No such thing as ‘secret marriage’
Did Sarah Geronimo and Matteo Guidicelli have a “secret marriage,” as the media described it, last Feb. 20 at the Victory Christian Fellowship Church, followed by a “secret” post-marriage dinner with Matteo’s family and very close friends (including Swatch Lady Virgie Ramos who reportedly reserved the venue) at the Ministry of Crab restaurant in Shangri-La at the Fort, BGC?
To sort out the legal aspect of the issue, Funfare welcomed the opinion of lawyer Romy Macalintal who is as up-to-date with showbiz goings-on as he is with current national/international events.
“Legally speaking,” explained Romy, “there is no such thing as ‘secret marriage’ because a marriage cannot be celebrated without at least two witnesses and the person authorized to solemnize it. The witnesses are what we commonly call the ‘principal sponsors.’ Thus, the marriage contract says ‘witnesses’ and you will never find the words ‘principal sponsors.’ Hence, the marriage cannot be secret because of the presence of these witnesses aside from some friends or relatives who might have been invited to attend the ceremony as in the Sarah-Matteo wedding.”
But, added Romy, it might be “secret” to the parents of the bride (Divine and Delfin) and/or groom but not to the entire world.
“If Sarah and Matteo decide to be married in church someday, it will be a mere ratification of an already existing valid civil marriage and the date of their civil wedding, Feb. 20, 2020, will be retained or will never change.” (Note: Because of the coronavirus/COVID-19, there are reports that the couple’s wedding in Italy on March 29 [unconfirmed] might be postponed or set somewhere else.)
Added Romy, “As avid fans of Ms. Sarah, my wife Mila and I wish her and Matteo the best in their married life and we look forward to seeing that they will have ‘a love to last’ forever.”
The next Margie Moran?
Ysabella “Bella” Roxas Ysmael is being compared to her aunt Margie Moran.
That’s what those rooting for Bella are saying.
They point out that both Margie and Bella are ballet dancers and supporters of the Filipino arts…the former won for the Philippines its second Miss Universe crown (in 1973) and the latter is trying her luck as Parañaque’s representative in the first-ever Miss Universe Philippines pageant.
Bella, 23, belongs to entertainment and pageant royalty. Margie and Bella’s father, radio DJ and The Breed vocalist Charlie Ysmael, are cousins. On her mother’s side, actress Marita Zobel is her grandmother. Bella is also no stranger to beauty contests. She was crowned Bb. Parañaque in 2014 and placed first runner-up in the 2018 Century Tuna Superbods contest. Bella has a degree in BS Psychology from De La Salle University in Manila, which is why she chose mental health awareness as her prime platform.
The grand finals of the Miss Universe Philippines will be held on May 3 at the Mall Of Asia (MOA) Arena.
Filipiñana wins in Berlin Film Festival
Filipiñana, directed by Rafael Manuel, won Silver Bear Jury Prize for Short Film in the 70th Berlin Film Festival (BIFF) during the closing ceremony held at the Berlinale Palace in Germany on Feb. 29. The Silver Bear Jury Prize is the second highest award after the Golden Bear for Best Short Film won by T of Keisha Rae Witherspoon from USA. The other two winners were Genius Loci by Adrien Mérigeau of France (Audi Short Film Award) and It Wasn’t The Right Mountain, Mohammad by Mili Pecherer of France (Berlin Short Film Candidate for the European Film Awards).
Filipiñana is the story of “tee-girls” played by Jorybell Agoto (Isabel), Micah Musa (Micah), Sunshine Teodoro (Susan) and Elle Velasco (Charlie) who fulfill their duties in a golf course, a self-contained cosmos that reflects social conditions.
Manuel is a director, screenwriter, producer and editor. He studied philosophy and visual communication at the Ateneo de Manila University before taking up a masteral degree in filmmaking at the London Film School. His other short film credits are Sadie Makes a Baby (2017) and Dogeater (2018). —Reported by Celso de Guzman Caparas
Benefit concert for Pete Lacaba
People in the classical music and fine dining worlds want to do their bit for Jose “Pete” Lacaba who has been diagnosed with the following: myasthenia gravis, a rare neuromuscular disease; benign prostatic hyperplasia, or non-cancerous prostate enlargement; and recurrence of asthma.
Waya Araos-Wijangco of Gourmet Gypsy Art Café at 25 Roces Ave., Quezon City, offered her restaurant as venue for For Pete’s Sake: An Evening of Good Food and Song to Benefit a Well-loved Writer on March 22, Sunday. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m., concert at 8 p.m.
The performers lined up to sing Pete’s Salinawit (or translations of English songs into Filipino) are: sopranos Angeli Benipayo and Jane Wee and tenors Ivan Niccolo Nery and Jose Javato. Accompanying pianist is Gabriel Allan Ferros Paguirigan.
Some songs in their repertoire include: Summertime, Mon Cœur (from the opera Samson and Delilah), Autumn Leaves, The Flower Duet (from Lakme), Glitter and Be Gay, I’ll Be Seeing You, La Vie En Rose, Love is a Many Splendored Thing, Be My Love, Musica Proibita (the finale from the zarzuela Walang Sugat).
For more inquiries or table reservations, text or call Joseph Uy of the Cultural Arts Events Organizer or Waya Araos-Wijangco or message these numbers: 0920-954-0053 or 0918-347-3027.
- Latest
- Trending
