Bernard and Merryl: Going Strong

I got an e-mail from Maria asking if I have more about Bernard Palanca (Rica Peralejo's ex) and Merryl Soriano (Willie Revillame's daughter and Maricel Soriano's niece) after she saw my report in TV Patrol. BJ and Merryl are now in Batangas for the Holy Week with family and friends. I caught the lovebirds at the Yes Anniversary Party last week and here's my interview with them in full. Enjoy!

Nina: Tell us where your relationship is at right now?

Bernard: It's at a point where it's still growing, but everytime it does, for every single step of the way that it grows, the better it gets, the more beautiful it becomes.

Meryll: Yeah ganon din kasi we're getting to know each other more and more. we discover things that makes us love each other more now and then parang the relationship is growing and we're very happy about it.

Nina: What's the best thing about Meryll, and whats the best thing about Bernard?

Bernard: The best thing about her is she's real and she doesnt pretend to be anyone around me. She's always herself no matter where we are and she treats me like human being.

Nina: What do you mean (human being)?

Meryll: (Laughter) You're a human being, love.

Bernard: She treats me like how someone is supposed to be treated... meaning with all honesty, complete compassion, affection, sincerity and love. She makes me.. she brings the realness out of me.

Meryll: Well, he treats me like a queen.

Bernard: You are my queen.

Meryll: Well, you are my king.

Meryll: He makes me feel so special and he lets me do the things that i want to do (aside from acting, Merryl is now also into photography). He also inspires me.

Nina: Ano naman ang say ni daddy Willie sa relasyon ninyo?

Meryll: Ok naman siya, wala naman siyang problema.

Nina: Ano ina-advise niya sayo?

Meryll: (Smiling) Wala.

Nina: Wala siyang say?

Meryll: (Laughing) Wala!

Bernard: (Laughing) Hi Dad! No..no..Tito..

Meryll: Wowowee!

Bernard: I've known Willie even before I met her, so its ok.

Meryll: So wala naman talagang problema.

Bernard: Yeah.

Nina: What are your plans this coming Holy Week, malapit na?

Meryll: Wala, we don't have plan pa nga eh (the two are now in Batangas).

Bernard: Well, actually we're still planning it.

Meryll: Yeah.

Bernard: Because we dont wanna be in Bora. We dont want to go where everyone else is going.

Meryll: Gusto sana namin somewhere peaceful.

Bernard: Somewhere very quiet and where there's water so we can wakeboard.

Meryll: (Laughing)

Bernard: I'm gonna teach her wakeboarding.

Nina: And finally, last question anong meaning sa inyo ng Holy Week kasi yung iba nakakalimutan na nila kung ano ang meaning...

Bernard: Oh no, Holy Week is really the time to reflect on...where you are, what you have, who you are and what you're given...and really to remember why you're here, why we are all here. Holy week is a very special week.

Meryll: It is the time to talk to God and just to ponder on some things and think about, you know, the blessings that you have in life and also to ask for forgiveness and talagang time to be quiet.

Bernard: And to remember what He did for us...so pay him back by being good.

A Highland Wedding

Sorry guys, I know some of you have been waiting for my blog about the Claudine and Raymart wedding at Tagaytay Highlands. It was one of the most beautiful wedding celebrations I've ever attended. The venue was picture perfect, with the well manicured green and a view of the mountains beyond. It drizzled just before the ceremony so people had to leave their chairs and duck for cover. Fortunately, after 10 minutes or so, the strong highland winds blew the dark clouds away.

The wedding had a relaxed atmosphere with a christian pastor from the couple's church officiating. What really struck everyone were the couple's personalized wedding vows. And while both were emotional, it was the groom who made the guests cry. Raymart said something like "Exactly forty-six years ago a love story started.. and even with the death of Papa.. their love story continues in us" or something to that effect. So for those who are thinking that Claudine was insensitive to make March 27 their wedding date when Rico's death anniversary is March 29, well... March 27 is meaningful to the couple because it was also Raymart's parents' wedding date. Raymart tried to inject some humor in his vow by saying "Papa, I know you're smiling up there, Mama I know you're crying down here" but it ended up being heartwarming. Raymart ended by saying something like, "I thank God he allowed me to fall inlove with you, so that I also will fall inlove with Him...You are my joy, my life, my love, my wife."

An ABS-CBN chopper scattered rose petals over the grounds

It was a happy occasion all in all, though I overheard some people saying it would have been much more complete if estranged sister Gretchen showed up.

Anyway, I'm re-publishing an article I wrote for the free tabloid Starbliz that comes out every Friday. The article came out a week before Claudine's wedding.

---------------

They both want peace...

Kahit pilit nilang nilalayo ang sarili sa isa't isa, marami pa rin ang nagtatanong kung pupunta ang big sister ni Claudine Barreto na si Gretchen sa kasal nito sa Lunes, March 27. Well, judging from their actions, the answer is no. Gretchen said so herself. Nang ma-corner siya ng TV Patrol crew sa celebrity bazaar ni Ruffa Guttierez, ito ang sagot ni La Greta sa tanong kung pupunta siya sa wedding ng kanyang sister, "Hinde, kase I want peace in my life. I stay away from trouble, thank you!". So unless balak ni Gretchen agawin ang eksena sa Barreto-Santiago Nuptials, mas mabuti pang wag na lang siyang mag-appear. Anyway, hindi rin naman siya invited. Sa isang article sa latest issue ng Metro Magazine kung saan cover sina Claudine at Raymart, ito naman ang sagot ni Claudine sa tanong kung inimbita ba niya si Gretchen, "Can I have a peaceful wedding please?".

Marami ang nanghihinayang sa nangyari sa magkakapatid na Barreto. Let's do a quick re-cap of events. Nagsimula lang daw umano ang lahat nang tawagan ni Dennis Padilla si Gretchen upang kwestyunin kung bakit binigyan ng show si Willie Revillame sa ABC 5. Gretchen's partner is Tonyboy Cojuangco, ang may-ari lang naman ng istasyon. Medyo naging masama ang takbo ng usapan at dito umano dumating sa punto na "pinalayas" ni Gretchen sina Dennis at Marjorie sa bahay na tinitirhan nila na pag-aari niya. From this incident, lalong nagkagulo ang pamilya Barreto at naging Gretchen vs. the Barretos. Who knows baka malalim na rin ang pinanggalingan ng kanilang "tampuhan" and we can never really understand why. Madali kasing magsalita na bakit di na lang sila magbati-bati, after all, blood is thicker than water. Pero we cannot really judge them at this point. It's safer to say they have their own reasons at umaasa na lang tayo na sa bandang huli, it will be a happy ending.

In any case, inaabangan na ng lahat ang kasal nina Claudine at Raymart sa Tagaytay Highlands. Judging from the preparations and the people involved, walang dudang ito na ang "Wedding of the Year". Pero akalain nyo bang around 350 guests lang ang invited sa wedding? Sadya raw limitado ang guests at talagang ang malalapit lang sa couple ang inimbita para masiguradong solemn ang kasal.

Parehong Christian sina Claudine at Raymart kaya't okay lang na sa golf course ang wedding ceremony. Nagpagawa pa sila ng gazebo kung saan sila mag-e-exchange ng kanilang "i dos". Ayon sa wedding coordinator, neo-classic daw ang tema ng venue. Mala pelikulang Pride and Prejudice with a modern twist. Ang color motif ng kasal ay ang kulay ng spring o pastel colors. Ang sikat na designer na si Randy Ortiz ang gagawa ng wedding gown ni Claudine at suit ni Raymart, pati na rin ng buong entourage. Kabilang sa tatayong mga ninong at ninang ang dating pangulong Joseph Estrada, Susan Roces, Helen Gamboa, mga big bosses ng ABS-CBN at GMA 7 at iba pang malalapit sa couple. Para sa kanilang honeymoon, lilipad sila sa exclusive beach resort ng Amanpulo, Palawan at pagkatapos ay pupunta rin sila sa Europe.

Ang exclusive coverage ng Claudine-Raymart wedding ay mapapanood sa TV Patrol sa Lunes.

Aladin: Goodbye and Good Luck

If you're wondering why ABS-CBN correspondent Aladin Bacolodan is not visible on TV these days, it's because he has left his job and his country to go to the land of milk and honey. Aladin's wife got a job as a nurse in Philadelphia. So, our very own war correspondent, best known for his fearless reports of the bombings in General Santos City and the tsunami aftermath in Banda Aceh, has decided to be a "houseband." And he'll definitely be a busy one taking care of his one-year-old daughter while his wife works in the hospital.

I was shocked when I heard the news and confronted Aladin about it. He just said something like, you gotta do what you gotta do. It may be stating the obvious, but when a successful broadcast journalist like Aladin decides to give that all up, then something must be terribly wrong with our country. Still, I wish him well.

Aladin, do remember us when you're rich and famous in Hollywood. :)

Jasmine's First Time

American Idol runner-up Jasmine Trias was our celebrity guest two weeks ago in Magandang Umaga Pilipinas and as usual she was so down-to-earth and charming. Like all of us in the show, she was already there at 5 am. During the break, someone sold Tin Tin Bersola balut. Tin Tin offered one to Jasmine and the poor girl asked if it's the one with the chick inside. We all laughed. Poor Jasmine, mukhang mapapasubo si idol! Though I can relate to Jasmine because I also don't eat the chick, just the egg. We didn't want to scare Jasmine so early in the morning so Tin Tin offered her an alternative, penoy. Jasmine delicately took the penoy and Tin Tin taught her how to crack it and before we knew it, there was Jasmine enjoying her first taste of penoy! She kept saying how good it was and that she hasn't had breakfast. She finished it too. Way to go Jasmine!


Before Jasmine left the set, I teased her about Marvin Agustin. Marvin was one of the first celebrities to welcome Jasmine during her first visit to the Philippines. I think Marvin was interviewing her for ETK at that time and I was there for TV patrol. Jasmine revealed back then how much she admired the loveteam of Marvin and Jolina and that she used to watch their movies. Filipinos in Hawaii would often tell Jasmine that she looks like Jolina. Magpaikalanman will soon feature Jasmine's life story and as expected, Jasmine wants Jolina to portray her. As for Marvin, well he went from being Jolina's ex-loveteam to Jasmine's real-life admirer. Jasmine was surprised when someone sent flowers to her hotel room and when she asked who it was from, you guessed it, Marvin!