Dindi Gallardo returns to acting after 15 years

MANILA – Former beauty queen Dindi Gallardo is back in front of the camera 15 years after her last acting project.

Speaking at the Cinema One Originals press conference on Tuesday, Gallardo shared that she will be part of the independent film “Dahlin Nick,” a documentary drama about the life and work of National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin.

The movie is one of the nine official entries to this year’s Cinema One Originals film festival.

“This is the first film that I’m doing in 15 years. It was great. It’s a cameo but a memorable one. I enjoyed it,” she said.

In the movie, Gallardo will play the role of Imelda Marcos.

Asked how she prepared for her role, Gallardo said: “No matter how small or how short the role was, I had to still do my research because she had a certain type of aura and presence. I had to have that. Not really copy her but just my interpretation of her.”

Playing her husband in the movie is Lance Raymundo, who is equally ecstatic about playing the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

“It was a major challenge. I already played Emilio Aguinaldo in the past and Lapu-Lapu. Itong mga taong ito, ang basehan ng tao ay mga larawan and kung anong nababasa nila about these people. But Ferdinand Marcos actually existed in our time,” he said.

“He’s very iconic so everybody knows the way he moves, the way he sounds. Isa pang challenge, 'yung pag-impersonate kay Marcos is usually done in comedy. But this time, he’s being portrayed as he is. Talagang inaral ko ang mga footages niya on YouTube and I prayed a lot,” he said.

“Dahlin Nick” and the other entries of the Cinema One Originals will be screened in theaters in Trinoma, Glorietta, SM Megamall and Resorts World from November 9 to 17.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How Alice Dixson maintains healthy glow

MANILA – Actress and former beauty queen Alice Dixson swears by the health benefits of doing the “Super Feed/Feel Detox Challenge” which was co-created by her cousin, wellness educator Dr. Camilla Griggers.

In an interview on “Mornings@ANC” on Thursday, Dixson shared that she recently took the 10-day detox challenge and has since felt improvements in her body even if she has always had a healthy lifestyle.

“I got off my sleep medication, which I was on for a couple of years… I feel great,” she said, adding that she feels more energetic and positive now.
 
While it was not intended, Dixson also lost six pounds during the 10-day process.

So what exactly did Dixson undergo? According to Griggers, who is also the co-creator of the self-care website The Healist, the idea is to get rid of toxins in the body while still feeling full of nutrients.

This, she said, could be done by drinking lemon juice with cayenne pepper and honey (also known as the Master Cleanse), green juices, potassium-rich broths and drinks containing “superfood” ingredients.

Participants are encouraged to consume only organic raw food two days before the program to boost gut health.

“You can stop this cleanse at five days, you can do seven or ten. Give your liver time to detox,” Griggers said. “Your digestive system shuts down for a little bit and that allows all your detox systems to turn way up.”

Instead of offering products, Griggers said The Healist has instead focused on telling people how to prepare the drinks and broths for the detox at home.

Videos of Dixson doing the challenge have been uploaded on The Healist’s social media accounts.




 How to get started

Dixson said she did not have a hard time looking for the ingredients needed to create her liquid diet as these are readily available at supermarkets and health stores.

“No [we didn’t have a hard time finding the ingredients]. We just went to the mall,” the actress said.

The Healist has listed the following ingredients for the Super Feed/Feel Detox Challenge:

- Water filtered by reverse osmosis and pH balanced with alkaline, or spring water
- Organic lemons, cayenne pepper and raw honey
- A green superfood powder made from concentrated whole plant foods
- Organic apple juice to mix with your superfood blend
- Chia seeds and coconut oil for good fats
- Organic vegetables to make a potassium broth: five potatoes, five carrots, five celery stalks, five beets, two onions and half a cabbage. Save some carrots for emergency snacks.
- Raw cold-pressed vegetable juices, 2-5 per day.
- Glass Mason jars – at least one pint and one quart jar per person to mix drinks. No plastic, please.
- Coconut water for electrolytes
- Kombucha for good probiotics for your gut
- Herbal detox tea or fresh ginger for ginger tea

On the other hand, the daily routine published on the website is as follows:

- Lemon, cayenne and honey water – one quart a day
- Potassium-rich vegetable broth with coconut oil – three servings a day
- Cold-pressed green juices – two to five servings a day
- Superfood blend with apple juice and chia seeds – two to five servings a day
- Kombucha – one serving a day
- Detox tea – whenever
- Coconut water – whenever
- Carrot sticks – if you feel like you absolutely need to chew

Griggers suggested that those who are interested to do the detox should do it with their partner, friend or a family member so they will not be tempted to go back to unhealthy eating.

Dixson, for instance, admitted that she was at the point of giving up when she was on her sixth day under the program.

“I committed to a 10-day detox and at Day 6 I just wanted to give up! I'm hungry!” she recalled, laughing. “The eighth day was emotional for me. That was like, ugh, I’m ready to quit! Ayoko na!”

Explaining the process that her cousin went through, Griggers said: “Day six is when the emotional crap starts to go out. That’s why you want to have a partner because you want to be able to deal with that with somebody, you want to have a shoulder to cry on.”

“Old stuff really does come out [when you detox],” she added. “The memories come through the senses so they’re actually stored in the body. So detoxing is also a good time to touch that stuff and let it go.”

For the recipes for the drinks in the Super Feed/Feel Detox Challenge, visit The Healist’s website.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Anjanette Abayari spotted with Pacquiao in LA

MANILA -- Former beauty queen and actress Anjanette Abayari was spotted with Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao at his home in Los Angeles, California on Monday.

Abayari was one of the contestants in Pacquiao's traditional “Biggest Loser” challenge, a two-week weight loss competition ran from March 27 to April 6.

Speaking to ANC’s “Headstart” on Monday, Pacquiao said the person who will win the contest will take home a cash prize from him.

According to her official Facebook fan page, Abayari lost 8% of her total body weight during the two-week period.

“Today I achieved my goal Precision Fitness losing 8% of my body weight in 14 days... I held my breath as Manny Pacquiao personally watched our weight on the scale. And was so thrilled when I made it,” Abayari said.

Known as a health-conscious person among her supporters, Abayari, who was crowned Binibining Pilipinas-Universe in 1991, is best known for playing the iconic Pinoy superhero Darna in 1994.

A self-confessed Pacquiao fan, the beauty queen shared a number of photos with the Filipino boxer on her social media account.

One of them shows Pacquiao autographing her jeans, while another showed her inside the boxer’s Ferrari.

She also had a photo with Pacquiao’s mother, Dionesia, who is now in the United States to support her son in his bout against Timothy Bradley.

Now living in the United States, Abayari made her last movie in the Philippines in 2000 before leaving the country.

Abayari was also one of the mentors for Binibining Pilipinas USA candidates in 2013.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Koko's wife breaks down, files for annulment

MANILA -- Jewel Lobaton, the estranged wife of Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel, turned emotional as she filed Wednesday her petition seeking the annulment of her 13-year marriage to the lawmaker.

The former beauty queen formalized the legal step at a Quezon City court, accompanied by her legal counsel, Atty. Salvador Panelo.

"We have cited several instances that show that there have been abuses from Day 1 of the wedding up to the day of the separation, and continuing up to the present," the lawyer said, explaining what motivated the petition.

The case was raffled to Judge Jose Bautista of the QC Family Court.

Lobaton and Pimentel were married in 2000 and separated in 2011. They have two children, aged 8 and 2.

Further steps

Speaking exclusively with ABS-CBN News' Mario Dumaual shortly before filing the petition on Wednesday, Lobaton pointed to her kids in explaining her initial hesitation to take the legal step.

"[I feel] sad and helpless, because I'm thinking of the children. Atsaka natatakot po ako," said Lobaton, who appeared to be holding tears.

"It took me sometime because I really want to give it a try, a chance. I don't want to harm...," she added, before breaking down and requesting to end the interview.

Lobaton's legal counsel, Atty. Salvador Panelo, brought up his client's "emotional outburst" in requesting to excuse her from the interview.

Panelo nonetheless detailed further steps they are planning to take in relation to Lobaton's alleged abusive relationship with Pimentel, saying they are set to file a petition for a temporary protection order against the senator.

'No stone unturned'

According to Lobaton, who resumed with the interview after appearing to compose herself, she had sought the support of her friends in taking the matter to court.

"Bago ako pumunta dito last weekend, pumunta muna ako sa mga kaibigan kong pari, madre, atsaka mga kaibigan namin sa community. Actually sinabi sa akin hanggang kanina, 'You did your best, no stone was left unturned. God be with you'," she said.

She added she had tried numerous times to speak with Pimentel, "pero hindi niya ako pinagbigyan."

"I am really entrusting everything to God. Siya na ang bahala. Basta deep in my heart, alam ko ginawa ko na po lahat ng kaya kong gawin for the sake of our children," she said.

Pimentel opted to put off addressing the issue when sought for his statement on Wednesday.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Bianca Manalo denies she has a new boyfriend

MANILA, Philippines – Beauty queen turned actress Bianca Manalo denied that she is back on the dating scene following her breakup with actor John Prats early this year.



In an interview with Push.com.ph, Manalo denied that she is already in a relationship with a male model.

“Wala po akong boyfriend. I’m not dating anyone. Walang nanliligaw. Masaya po akong mag-isa,” she said.

Manalo said she has been open about her personal life since she joined show business, and she would definitely not hide it if ever she gets into a new relationship.

“Ever since I was in this industry alam niyo po ‘yan, na-witness niyo na nagkaroon ako, [at] nawalan ng love life. Ngayon po humaharap ako sa inyo at sinasabi ko sa inyong hindi po totoo ang lahat ng lumalabas. Masaya po akong mag-isa ngayon,” she said.

Rumors surfaced several weeks ago that Manalo is now in a relationship with model Carlo Gonzales after a picture of them made the rounds on the Internet.

Saying she does not know why it became an issue, Manalo said she only met Gonzales once through her friends who own modeling agencies.

“Model eh, matangkad, 6-foot-1. Bata, 23 [years old] lang ata siya. Sabi ko nga, ‘Ay alam ko na kung bakit nagre-react lahat. Matangkad, model-model.’ Pero hindi po, walang katotohanan [ang issue],” she said.

Manalo said she is not rushing to enter into a new relationship because she is genuinely happy with her career.

“Darating din [ang love life]. Sa ngayon kasi masaya ako na career muna talaga. Naniniwala ako na siguro at this time you can’t have the best of both worlds. Kung career, career. Para ngang naisip ko every time na nasa teleserye ako may nawawala sa akin, so baka sign ‘yon ni Lord, ‘Focus ka muna sa career,’” she said.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Dindi Gallardo thanks supporters

MANILA, Philippines – Former actress Joanna Gallardo-Mills or popularly known as Dindi Gallardo extended her appreciation to all the people who expressed support for her.

Gallardo filed charges against her former boss Frank Miller, writer of the comic book "Batman," claiming that she was badly treated by his girlfriend, Kimberly Cox.

 In an e-mail sent to ABS-CBN's “Balitang America,” Gallardo’s legal counsel, Atty. Matthew Blist, said his client received a significant number of messages and phone calls from supporters.

Blist said Gallardo appreciates and thanks all those who sent their kind words during a difficult time in her life.

He added that his client cannot provide any further statement due to pending litigation.

Gallardo, who worked for Miller as an executive coordinator, said that Cox smeared her work area with feces and destroyed her printer with a hammer in July 2010.

She also accused Cox of throwing phones at her and leaving a used sanitary napkin on her desk, as well as mocking the way she talks by using a funny accent.

Gallardo is seeking unspecified damages from Miller and Cox for discrimination and mental anguish.

Cox was reportedly shocked by the lawsuit. She said Gallardo had been offered "very heavy settlement," but declined. -- With a report from Nadia Trinidad, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

source: abs-cbnnews.com

John Prats Admits Relationship With Bianca Manalo

MANILA, Philippines – It might’ve taken a lot of coaxing by “The Buzz” host Charlene Gonzales to get the truth out of John Prats, but in the end she managed to do it: Prats and former beauty queen Bianca Manalo are officially together.

Prats may have been reluctant to answer when the question was first thrown at him during the live studio interview on Sunday, but his smiles and indirect answers such as, “Basta ang alam ko, mahal na mahal ko ‘yung taong ‘yon” and “Kasi actually nag-promise talaga ‘ko na, you know, between the two of us, we want to keep it private,” were telling enough.

But finally, the actor-dancer said, “Siguro naman ‘di ba, kami na talaga. Siguro naman dahil hindi ko naman talaga mamahalin ng sobra-sobra kung hindi ko alam na gano’n na [‘yung] pinapakita niya sa ‘kin.”

However, Prats begged off to answer Gonzales question on the date of their anniversary, only opting to say, “Matagal pa.”

Prats and Manalo first met in early 2011 through the now-defunct noontime show, “Happy Yipee Yehey,” where they were both co-hosts. Despite Prats being in a relationship with singer Rachelle Ann Go at the time, it didn’t stop their co-hosts and the public from teasing and linking the two.

In the taped interview with Manalo aired right before Prats', she recalled at length, “Naaalala ko parang one week pa lang ang ‘Happy’ [‘Happy Yipee Yehey’] noon, nag-bonding kami. Parang party-party. Nagkatabi kami. Parang d’un ko lang… parang nu’ng kinakausap ko siya, parang d’un ko na-feel na, ‘Ah itong taong ‘to, mapagkakatiwalaan ko.’

“Hindi ko alam kung pa’no nagsimula ‘yung sweetness, pero sa pagkakatanda ko, ‘yung writer namin sa ‘HYY,’ ‘yung spiels namin, ‘Kayong dalawa ni Praty, gusto ko ‘yung banter niyo ‘yung parang Pinky Webb and Tedd Failon – ‘yung nag-aasaran.’ So gano’n nag-start. Ta’s hindi ko alam [kung paano] nag-end up, kami na ‘yung iniinis sa isa’t isa,” Manalo said.

Aware of Prats and Go’s relationship, Manalo was obviously hesitant.

“… Alam naman namin nu’ng mga panahon na ‘yon na may girlfriend siya, ‘di ba? At ayoko namang ma-tag ako na… hindi, hindi gano’n ang reputasyon ko ‘no,” she said.

The beauty queen-host was appreciative of the other’s efforts to apologize to her because of the trouble their pairing has brought. One time, the other had even littered her car’s interior with flower petals and a bouquet of flowers as a form of apology.

“Alam mo in fairness to him, parati siyang tumatawag. Pinupuntahan niya ‘ko sa studio. ‘Yung parang pinapakita niya sa ‘kin ’yung way na, ‘Sorry, pasensya ka na nadamay ka. Alam naman nating hindi totoo,’” she shared.

Prats and Go eventually broke up, for which Manalo denied accusations of her involvement.

On when she started noticing that Prats likes her, she said, “Pa-girl lang ako eh. Dinadamdam ko lang, kayo naman. Pero sobrang thankful [ako] kasi parang kung iisipin mo sa lahat ng gestures na ginagawa niya, parang, totoo ba ‘yan? Pero in fairness naman sa kanya, consistent siya.”

The beauty queen is thankful and happy for “kung anong meron kami ngayon, [‘yung] samahan namin together.”

Meanwhile, Prats shared what’s so special about his ladylove.

“Kung ano ‘yung nakikita niyo sa kanya sa ‘HYY’ – kung paano siya mag-host, kung paano siya magtititili, magsisisigaw, magsalita [at] umarte – gano’n talaga siya. ‘Yun ‘yung maganda kasi ilang beses na rin naman ako nadapa sa mga relationships.

“And ngayon I’m hoping na sana ito na kasi nakakapagod din naman na bago na naman, manliligaw ka na naman, pakilala mo na naman.

“But you know, ‘yung special sa kanya, kasi sobra siyang totoo. ‘Yun ang importante talaga na… Hindi na ‘ko nasu-surprise na meron pala siyang ganitong ugali, o meron pala siyang bad side. Talagang nilabas niya agad,” he said.

Right before his interview ended, Prats told Gonzales, “At totoo nga pala ‘yung sinabi ni Tito Aga [na] ‘yung mga beauty queens talaga masarap magmahal ha.”

Gonzales, wife of actor Aga Muhlach, is a former beauty queen as well.

source: mb.com.ph