Boyfriend, colleagues & pals ‘send off’ Maxine

Curtain-raiser:

•  Jose Mari Chan (photo) was one of the international artists invited to perform in the Golden Memories concert in Jakarta last night celebrating the 22nd anniversary of INDOSIAR, Indonesia’s major television network. Joe Mari’s songs were big hits in Indonesia and Malaysia in the ‘90s, many of them translated into Bahasa. The songs Beautiful Girl; Please Be Careful With My Heart; and My Girl, My Woman, My Friend were his “entry points” to the two countries in the ‘90s.

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Since the 65th Miss Universe pageant will be held on home ground, the country’s bet Maxine Medina isn’t going abroad in pursuit of, hopefully, the Philippines’ fourth Miss U win (after Gloria Diaz in 1969, Margie Moran in 1973 and Pia Wurtzbach in 2015). Just the same, Maxine has been honored with the traditional “send-off” by the Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) last Tuesday.

Before that, Aces & Queens, the team that grooms beauties (including Pia, 2013 Miss World Megan Young and 2016 Miss International Kylie Versoza among them), hosted their own “send-off” for Maxine, with a glittering array of friends and colleagues including model Marx Topacio (her boyfriend of five years). Maxine was accompanied by her parents (PAL purser Max Medina and Marife Perez Medina, an area business head in a universal bank) and sister Maria Ferica Medina (who is being pushed by A&Q to compete in the Bb. Pilipinas pageant).

“It was a surprise party for Maxine,” said BDO executive and Funfare contributor Gerry Diaz, an A&Q member. “It was held at the Felicidad Mansions in Baler, Quezon City. Maxine was plucked out of her tight training schedule with A&Q and was invited to a supposed private dinner by one of her supporter/friends. She entered the small coffee shop beside the function room and was led to the bigger function room about 15 minutes later, where 150 guests were waiting for her.” 

Two of Maxine’s brothers are based abroad — Matthew Kendrick, a nurse, in Oregon; and Marx Ryan, a marketing officer in L.A. Actress Diane Medina (girlfriend of Rodjun Cruz), who is Maxine’s cousin, helped entertain the guests, too.

Headed by Jonas Gaffud, the other Aces & Queens members present were Arnold “Mama Ruffa” Mercado, designer Bessie Besana, film director Jeffrey Jeturian and Paolo Baysa, and the glam team of Jim Ryan Ross, Raymond Galang and Dave Grona. Maxine’s best friend, Nicole Cordoves, 2016 Miss Grand International first runner-up, came straight from work as Manila Bulletin Ambassador.

Others were Maxine’s colleagues from the Professional Models Association of the Philippines (PMAP), among whose members are 2012 Manhunt International winner June Macasaet and Marx. Maxine’s fans, known as Maxinatics and MaxxUniverse, made sure that the party would be the big success that it was.

“There was a short program before the obligatory picture taking and dinner,” reported Gerry. “Maxine appealed to all the guests to support her in her bid for a back-to-back win. She requested everyone to use the hashtag #4M4MU when posting photos, comments, messages and tweets. Why 4M? It stands for Maria Mika Maxine Medina. 4 MU? Well, I guess we all know what that means.” (Will Maxine be the “fourth”?

Juicy bits from L.A.

•  Los Angeles’ star for all genders Joseph Gelito (center) and Bay Area’s Fil-Am comic queen Fe Delos Reyes (right) are slated to hold their first concert together on Feb. 25. The show, titled Music and Madness, will feature the comedy antics and musical prowess of Gelito and veteran singer-actress Delos Reyes, who has been wowing the San Francisco crowd for years!

They will be joined by iconic singer-songwriter Odette Quesada (left) whose timeless love songs will anchor this post-Valentine show that is expected to showcase the riotous comedy and romantic melodies that love inspires in people. “Pagdating sa comedy and singing, high-voltage na si Fe — dadagdagan ko pa! Eh di sabog na musical treat at tawanan ang Music and Madness!” enthused Gelito. The show will be directed by Thage Montecarlo and will be staged at the William and Jane Bristol Civic Auditorium in Bellflower, California. (For tickets, call [714] 322-3528.) — RAYMOND LO

• On Feb. 4, the Francis Padua Papica Foundation, Inc. (FPPFI) celebrates its 20th anniversary of loving service to the Filipino people.  

“In all these years, we have been guided by the three pillars of scholarship, leadership and community service,” said Francis (photo). “Through 20 years, FPPFI has continued to provide scholarship, books, school supplies, educational assistance and conduct the yearly leadership convention attended by over 12,000 students. As part of the celebration, we had planned a host of activities including, our annual Leadership Convention, a fun run, a book and school supplies distribution and a Dinner Dance Gala Night.” 

Given the recent calamity brought about by Typhoon Nina, however, Francis, together with the FPPFI board of directors, have decided to cancel all of our planned activities except the Dinner Dance Gala Night on Feb. 4 at The Tent of the Avenue Hotel in Naga City.  

All proceeds will be earmarked for disaster relief to help schools hardest hit by the typhoon. 

“Our focus is to provide structural assistance particularly to schools where immediate roof repairs are priority,” added Francis. 

Part of the proceeds will aid school children in need of specific assistance due to the effects of typhoon in line with the foundation’s recent project, SAVING SARDOS — Students at Risk of Dropping Out of School.

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