GOOD  GUY  GERALD

MANILA, OCTOBER 3, 2009 (MALAYA) STUDIO WHISPERS by ETHEL RAMOS (‘He helped rescue his neighbors, who were stranded in their residences and apparently didn’t know how to swim.’)

NEXT in the agenda of Angelika de la Cruz and her husband, Orion Casareo, is their church wedding, which will take place in December.

The couple were married in civil rites last August.

Angelika and Orion now have their own bundle of joy, Gabriel, who will have a part at their wedding. He will be their ring bearer, they say. And who cares if Gabriel will march down the aisle on his stroller?

"Ang importante," Angelika reasons, "when Gabriel grows up, alam niyang nagkaroon siya ng participation na isa sa pinaka-importanteng okasyon sa buhay ng kanyang mga magulang. And we have photographs and videos to prove that."

Angelika also stages an acting comeback via the GMA series, "Kaya Kung Abutin Ang Langit," where she plays the devoted sister of Iza Calzado.

She was already pregnant with Gabriel when she did her last teleserye, "La Lola."

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Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson’s next project together will be a movie which will also star Kris Aquino.

"Kim will play my daughter," Kris volunteered.

The three of them actually would have been together in a movie meant for this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). Kris, however, begged off when her mom, the late President Cory Aquino, worsened. She explained to Malou Santos, managing director of Star Cinema, that she wanted to be by her mom as much as possible.

Kris was last seen in the horror movie, "Sukob."

Kim, on the other hand, is cast with Gabby Concepcion and Angelica Panganiban in "I Love You… Goodbye," which is Star Cinema’s MMFF entry.

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Gerald played hero to his neighbors in Vista Real Subdivision in Commonwealth, Quezon City at the height of typhoon Ondoy. He helped rescue his neighbors, who were stranded in their residences and apparently didn’t know how to swim.

"Nagkataon din kasing wala siyang taping," said Jun Reyes, who co-manages Gerald with Star Magic. "Tapos na ang kanyang seryeng, ‘Tayong Dalawa.’

"Busy siya ngayon with the action series, ‘Tiagong Akyat,’ where, well, he is playing the title role."

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The people behind the concert, "Mio Fight Cancer: Benefit Concert," which originally was scheduled last September 30 at the Music Museum, have decided to reschedule the concert to October 9. Yes, same place.

The same artists who have earlier collaborated for the concert, such as Denise Laurel, Maja Salvador, Jed Madela, Kris Lawrence, JayR, Akafellas, Pupil, Imago and the Philippine All-Star, will participate in it.

The concert is for the benefit of five-year-old cancer victim, Jose Emilio "Mio" Mendiola.

Mio, according to his mom, Jasmin Mendiola, is suffering from Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL).

ALL, according to medical reports, is a disease where a patient’s bone marrow is producing too many abnormal white blood cells, thus reversing his immune system and making him prone to bleeding infection.

According to his physician, Mio has an 80% chance of being cleansed of the cancer in three to five years.

Here’s the rub, though: The ensuing battle needs several of blood tests and chemotherapy through oral, intrachecal and intravenous methods that entail endless pricks on Mio’s frail and tiny body. Mio also has his regular hospitalization and maintenance requirements.

And this, of course, Jasmine tearfully revealed, results in his bills reaching six-figures. Thus, she cannot imagine how much her son will need for three to five years needed to totally get rid of his cancer.

That’s why she feels so grateful to people, like the group who thought of the upcoming October 9 concert, who are willing to go out of their way to help her son.