Allan Pineda never forgets his Pinoy roots

Aiko Melendez has a baby girl. She gave birth by Caesarian section at St. Luke's Medical Center. It is her first child by husband Martin Jackaine. She has one other kid. o0o

I didn't know that Pia Guanio was very close to the family of Vic Sotto until I bumped into them during the concert of the Black Eyed Peas at the Araneta Coliseum last Thursday.

Pia was with Ciara Sotto (her co-host in "Eat Bulaga") and Ciara's sisters Lala and Apple and their children. I asked Pia why Danica and Oyo Boy weren't with them. "They didn't have tickets," she replied.

Pia and Vic refuse to admit they have a thing going, but to me it's obvious. Pia dropped me a hint. "I'm so happy now. Doesn't it show?" she told me, smiling effusively.

The host of "S Files" and the Showbiz Chika segment of "24 Oras" readily admitted she spent four days in Hong Kong "with other people." I didn't have to press her on the identity of "the other people." "I'm not a young star anymore to make denials," Pia said.

Do she and Vic have special names for each other? "We're too old for that," she said. "We're not like Jennylyn and Mark."

Pia doesn't want to reveal how long she and Vic have been on.

I'm not the only one to notice Pia in bloom. Even Tito Douglas Quijano and Pia's manager Tita June Torrejon have, too. o0o

Speaking of Black Eyed Peas, the group made quite a splash when they made a courtesy call at Malacañang the morning before their Araneta concert. Fil-am Allan Pineda (a.k.a. APL for Allan Pineda Lindo) was conferred the Presidential Medal of Merit by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who was pinch-hitting for the flu-stricken President Macapagal-Arroyo. After the conferment, APL and fellow Pea William James Adams (a.k.a Will) sang their hit number "The Apl Song," to the delight of everyone, including Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye and Presidential Management Staff head Arturo Yap. The three Cabinet officials even joined in the singing, providing an impromptu back-up group for the hip-hop duo. Too bad President Arroyo missed the gig.

The Black Eyed Peas' concert itself was a smash hit. The packed Big Dome was rocking! The fans were on their feet for most of the two-hour show. They went wild when Allan Pineda addressed them in Filipino.

The group has four members. Aside from APL and Will, there's Taboo and Fergie. But it was APL who brought the house down when he sang "The Apl Song." He wore a Barong Tagalog and the huge screen on the stage displayed a Philippine flag.

APL has never been ashamed of his Filipino roots. According to Will, APL often takes him to parties hosted by Filipinos in the US. And APL's girlfriend of eight years is a Filipina.

Needless to say, the Araneta audience didn't want to let go of Black Eyed Peas that easily. The group did several encores before making their final bow.

Encouraged by the rousing reception, the group promised to return to the Philippines for another show.

The concert is part of the Black Eyed Peas' Monkey Business World Tour. o0o

As I had reported last week, Dennis Trillo is the first recording artist of Indimusic, the new recording company put up by Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez.

Dennis formally joins Indimusic when he signs the contract with the company today.

Ogie has not really been promoting Indimusic full blast because he didn't want its launch to steal attention from his forthcoming concert, Komikonsiyerto. o0o

It's been four years since Rufa Mae Quinto and Marvin Agustin did a movie together. But in "Oh My Ghost," they proved that the chemistry is still there.

Rufa Mae is super excited about the movie, which is directed for OctoArts Films by Tony Y. Reyes. "I have so many 'firsts' in this picture," she gushes. "It's my first ever film under OctoArts. It's also my first time under Direk Tony, who's my dream director. I never imagined I'd be working with him. I'm a big fan of his."

"Direk Tony usually makes box-office films, 'Lastikman' and 'Enteng Kabisote.' 'Oh My Ghost' will be another smash hit. The special effects are exceptional, world-class. They're going to knock the audience off their seats."

Rufa Mae plays the ghost of a murdered advertising executive out for revenge. "When she was still alive she went to the gym a lot. There she met Paolo Contis, Uma Khouney and Carlos Agassi, who play hot-blooded yuppies. When I shun their advances they decide to rape me. They sneak into my house and try to take advantage of me. When I tried to escape I fall and die."

The fun starts when the ghost goes after each of her tormentors.

How does Rufa Mae find teaming up again with Marvin?

"It's fun because the film is all-out comedy. Marvin takes whatever I dish out, and vice versa."

"Oh My Ghost" opens in theaters nationwide August 16.