John Lloyd, Sarah wow NY/NJ fans

Curtain-raisers:

 Here’s the latest medical bulletin about Regal Matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde, from her daughter-in-law Grace: Mommy is already home. Still needs to be quarantined for a week and wait for doctor’s orders when we see him on Feb. 18. All lymph nodes are cleared. She doesn’t have to undergo chemotherapy.

 James Yap is turning 31 tomorrow, Feb. 15, yet not yesterday, Feb. 13, as wrongly noted by Funfare. He claimed to be loveless even if rumors have been linking him to a few actresses. “I have no Valentine,” James said. “Tahimik ang buhay ko.”

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Did you know that John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo made a whirlwind trip to New York and New Jersey to shoot scenes for their upcoming Star Cinema rom-com flick It Takes A Man And A Woman?

Funny but it took Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre to break this news.

Reported Edmund, “For six days, the stars and a small crew, headed by director Cathy Garcia Molina, filmed at Times Square, Central Park, Empire State Building, JFK Airport and Prudential Center’s hockey arena, among other landmarks.”

Queens residents Mica Espiritu and boyfriend JP Atienza (a registered nurse) were lucky to hang out with the group (one of the crew members is Mica’s good friend) and told Edmund that they had a blast getting to know John Lloyd and Sarah up close.

“Funny and sobrang kulit,” was how Mica described John Lloyd. “He’s got a lot of energy at hindi nauubusan ng kuwento especially when we’re in the van going to a location. He’s really very charming and guwapo. His charisma just makes you want to know him even more.”

According to Edmund, Mica was a commercial model in Manila before moving to New York and becoming an administrator at a career training school in Queens. Edmund noted that John Lloyd was “inspired” to work, with girlfriend Angelica Panganiban, no doubt, as the source of his inspiration. It must have helped John Lloyd brave the freezing temperature while shooting outdoors.

“From time to time, they would stop filming to keep themselves warm kasi sobrang lamig talaga, grabe,” Mica recalled. “Then, kapag nakapagpa-init na, eh balik ulit sa labas. It’s not a joke staying outside and working in frigid condition.”

Edmund said that Mica found Sarah, “although also mabait,” the exact opposite of John Lloyd.

“Sarah, who was accompanied by her mom Divine, was very reserved and polite, mahinhin talaga,” Mica observed. “She wouldn’t talk unless you talk to her. Nakikinig lang siya at nakikitawa pero tahimik lang palagi unlike what we see on TV na makulit at madaldal.”

The two stars appeared amused riding a horse carriage at Central Park, which will be part of the movie. Coming from a shoot at a New Jersey hockey arena, the group made a stop at IHOP to rest and grab some pancakes and burgers.

“And guess what, John Lloyd picked up the tab,” Mica shared. “Generous siya. Nakita kasi niya na pagod na silang lahat.”

The stars and the crew flew back to Manila last Jan. 27.  

The third team-up of John Lloyd and Sarah (after A Very Special Love and You Changed My Life), It Takes A Man And A Woman is showing on March 30.

The Ten Commandments of Love

Today being Valentine’s Day, Funfare is sharing with everybody “The Ten Commandments of Love” published (year not mentioned) in the Dear Abby column, a clipping of which was contributed by reader Nino Manabat, a long-time (42 years) US resident who decided to retire in the Philippines. Dear Abby columnist is actually Pauline Phillips (a.k.a. Abigail Van Buren) who died at age 94 last Jan. 24. Here are the “commandments”:

Put your spouse before your mother, your father, your son and your daughter — your mate is your lifelong companion.

Do not abuse your body with excessive food, tobacco, drink, or any foreign substance that goes into your arm or your nose.

Remember that cleanliness is a virtue.

Permit neither your business nor your hobby to make you a stranger to your children; the most precious gift a parent can give his or her family is time.

Willingly share all of your worldly goods with your mate.

Do not forget to say, “I love you.” Even though your love may be constant, your spouse needs to hear those cherished words often.

Remember that the approval of your spouse is worth far more than the adoring glances of a hundred strangers, so be true to him or her, and forsake all others.

Keep your home in good repair, because out of it comes the joys of old age (not to mention its resale value!).

Forgive with grace, because who among us does not need to be forgiven?

Honor the Lord your God every day of your life, and your children will grow up and bless you.

Bwakaw wins 3 awardsat FICA in France

Director Jun Robles Lana (photo) won three awards for the film Bwakaw at the just-concluded 19th FICA-Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema in France: Grand Jury Prize ‘for its bravery and accuracy of subject matter, and its simple and complex acting and delicate expresisons of humanity, friendship, lover and loneliness;’ Emile Guimet Award (granted by the Friends of National Museum of Asian Arts of Paris); and High School Award.

According to STAR correspondent Ferdy Lapuz, co-producer of Bwakaw (which stars Eddie Garcia, above), the film along with the other awardees will be screened at Guimet Museum of Asian Arts in Paris on April 3 to 5 and at INALCO Auditorium on Oct. 22.

(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.)