Showbiz Roundup: Kathleen Hermosa’s miscarriage, Jomari-Abby’s wedding, Miss International 2023 rankings

(From left) Kathleen Hermosa, Miko Santos, Abby Viduya, Jomari Yllana, Nicole Borromeo. Images: FILE PHOTOS

The news of Kathleen Hermosa and her husband losing their triplets was a heartbreaking start to the month of November, although they remained hopeful that they will be blessed with children in God’s perfect time.

Stories of hope were also the highlight of the week, with Jomari Yllana and Abby Viduya finally getting married in Las Vegas, while the Miss International organization showed transparency and fair play in releasing the candidates’ scores.

Meanwhile, Abegail Rait insisted that the late Francis Magalona was “single” when their relationship started. Kaila Estrada, on the other hand, caught the attention of showbiz watchers after she came to the defense of her “Linlang” co-star Anji Salvacion.

Look back at some of the hottest entertainment news of INQUIRER.net of the week of Nov. 3 to 9.

‘God will make us pregnant again’

Kathleen Hermosa and her non-showbiz husband Miko Santos. Image: screengrab from YouTube/Kathleen Hermosa, Instagram/@kathermosa

Kathleen Hermosa-Santos is hopeful that she will be blessed with children again, after disclosing that she was previously pregnant with triplets but had suffered from a blighted ovum.

In a vlog uploaded on her YouTube channel last Nov. 1, Kathleen and her non-showbiz husband Miko Santos learned about her pregnancy in September, then informed their families including sister Kristine Hermosa-Sotto and Oyo Sotto.

After about a month, the couple went to the doctor to hear their babies’ heartbeats, but it wasn’t long before they learned that the embryos did not develop, a condition known as a blighted ovum or anembryonic pregnancy where an embryo “never forms or it stops forming and is reabsorbed by the body” leading to an early miscarriage, per Mayo Clinic.

Still, she shared that while she has been holding on to her faith, she still feels heartbroken as she is going through the process of healing.

“We were once pregnant with our triplets. I named them TresM! Marking this day as one of His faithful reminders. He did it to us. He will do it again,” she declared in a separate post on her Instagram page. “God will make us pregnant again! Healthy, both myself and triplets again!”

Kathleen and Santos announced their engagement in December 2022, then wed in an intimate garden ceremony in Cebu in June.

Jomari and Abby’s wedding

Abby Viduya and Jomari Yllana. Image: Instagram/@abby_viduya_yllana

Jomari Yllana and Abby Viduya finally tied the knot in an intimate Las Vegas wedding, which was attended by close friends and the actor’s son with Aiko Melendez, Andre Yllana.

Viduya, previously known through her screen name Priscilla Almeda, gave a glimpse of their wedding at the A Little White Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada last Nov. 5, where they were seen flaunting their wedding rings while aboard a luxury car.

Viduya donned an earth-toned satin off-shoulder gown, while Jomari looked dapper in a black suit.

Viduya’s talent manager, veteran entertainment writer Nestor Cuartero, also confirmed via his Facebook page that the pair had exchanged “I dos” in the presence of Andre and a few close friends.

Their romance began when they were still in their teens, but their relationship did not last at the time. They reconnected through social media in 2016 and rekindled their romance in 2019.

Jomari and Viduya are set to hold a second wedding, a church ceremony, either at the end of 2024 or early 2025.

Miss International 2023 ranks

Miss International Top 15 delegates. Image: INQUIRER.net/Armin P. Adina

The Miss International organization announced the official ranking of the ladies who advanced to the semifinals in its 2023 edition, in what seemed to be a rare move compared to its counterparts.

On Instagram, the global tilt not only showed who ranked from sixth to 15th but also revealed who almost made it to the next round by announcing who placed from 16th to 20th.

“The public deserves to know, and it’s good to make people still talk about us even though the pageant is over,” Stephen Diaz, the Filipino head director of Miss International organizer International Cultural Association (ICA), told INQUIRER.net.

“Now that I am fully in charge, I believe in transparency and fair play,” continued Diaz, adding that “judges decide who will place or not. That’s what pageants should be.”

Binibining Pilipinas 2022 Nicole Borromeo was named third runner-up in the competition, while Andrea Rubio scored Venezuela’s ninth victory since the Miss International pageant was established in 1960.

Colombia’s Sofia Oslo was first runner-up, while Peru’s Camila Diaz was second runner-up. Rounding up the winners’ circle was fourth runner-up Vanessa Hayes from Bolivia.

Thailand’s Supaporn Ritthipruek and Mexico’s Itzia Garcia, whose final placements were not revealed in the coronation show, finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

Meanwhile Hong Kong’s Verna Leung was eighth, Vietnam’s Nguyen Phuong Nhi was ninth, Yamilex Hernandez from the Dominican Republic was 10th, Panama’s Linette Clement was 11th, Malaysia’s Cassandra Yap was 12th, Amanda Solis from Puerto Rico was 13th, Nassita Daiko from Cote D’Ivoire was 14th, and Greece’s Zoi Assoumanaki ranked 15th.

Two Asians almost made it to the semifinals, Cambodia’s Alyna Somnang and Myanmar’s Ei Ei Myint Aung Thein who finished in the 16th and 17th spots, respectively.

Djulieta Calalb from Moldova and Alisha Cowie from the United Kingdom ranked 18th and 19th, respectively, while Lesotho’s Boithumelo Sehlotho finished in 20th place.

“Miss International just proves that we don’t need drama and controversy to be followed by people,” said Diaz, who also said the national directors appreciated it when the Miss International pageant announced the rankings in the 2019 competition.

“Pageantry is worth saving. And if it means that Miss International is going to lead the way, then so be it… I’m not gonna let any low class pageant destroy what we had built and worked hard for!” he said without elaborating.

Francis M’s civil status

Francis Magalona with his alleged secret lover Abegail Rait. Image: screengrab from YouTube/Boss Toyo Production, Abegail Rait

Abegail Rait, who claimed to be in a relationship with Francis Magalona, apologized for the hurt her revelation has caused to his family, while asserting that the late rapper’s civil status was “single” and that he was already separated from his wife Pia Arroyo-Magalona when their secret relationship started.

“Homewrecker, kabit, mistress—lahat na ng adjective na nagamit niyo, tanggap ko po. Pero ang ipinakikiusap ko sana ay ‘wag naman ‘yung anak ko,” Rait said via her YouTube vlog last Nov. 3.

“Aminado po ako, tao lang ako na nagkakamali, nasasaktan, pero imbes na iiyak ko ay ipinapakita ko sa anak ko na kaya ko siyang ipagtanggol. Sana po maintindihan niyo ako bilang ina na nagsasalita para sa kanyang anak,” she continued, referring to their daughter Gaile Francesca.

Rait clarified that even before they were featured on the “Pinoy Pawnstars” series, Francesca had already been firm in wanting to enter the show business “regardless who her father is.”

She also clarified that her daughter had already signed a talent management contract and they only sold Francis’ jersey to support Francesca’s expenses during her training. Rait underscored that she’s not after anything and that she had to do what she did to support her daughter.

“Sa lahat po ng nasaktan, sa pamilya po ni Kiko, humihingi po ako ng dispensa sa lahat ng kaguluhang ito. Hindi ko po ipinagmamalaki ang naging pagkakasala ko pero tao lang po ako; hindi ako perpekto,” she addressed the Magalona family.

Rait then claimed that the Magalona family knew about her and Chesca, and that she and her daughter were even present at his wake.

“Kung kabit po ako at nanira ng pamilya—sana may maglakas ng loob na sabihin na wala na sila ni Pia nung dumating ako sa buhay niya,” Rait said.

“Wala na po siya sa family residence nila for years. And, wala po akong na-violate na batas sa Pilipinas dahil single po ang marital status ng partner ko hanggang sa kinamatayan niya,” she noted, adding that Francis explained his situation to her and backed it with documents.

Rait further appealed to refrain from judging her and her daughter without knowing the whole story. Pia and her children with Francis, on the other hand, have yet to comment on the matter as of this writing.

Kaila Estrada defends Anji Salvacion

(From left) Kaila Estrada, Anji Salvacion. Images: Instagram/@kailaestrada,Instagram/@_anjisalvacion_

Kaila Estrada emphasized the importance of being “kind and nice” following criticisms towards the acting performance of her “Linlang” co-star Anji Salvacion.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Opulence Ball last Oct. 31, Estrada admitted that she’s aware of the actress-singer being on the receiving end of backlash, while defending her co-star since the remarks against her have gone “too far.”

The actress appealed to netizens to practice kindness at all times, while noting how negative remarks can affect others.

The criticism against Salvacion, who stars as Kim Chiu’s sister Kate in “Linlang,” stemmed from several video clips of her acting performance on the show that made the rounds of social media. Among her critics include showbiz writer Ogie Diaz, although he clarified that his remarks should be taken as a “reminder” for the actress-singer to “improve.”