Swatch out for Coleen Garcia

The gracious Swatch lady boss Virgie Ramos hosted a surprise birthday for Coleen Garcia when she turned 23 recently.

Now, could it be true that Coleen will soon join the Swatch Honor Roll featuring such glamorous endorsers as Coleen’s boyfriend Billy Crawford, Anne Curtis, John Lloyd Cruz, Angelica Panganiban, Derek Ramsay, Christian Bautista, Alodia Gosiengfiao, Luis Manzano, Rowell Santiago, Chris Tiu, Matteo Guidicelli and many others?

One of the ABS-CBN noontime show It’s Showtime! hosts, Coleen proved her derring-do as a serious actress in Ex With Benefits in which she did passionate love scenes with Derek. “He was a gentleman,” Coleen was quoted as describing Derek. “He was protective. When the director shouted ‘Cut!,’ he would rush to cover me with a big towel.”

There are reports that Billy is ready, willing and able to marry Coleen. Not so soon, though.

“I still have many other goals to achieve,” said Coleen, and so is Billy who is swamped with hosting jobs by ABS-CBN, the latest being Celebrity Playtime which started airing over the weekend.

Meanwhile, Swatch out for Coleen in more movie assignments and endorsements.

News on the ‘beauty’ front

• 2015 Bb. Pilipinas-Tourism Ann Lorraine Colis will represent the country in the 2015 Miss Globe Pageant to be held in Toronto on Oct. 8. I talked to the stunning Thomasian early last month during the opening of Pizza Hut at the newly-opened Kia Theater in Quezon City. “It’s my first time to travel abroad and I’m excited to represent the country in the pageant’s 42nd edition,” said Ann Lorraine. “I’m inviting our kababayan, especially those living in Toronto, to support me.” — Reported by Felix Manuel

• Reigning Miss Earth Jamie Herrell is in Vienna, Austria, to promote Miss Earth’s Crystal Year celebration focusing on climate change. To be held on Dec. 5, the pageant will have more than 90 beauties competing, including the Philippine bet Angelia Ong. Meanwhile, Carousel Productions (behind the Miss Earth pageant) executive vice president and CEO Lorraine Schuck was invited by the UN office in Vienna to speak about climate change at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) general conference.

— Celso de Guzman Caparas

• Hollywood-based Filipino fashion designer Oliver Tolentino is moving his boutique from Melrose Avenue (its home for six years) to Beverly Hills (on South Robertson Boulevard), twice its present size. He maintains his boutique near Greenbelt 1, Makati City.

Oliver has dressed over 75 Hollywood celebrities for red carpet events such as the Oscars, Globes, Emmys, Grammys, etc. He even made history (as originally reported here) by becoming the first Filipino in 53 years to dress an Oscar winner at the Academy Awards barely two years ago.

Oliver will be the only Filipino designer with a boutique in the city of Beverly Hills.

Advance ticket sale for Manalo

Viva Films and its partner cinemas are offering advance ticket selling for Felix Manalo starting yesterday (Sept. 28).

This is available in over 300 theaters nationwide so that moviegoers can avoid the expected mad rush on opening day, Oct. 7.

Premiere night is set for Oct. 4 at the 55,000-seater Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, with an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 guests in attendance, including lead actors Dennis Trillo and Bela Padilla, and over 100 stars in special roles.

The gigantic event, which will be viewed via a five-storey high (120 meters by 40 meters) screen, will vie for two Guinness Book of World Records for the largest audience attendance in a film premiere and film screening. 

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Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza/Yaya Dub seen to be saying, ‘See you soon!’ to White (left)

Will Alden & Maine be in Bryan White concert?

Confirmed: Bryan White is coming for a concert on Dec. 1 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

White is the singer of God Gave Me You, recorded in 1999, which has virtually become the theme song of the AlDub kalyeserye since it’s what Alden Richards uses as courtship song for Yaya Dub/Maine Mendoza. Last Saturday, Alden serenaded Yaya Dub with God Gave Me You.

The Grammy Award-winning American country music artist showed his appreciation of the Alden-Maine split-screen romance on Twitter. He said that he’s both humbled and honored at the same time.

A series of video clips shows White speaking to his Filipino fans was also posted by avid AlDub supporters on Twitter. In the video, White thanked his Filipino fans and his followers from all across Asia. “I’ve been very excited about all that’s happening with God Gave Me You,” White said. “I love the song so much... I just can’t believe how music travels and you just never know where it’s gonna end up and what’s gonna happen with it,” adding, “My team and I will definitely see you soon.”

The big question is: Will Alden and Maine be in White’s Big Dome concert? There’s a report that the love team will soon have a concert, not specified when and where.

White’s latest release Shine is now available on iTunes and in the Bryan White online store.

Tickets to God Gave Me You Tour, presented by Concert Republic/OctoArts Entertainment Inc., will be on sale starting Oct. 1 Prices are: VIP Patron P5,000; Patron P4,000; Lower Box Center P4,000; Lower Box P3,000; Upper Box A P1,750; Upper Box B P1,000; and General Admission P500. Call Ticketnet at 911-5555.

(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/therealrickylo.)