RICHARD GUTIERREZ  DENIES  RESCUE WAS A GIMMICK

MANILA, OCTOBER 1, 2009 (MALAYA) DREAM FACTORY by MARIO BAUTISTA (‘Kung pati yan, bibigyan pa nila ng ibang kulay, it’s up to them. – Richard Gutierrez’ )

RICHARD Gutierrez was interviewed on "Showbiz Central" about his heroic rescue of Cristine Reyes who was stranded on the rooftop of her home in Provident Village at the height of Typhoon Ondoy.

At first, he didn’t want to be interviewed about it by the crew but he was convinced it is best for him to share his personal experience with the floods. Later on, we saw him and his mom, Annabelle Rama, and we got more info about what happened. "Cristine called me up to say they’re stranded nga and my mom called her manager, Veronique del Rosario, who assured her that help is on the way," he says. "Kaso, gumabi na but rescue is still nowhere in sight. She kept calling me and around 6 p.m., she was crying and saying goodbye like she’s losing hope. So I asked a friend, Nani Pascoguin, who got a speedboat and we went to Marikina."

"Ruffa and Rocky went with him," says Annabelle. "Si Ruffa, complete ang costume, naka-leather jacket, hat, raincoat, rubber shoes. I’m so worried. I know it’s dangerous. After some time, I called up Ruffa and she said hindi siya pinasama ni Richard. Nasa kotse lang daw siya with Rocky. More hours passed at worried na ko kasi wala kaming contact with Richard. Di namin alam what happened to him for five hours na so I asked Eddie (Gutierrez) na magpunta kami sa Marikina. Gusto ko talaga lumusong sa baha but it’s so deep. I regretted why I allowed him to go."

"It’s an eye-opening experience for me," says Richard. "Parang end of the world scenario. It’s pitch black. We see cars and appliances floating around, people calling for help, asking for food. We can’t go fast because the current is so strong and if we’d be taken to the river, tapos na kami. Our boat was ka-level na ng cables sa Meralco post and we had to lift them to pass through. At one point, I had to jump into the water to kick hard or we’ll smash into a concrete wall. One time, I had to hold on to a tree branch para di kami tangayin and I felt ang kati ng arm ko. Yun pala, puro hantik ang tree. The ants were biting me. We had to pause for sometime to think of our strategy. It took us 6 hours to get to Cristine house. Tinabi namin yung boat sa rooftop nila and I helped her get into the boat. Her mom wouldn’t leave the house at si Cristine lang ang sumakay sa’min. Her brothers in jetski came to help the others."

Wasn’t he scared?

"I have deep faith in the Lord so I know hindi Niya kami pababayaan. From Marikina, we took Cristine to her sister Ara’s home in Commonwealth Avenue. It was almost morning when we all got home. I was dead tired but my mind, gising na gising at hindi ako makatulog. Naiisip ko lahat ng na-experience ko. What’s sad is that some people say it’s part of the promo for our movie ni Cristine, ‘Patient X,’ as if we knew Ondoy would come and flood Metro-Manila. I went to help as I can’t just accept that I can’t do anything. I felt I had to do my part. Kung pati yan, bibigyan pa nila ng ibang kulay, it’s up to them. But I really want to salute all the rescuers kasi they’re job is not easy. They risk their own lives."

***

After being accused of trying to steal Aljur Abrenica from Kris Bernal, Carla Abellana is amused that there’s a report that the real reason why she went to the Cosmo Bash is to meet Gerald Anderson and steal him from Kim Chiu.

"Kailangan ba talagang may ganyang intriga?" she laughs. "I was at the affair simply because I was their cover girl for the special issue where the boys appear. So kailangan talagang nandun ako. Ngayon, heto, kung ano-anong lumalabas. I admit I also went there with my non-showbiz friends to have fun. Kasi ngayon lang ako nakapanood ng ganung show. May nagsabing baka magkaroon yun ng bad implication sa image ko. Bakit? What’s wrong with that? Girls just wanna have fun. Masaya talaga yung event and I enjoyed it very much. The important thing is I’m able to experience it at wala akong pakialam kung anong sasabihin ng ibang tao. As for Gerald, hindi ko siya na-meet at all. I see him sa TV and he’s a good actor. But I’m more biased kay Aljur kasi I saw how he prepared for the event, pati yung pagda-diet niya as we were together sa GMA acting workshop."

Carla felt sad when she saw all the victims of the Ondoy floods and she donated P30,000 to the GMA Fund Drive to help them. "Ang dami ko namang blessings so okay lang mag-share. Like now, lalong tumaas ang rating ng ‘Rosalinda’ when I became Paloma. Mas napupuri rin ang acting ko in showing I’m a strong woman na handang gumanti sa mga umapi sa kanya."

***

Dr. Victoria Belo formally launched Atty. Adel Tamano as her newest endorser. "I want to reach out to another market, the successful men," she says. "I want to show that Belo is not only for women and for actors but also for guys who know good grooming. Adel is already pogi but I told him na we’ll make him more pogi kasi lawyer namin siya. He himself thought of the blurb for his billboards: ‘Smart is the new sexy.’ As you can see, a smart lawyer like him is really also sexy. He’s really smart as he’s president of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and got his master of public ad from UP and master of laws from Harvard."

Adel is the eighth of the late Sen. Mamintal Tamano’s nine children. What services of Belo Medical does Adel avail of? "Oxygen and botanical facials for cleansing, power peel and firm plus to keep the skin on your face firmer. Ang dami nga nagsasabi, bumata ako," says Adel.

How about liposuction?

"No, only skin. Nakukuha pa naman sa diet and exercise, so I don’t need lipo. But I won’t hesitate to do it kung kailangan na talaga."

Adel was late at the launch as he came from the Dept. of Justice to get a travel permit for Dr. Belo. "She’s leaving to deliver a paper in Phoenix, Arizona and it will bring honor to our country and also help in medical tourism kaya nabigyan agad siya ng permit."

Will Hayden Kho be traveling with Dr. Belo? "No," says Adel. "If he’d travel, he also should get a permit first from DOJ."

Dr. Belo admits she and Hayden remain friends but she’s no longer in love with him. They were together when the visionary from Canada, Sister Emma, had an apparition from the Blessed Virgin in Batulao. "I saw the moon dancing, naging parang football ang shape and maraming lights."

They were also together when they did a medical mission and distributed relief goods to Ondoy victims in Marikina.

***

"Pinoy Big Brother Double Up" starts this Sunday (Oct. 4) on ABS-CBN and to help promote it, former PBB housemates had a reunion in "Pilipinas, Game KNB" last Saturday to compete for the P2 million cash prize. Bianca Gonzalez, Mariel Rodriguez and original Big Winner Nene Tamayo led the group in revisiting memories inside the most popular house in the country. Apart from the friends they made, Kuya’s housemates also cherished the lessons they learned while inside the Big Brother house. Here are some of the most important "PBB" lessons that they still value up to this day.

Mariel: "Before ‘Pinoy Big Brother,’ I’m used to getting what I want, when I need it, when I want it. In Kuya’s house, I had to work hard for something or wait for something. I learned patience is a virtue."

Mikee Lee: "Always do your best in every task, but at the same time, you must be aware of your limits. I’m not perfect, and I can’t be everything at once."

Bea Saw: "Hindi porket meron kang sasabihin, kailangan dapat sabihin. Dapat alam mo kung kalian ka magsasalita, at kung kalian ka tatahimik."

Nene Tamayo: "Pagpapahalaga sa mga bagay na dati ay tine-take for granted lang kasi nung housemate kami, minsan wala kaming asin… o asukal… pero wala kaming magawa."

Bianca Gonzales: "I learned kung paano makisama. Hindi lang ikaw ang tao sa mundo."

Find out who’ll follow in their footsteps in "Pinoy Big Brother Double Up" on Sunday night.

***

Congratulations to "Yaya and Angelina" as it did well on its first week of release, earning P10 million on its opening day. This is the third local film to hit it big at the tills after Eugene Domingo’s "Kimmy Dora" and Ate Vi’s "In My Life." It means moviegoers are really more after light entertainment. We hope the trend continues with the next local film to open, the love story "Nandito Ako, Nagmamahal Sa’Yo" that launches the love team of Aljur Abrenica and Kris Bernal to stardom.

About them, is it true Aljur really stole the thunder from Iza Calzado at the premiere of the latter’s Hollywood flick, "The Echo"? It’s said that when Aljur arrived at the venue, he was carrying some flowers that he gave to Kris right in front of the TV crews covering the event, allegedly prompting Iza to quip: "Moment ko ‘to, ha."

Someone said they did this to help promote their launching movie, "Nandito Ako, Nagmamahal Sa’Yo," which is now showing. At the launching of Aljur and Kris as Bench Black Denim Jeans new hot pair in a fashion show at Trinoma on Friday, they were asked if the purposely did that to Iza.

"Naku, wala po kaming intention to do that," says Aljur. "Sorry talaga. Hiyang-hiya nga ako. Galit kasi sa’kin si Kris dahil usapan namin, susunduin ko siya then sabay kaming pupunta sa premiere night upon the invitation of GMA to support Iza. Kaso, I had a checkup with my doctor dahil sa kamay kong naka-cast ngayon and it took so long bago natapos akong tingnan, kaya when I got to Kris’ place, I was told nakaalis na siya kaya I bought flowers to apologize to her. Hindi ko balak na ipakita yun sa TV. Kaso, nakita nga ng crew pagpasok ko pa lang kaya, ayun, nakunan nila. Sorry talaga kay Iza but I think she’d understand what happened. Hindi ko talaga balak agawan siya ng eksena."

At the Bench launching, Aljur paraded on the ramp with his hand still on cast, but the response of the crowd was still very warm, especially when he removed his coat to reveal his bare chiseled torso. Kris herself might lack the height of the other models who joined them, but she certainly has the perky attitude and oozing pulchritude to make her a winner as she sashayed in front of the audience.

Cristine defends Richard

(MALAYA) Ondoy’s fury was a great equalizer as it affected people from all walks of life. Stars were no exception as the nation saw sexy actress Cristine Reyes in the news last Saturday, September 26, asking to be rescued from the roof of her two-storey home in Provident Village, Marikina.

It was such an ordeal that it is understandable if Cristine does not want to return to the site of the devastating floods. She has not been there since she was rescued early Sunday morning by her "Patient X" leading man Richard Gutierrez, who used a speed boat to get to where Cristine lived. Her other companions, including the two kids of her brother, were also rescued by her siblings who were on jet skis. Her mom refused to leave their home and go to daughter Ara Mina’s home, where Cristine and company stayed.

Cristine asked help from several celebrity friends, including Maxine Magalona, and used her cellphone to take a photo of herself perched on their roof to make her dramatic plea.

"Lahat ng bagay puwedeng mawala. Ang importante yung buhay ng tao," she said on the valuable lessons she learned from the nightmare. "Importante ang faith in God kasi maraming miracles din na nangyari nung kasagsagan ng bagyo. Buti may light na dumaan at dahil dun ako nakita ni Chard," she added.

Cristine said that she is very grateful for her co-star for risking his life for her.

"Nagpra pray lang talaga ako," she recalled, "At dumating nga si Richard at hindi ko ini-expect yun.

There are those who say that Richard’s deed was part of the promo for their movie. Cristine comes to Richard’s defense, "Para irisk mo yung buhay mo, lalo na yung si Richard, hindi promo yun! Yung i-risk ang buhay, hindi biro."

Richard refuses to be affected by the rumor. In fact, he chooses to downplay his part in the rescue of Cristine, and instead turns the spotlight on the many unnamed heroes who risked life and limb for others.

"Syempre ang focus on me now, on this act of heroism – if you can call that heroism. Pero mas marami pang heroes there. Marami akong nakita sa Cainta, Pasig and all over the Philippines. I salute them," he emphatically stated.

Meanwhile, Cristine and Richard are helping other victims by giving donations. Richard also has tied up with Flawless, which he endorses, in the Picture Flawless campaign wherein a percentage of the beauty clinic’s sales will go to Ondoy victims.

Aside from Cristine and Richard, Gerald Anderson, Kim Chiu, Jericho Rosales, Anne Curtis, Kris Aquino have been helping victims of the typhoon.