Rhian Ramos, Maja Salvador on their viral photos; JK Labajo on his new love
Rhian Ramos (Photo by MAGIC LIWANAG)
“I got scolded by my grandma,” said actress Rhian Ramos after an Instagram post of her wearing a green string bikini and matching bandeau top recently went viral.
Rhian’s post drew various reactions from followers, with a lot of them dropping fire emojis in the comment section, but she claimed she never expected that the post would be “a big deal.” “It’s normal for me to wear that particular kind of swimsuit because I hate getting tan lines,” she explained. “That’s what was on my mind at the time—I just wanted my tan lines to be as minimal as possible. When that thing happened on social media, I was like, ‘Oh no! What did I do?’ But the way I understand it, malice is in the eyes of others. For some people, it’s nothing but then, for others, it’s a big deal. I just wish people would not overreact. Lahat naman tayo may ganyan.”
She continued: “Sam (Verzosa, her boyfriend) liked it. He didn’t find it distasteful. I guess it’s also because he knows me well. He knows that I was just wearing a swimsuit for tanning, not for anyone else.”
Rhian also denied rumors that she and the congressman (Tutok To Win partylist) broke up in February. “For relationships to last, you will need to put in a lot of hard work,” she told Inquirer Entertainment on Tuesday night.
Different line of work
“I support his decision to become a public servant, but more from behind the scenes. I’m going to admit that in the beginning, I was not ready. That was definitely a major life change. I see how inspired and fulfilled he is at the end of every day, especially when he is able to help others or when he sees progress in his projects,” the 32-year-old actress said.
Maja Salvador (Photo by MEETKESO)
As to what makes them click, Rhian said it could be because when she and Sam met, they didn’t know what the other did. “We’re not in the same industry or line of work. Our first meeting was quite simple. We were on the beach. We really got to know each other for our personalities, that’s why it works for us. From the very beginning we’ve always just been ourselves—normal, chill and honest people,” said Rhian when she attended the recent shopping party at SM Makati organized by H&M Philippines to launch the brand’s collaboration with Casey Cadwallader’s Mugler.
Opportunity to reconnect
Meanwhile, actress Maja Salvador also reacted to news that one of her photos—the one she took in an elevator with fellow actors Bea Alonzo, Piolo Pascual, John Lloyd Cruz, Jericho Rosales and Heart Evangelista, among others—also created online buzz recently.
The photo was taken during a reunion dinner hosted by Johnny Manahan, former head of ABS-CBN’s Star Magic.
“People say what they want. That dinner had long been arranged. It was supposed to be for Mr. M’s birthday last February, but all of our schedules only matched on that day in April. It was a happy reunion. John Lloyd went straight to the venue from the airport, and so did Heart,” she recalled.
“It was an opportunity for all of us to reconnect, as well as for us to discuss possible projects that we could all do together in the near future. Luckily, I am able to speak to most of them on a regular basis, so of those who were present, it was nicest to see Diether (Ocampo) again,” said Maja, who arrived at the “Mugler x H&M” event with her fiance, businessman Rambo Nuñez.
Chie Filomeno (Photo by MAGIC LIWANAG)
When we asked what she did with her mom on Mother’s Day, Maja said: “I have a scheduled mall show on that day, so she just accompanied me at work. We always celebrate Mother’s Day in advance. I’m close to my mom. We treat each other like sisters.”
Meanwhile, Phoemela Barranda is once again a new mom, this time, to 2-year-old Illya. The TV host-actress also has a teenage daughter named Kim Nichole. “Everything I do is for my baby. That’s my mindset whenever I leave home for work, just like for this event. It’s already late and I’m sure she’s sleepy, so I just sent her a video,” said Phoemela, adding that she has managed to effectively coparent with Illya ‘s dad, businessman and professional race car driver Jason Choachuy.
Also present at the “Mugler x H&M” event was singer-songwriter JK Labajo, who admitted that he has now found new love, but would rather keep the identity of the lucky lady to himself for now.
JK broke up with actress-beauty queen Maureen Wroblewitz in 2022.
“At this point, I would much rather keep my new relationship private. She is also from the industry and is also into music. There’s nothing wrong with being open about the relationship you’re in. It’s just that, based on my experience, things tend to get complicated when the public gets involved,” he pointed out.
When prodded to tell more about his new girlfriend, JK said: “We have collaborated on a lot of things, but for now, I’d rather focus on my new album. You see, coming from a breakup, I was able to write a lot of songs that I now want to release. A lot of people will be able to relate to these songs.”
JK said that he’s also turning his attention to acting. After the success of the indie movie “Blue Room,” JK will be seen next in a teleserye, which also features Andrea Brillantes, Kyle Echarri, Xyriel Manabat, Ziajian Jaranilla and Elijah Canlas. “I just came from our photo shoot,” he said of the new project by Dreamscape Entertainment.
Kylie Verzosa (Photo by MAGIC LIWANAG)
“I’m excited to be acting again. Since 2018, I have focused purely on music. Slowly, without it being part of my plan, I got involved in ‘Blue Room.’ I have another Cinemalaya finalist this year, titled ‘When This is All Over.’ I can’t share much yet, but I will also have a series that will be streamed on Netflix soon,” he said. “It’s time that I rekindle my love for acting. I’ve always had the passion for it. It’s true that inspiration can come from different sources.”
Also sighted at the “Mugler x H&M” shopping party were Kylie Verzosa, James Reid, Issa Pressman and Chie Filomeno.
