They acted as hosts (with Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos) of the recent PMPC Star Awards in near identical Barong Tagalog (polka-dotted, yuck!!!) and what fun they had clowning before the camera, swapping private jokes lost on the "live" audience and those watching TV at home.
Last Friday evening, they did a chorus of Florante's classic song Handog at the 18th FAP Awards and, again, what fun they had, never mind if the movement of their lips didn't sync with the lyrics (thank heavens, though, they didn't come in identical barong but in business suits).
Are they the New Millennium's counterpart of the much-maligned '70s Apat na Sikat (remember Winnie Santos, Lala Aunor, Dondon Nakar and Arnold Gamboa?)? Or are they trying to establish a new collective image as the Reinvented Hagibis?
Funny but the quartet of San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada, Cavite Gov. Bong Revilla, Phillip Salvador and Rudy Fernandez are attracting curious attention because of their antics in public functions and on national television.
It's okay to be called Apat na Sikat, isn't it? After all, they are all (still) sikat na sikat.
But brace yourselves for still another title being conferred on the trio (Phillip, Bong and Rudy) -- an unflattering one, if I may say so ... to the trio but not to Jinggoy.
The title? Yes: Jinggoy's "Hawi" Boys (the "title" given to four guys who used to put the crowds in place to make way for Randy Santiago at the peak of his popularity, remember?)
That "title" cropped up recently during the premier showing of Jinggoy's starrer Col. Elmer Jamias: Barako ng Maynila in Cebu when the trio helped make the big crowd toe the line to, that's it, make way for Jinggoy who, because he's a First Son, does deserve the "honor." Imagine having three handsome Men in Black (MIB) acting as your "Hawi" Boys!
Bong is well-entrenched as Cavite Governor and is on his way to a second term while Phillip and Rudy are rumored to be planning to run for mayor in Mandaluyong and Quezon City respectively. Now, are they so keen on running that they're making sure they will have Jinggoy's (and therefore the Estrada Administration's) support by ingratiating themselves to him in such a way? Or are the trio doing it for friendship's sake (in the spirit of camaraderie -- and fun)?
Let's leave the "Hawi" Boys and their "boss" to their amusing game, as long as, even if they make fun of themselves, they don't make a fool of themselves. But the "game" might turn out to be self-destructive and counter-productive, who knows?
Meanwhile, let's watch the "Hawi" Boys make way for Mayor Jinggoy!
As Funfare reported several issues ago, the fourth birthday bash of Ryan Christian Santos Recto was a strictly family affair (don't ask Funfare how the photos on this page were taken).
Mama Vilma and Papa Ralph treated Ryan and his well-wishers to a two-day holiday (March 28, his birthday, and March 29) at the Subic Bay Yacht Club (SBYC) courtesy of Ryan's Ninong Aga Muhlach who's a member of the SBYC.
The group spent the night (birthday eve) at a suite in La Legende and the whole of next day aboard a yacht. And then Mama Vi and Papa Ralph let Ryan ride a tug boat before embarking on a private island nearby so Ryan could start learning how to swim (his first lesson). They then took the tug boat back to the yacht anchored several meters away and, after drying up, gathered with the rest of the group for a sumptuous dinner at the Cambusa Restaurant.
Among those in the group were Ryan's Lola Milagros (Santos); Ninang Lyn and Ninang Aida (Fandialan); cousins Windy, Lorwin, Cathy and Carla; Mayor Vi's niece Raine Rodriguez; and some personal staffers of Mayor Vi and Rep. Ralph.
But where, oh, where was Luis/Lucky?
For sure, though, Luis/Lucky is going with the family on a three-week bakasyon grande in the States, from April 7 to first week of May. Tonight, Mayor Vi and the cast of Star Cinema's Anak (Claudine Barretto, Leandro Muñoz, Baron Geisler, Amy Austria, Cherrie Pie Picache, etc., with director Rory Quintos) will preside over the movie's general presscon. Mayor Vi will be back home in time to catch the last stretch of the promo for Anak which is a Mother's Day offering (May 8).
As Funfare also reported several issues ago, the Santoses/Rectos' US trip is a treat for everybody -- for Mayor Vi and Rep. Ralph who needs a much-deserved break, for Ryan and Lucky as birthday gifts (Lucky is celebrating his birthday on April 21, Good Friday) and for a long-planned Easter Reunion with the rest of the Santoses in L.A. where Mayor Vi's sister Winnie Santos and Mama Milagros are based.
Mayor Vi has a little problem, though. Ryan has been a great fan of Cameron Diaz since he saw her on the The Mask (with Jim Carrey) video tape which Ryan has been watching over and over again. Now, the boy wants to see Cameron in person while they're in L.A. and Mayor Vi doesn't know how to make Ryan's big dream come true. (Tip to Mayor Vi: Find one of Cameron's many Filipino friends in L.A. and ask him/her to arrange a meeting with Cameron -- if it's at all possible).
Bon voyage to the bakasyonista!
Singapore-based MTV Asia jock Donita Rose came home purposely to act as co-host of the 18th FAP Awards. Donita was there, all right, but she was "demoted" at the last minute, acting as one of the "gap" hosts who appeared on the TV screen before and after the load of commercials.
Reason? Well, according to a Funfare DPA, organizers of the FAP Awards found out "at the last minute" that one of the major sponsors was Rejoice (shampoo) and since Donita is a Lux endorser it was a big no-no for her to do the hosting job (the same reason why Paolo Bediones backed out as co-host of the recent Bb. Pilipinas Pageant because he's a Rejoice endorser and Lux was a major sponsor of the beauty contest).
So, that was that. The FAP organizers were careful not to invite any lawsuit, so they played safe.
Better luck next time, Donita!