple, they worked as missionaries in 1970, she for one year and a half and he, for eight months. "Four hours later, I wrote I’ve Found a World in You."

Jose Mari’s fans (this one included) will find that song full of pain, unlike the typical Jose Mari Chan song which is full of sunshine and optimism and light-heartedness.

These days, you and I will be hearing a lot of Jose Mari’s songs from Christmas in Our Hearts (which is so far a 17-platinum album, while his Constant Change is 16-platinum). Since the album’s release in the late ’80s, the holiday season seems to be incomplete without Jose Mari’s Christmas songs enlivening the air.

Meantime, brace yourselves for Jose Mari’s heart’s impending journey.

Imelda’s own ‘journey’

When Camarines Sur Vice Gov. Imelda Papin met the movie press (all of them her friends) yesterday at the spanking new office of Universal Records (at a new building along Quezon Avenue, Quezon City), the gathering turned out to be more of a reunion than a presscon for her album Nagiisang Imelda which marks her entry into the Universal Family.

The album is "an anthology of Pinoy hits" made popular by Imelda herself, including her very first hit song Bakit (Kung Liligaya Ka sa Piling ng Iba), Sa Mata Makikita, Hindi Ako Laruan, Tanging Ikaw, Tutulungan Kita, Muling Ibalik, Guhit ng Palad and Dalawa Kaming Api.

First released 22 years ago when Imelda was single and a greenhorn (in many ways, including falling in and out of love), Bakit as done by Imelda now sounds more profound, coming from the inner sanctum of Imelda’s emotion.

"I’ve experienced pain, that’s why," said Imelda who has one failed marriage and a few broken romances behind her.

Asked what she’d choose – politics or singing? – if the situation would call for it, Imelda said she’d choose singing anytime. "As a singer," she explained, "I can also serve the people not only by entertaining them but also by raising funds for the needy or victims of disasters."

As Camarines Vice Governor, one of Imelda’s pet projects is her milk-feeding program through which she met James Dy, father of Universal Records lady boss Bella Dy-Tan. Once, James donated boxes of milk and saw for himself how the poor kids reacted to Imelda especially when she began singing Bakit (the kids would sing along with her). That gave James an idea: Why doesn’t Imelda record that and other songs for Universal Records?

Imelda ended yesterday’s presscon by singing Bakit, asking her media friends to sing along with her.

Congrats, Jobert!

Bulgar movie columnist Jobert Sucaldito is one of the Achievement Awardees at tonight’s celebration of the 103rd anniversary of the Cry of Santa Barbara, at the Don Herminio Maravilla Memorial Cultural and Recreational Center in Santa Barbara, Iloilo where he comes from.

Jobert is cited for his achievement in the field of Culture and Arts in this the first Pasidungong Awards.