SUCCESSFUL businessmen in Los Angeles, California, USA Geoffrey (Geoff) Lapus Jimenez and film producer Benjamin `Benjie’ Manasala Cabrera hosted a send-off dinner-party for me last February 8 before flying back to Manila attended by some of our common friends and visiting actor Christian Bables (lead actor of “Broken Hearts Trip” movie) with his handler Jeff Ambrosio.

Although hindi nakarating ang iba naming celebrity friends based in L.A. due to short notice, L.A.-based actress and nurse Princess Punzalan (Bernadette Vela Punzalan-Field) made it up with us the next day. Nanggaling pa siya sa kanyang duty bilang nurse. She was supposed to pick me up for brunch but convinced her na sa bahay na lamang kami nina Geoff at Benjie kumain dahil sa rami ng pagkain at matagal pa kaming nagkakuwentuhan at nakapag-bonding.

Princess met her husband, American marketing professional Jason Field in the Philippines through a common friend. They got married in Manila and moved to the U.S. in 2005. For a while ay sa San Diego sila nakatira then moved to Los Angeles, California para malapit sa Hollywood where Princess wanted to continue her acting profession.

Princess admits na napaka-supportive umano ng kanyang second and present husband na si Jason. She was previously married to drummer-turned actor-comedian, TV game show host, producer and businessman na si Willie Revillame (1990-1997) pero ito’y nauwi sa hiwalayan in 1997. Hindi sila nabiyayaan ng anak.

With her present husband na si Jason Field, sumubok ang mag-asawa sa iba’t ibang medical procedures para magkaroon ng anak (including IVF thrice) ) pero hindi sila pinalad until they decided na mag-adopt na lamang but it was not an easy procedure too. May ilang beses din silang naloko at nakunan ng malaking halaga ng pera but they did not give up hanggang dumating sa kanilang buhay ang kanilang daughter na si Ellene who is now 9 years old.

Princess juggles her time bilang wife, mother and her job bilang isang nurse (sa isang hospice) at actress pero kaya niya itong balansehin lahat.

When she’s home, she hardly watch TV laluna ang mga Filipino channel dahil kapag nasa bahay siya ay ginugugol niya ang kanyang oras sa kanyang mag-ama maging sa mga gawaing bahay kaya wala siyang gaanong balita sa mga kaganapan sa Pilipinas laluna sa Philippine showbiz.

Her first Hollywood movie ay ang award-winning movie na “Yellow Rose” in 2019 kung saan tampok na mga bituin sina Eva Noblezada and Lea Salonga which won 14 awards mula sa iba’t ibang international film festivals. She is currently in a TV series “The Cleaning Lady” on Fox kung saan recurring ang kanyang role as Alma de la Rosa or Lola, mother-in-law ng lead star played by Elodie Young. She’s also about to start a new film for HBO na pinamagatang “The Gift”.

Tulad ng nursing na kanyang tinapos sa Amerika, nag-aral din ng acting si Princess. Ibang-iba umano ang acting method sa Amerika kumpara sa Pilipinas kung saan isang award-winning actress si Princess.

Si Princess ay miyembro na rin ng Actors Guild of America at meron siyang American agent-manager who is representing her sa kanyang mga proyekto sa Hollywood.

During our tsikahan, inamin ni Princess sa amin that she had an abortion when she was in her teens pero hindi na nito in-elaborate kung sino ang ama ng bata pero ito’y matagal niyang pinagsisihan and has a very strong faith sa Diyos.

Si Princess ay panganay na anak ng dalawang prominent radio and TV broadcast personalities, the late Helen Vela at Orly Punzalan. She has a younger brother na si Paolo Punzalan na nasa Pilipinas at isa nang pastor and they have two half-siblings na sina Reuben Hernandez (sa mother side) at Meg Punzalan (sa father side).

While she misses her siblings, friends and local showbiz, masaya si Princess sa kanyang peaceful life ngayon sa Amerika kasama ang kanyang husband na si Jason and their 9-year-old daughter na si Ellene.

Anak ni Bunny ikakasal na sa kabila ng kakaibang karamdaman

FORMER “That’s Entertainment” member, singer-actress Bunny Paras’ eldest child with former boyfriend, DJ Mo Twister (Mohan Gumatay), Moira Greenway who has the rare Friedreich Ataxia condition which unable her to walk since she was 10 years old is now engaged to Nicholas Ashbury. The engaged couple are getting married this coming May in the US. Sobra ang pasasalamat ni Bunny sa fiancé ng kanyang panganay na si Moira dahil sa unconditional love nito sa kanyang anak and she couldn’t ask for more.

Si Bunny ay nakababatang kapatid ng actress na si Sharmaine Arnaiz at matagal nang naka-base sa Amerika. She is married to American Thomas `Tom’ Greenway who adopted her daughter, Moira. The couple has two other kids, a boy and a girl

Napaka-suwerte rin ni Bunny sa kanyang napaka-bait at supportive husband na tumulong sa pag-aalaga at pagpapalaki kay Moira.

Since in-adopt na ni Tom si Moira, she’s carrying his family name na Greenway and treats her just like his own daughter.

G Toengi at Donita may samaan ng loob?

NAPAG-ALAMAN namin na hindi na ngayon magkasama sa trabaho sa Island Pacific chain of Filipino supermarkets in the West Coast and Las Vegas (owned by Krista Ranillo’s husband na si Nino Lim) sina G Toengi at Donita Rose. Hindi na rin umano in good terms ang dalawa.

Donita has been divorced sa kanyang ex-husband na si Eric Villarama with whom she has a teen-age son na si JP. A year ago, she remarried Filipino-American singer Felson Palad and the couple are now based in L.A. where actress-host Donita has relocated a couple of years back.

Daniel nagpasalamat kay Kathryn, umaasang makaka-move on na sila

TWENTY-eight-year-old Kapamilya matinee idol Daniel Padilla renewed his management contract with ABS-CBN just recently, isang indikasyon na hindi totoo ang lumutang na balita na aalis na umano ang panganay na anak ng actress-host-politician na si Karla Estrada bilang Kapamilya.

Walang kinalaman ang much-talked about recent break-up nila ng kanyang ex-girlfriend of 11 years na si Kathryn Bernardo sa muling paglagda niya ng bagong kontrata sa Kapamilya network.

Si Kathryn ay isa rin sa mga prized stars ng ABS-CBN and in time, baka muling makagawa ng pelikula o TV series ang dating magkasintahan pero hindi pa sa ngayon.

Sa muling paglagda ni Daniel ng panibagong management contract with ABS-CBN’s Star Magic, may mga nakalatag na iba’t ibang proyekto para sa kanya tulad ng pelikula, concert at collaboration niya with OPM rock icon na si Ely Buendia na gusto muna niyang i-prioritize.

Sa pagkakaalam namin, may naka-line-up na apat na pelikula for Daniel at kasama na rito ang movie nila ng kanyang kaibigang si Zanjoe Marudo na isang dark comedy movie na may pamagat na “Nang Mapagod si Kamatayan” and another movie with John Arcilla, ang “The Guest”.

Bukod sa pagpapasalamat sa pamunuan ng ABS-CBN na naging tahanan niya since 2010, pinasalamatan din ni Daniel ang kanyang ex-girlfriend na si Kathryn maging ang kanilang mga fans sa suporta ng mga ito sa kanyang karera. Alam naman ni DJ (Daniel) na hindi marahil niya mararating ang kanyang estado ngayon sa showbiz kundi dahil sa kanyang dating nobya at mga fans.

Although dumaan si Daniel sa matinding unos ng kanyang karera na may kinalaman sa break-up nila ni Kathryn, umaasa siya na pareho silang makakapag-move on with their respective lives and careers.

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Aster Amoyo