DOES Aljur Abrenica feel sad that he ended up not having any Metro filmfest entry after he favored Robin Padilla’s “Mr. Wong” over “Ang Panday, Ikalawang Aklat”? We all know now that Robin’s movie is no longer in the running. “Nanghinayang ako but it’s not ‘Mr. Wong’ ang dahilan kaya hindi ako napasama sa ‘Panday’,” he explains. “Siyempre, I’ll be proud to work with Sen. Bong Revilla at ang madalas ko pang makakasama sa eksena, si Marian Rivera, as we both belong to a race of people who can turn into dragons. Ang real reason is when they asked me to start shooting, nag-commit na ako to promote GMA Pinoy TV sa various cities in the U.S. for two weeks mahigit. Ayoko namang ako pa maging cause of delay ng shooting so I told them na huwag na nila kong hintayin. Siguro, talagang it’s not meant for me.”

He was replaced by Alden Richards in “Panday.”  “But I’m glad nagkasama rin kami ni Marian sa ‘Amaya’ where I now play the role of Dayaw. May feelings na ako for Amaya in the story. Nakakatuwa kasi noong una, medyo naiilang pa ako kay Marian kasi sobrang ganda niya at ang galing pa, pero ngayon lagi kaming magkasama sa taping, mas comfortable na ako kasi mabait talaga siya and we all have a good working relationship sa set.”

CLAUDINE STILL IN THE MOOD

CLAUDINE Barretto shows it isn’t true she’s in no mood to work these days due to personal problems. She just taped a hardcore horror story for “Spooky Nights Presents” with Dennis Trillo, “Kalaro.”  Both she and Dennis don’t have soaps now as her “Iglot” just ended and Dennis has yet to get a new series after “Sinner or Saint.”

In “Kalaro,”  they’ll co-star with “Munting Heredera” tot actors Mona Louise Rey and Migs Cuaderno. Claudine plays Lara, the mother of Ena (Mona Louise) while Dennis is Chris, the dad of Clark (Migs). Dennis is separated from Migs’ mom. When the mom went on a vacation abroad, Migs is left with his dad who welcomes the chance to bond with his son who has been hostile to him since he and his wife broke up. Migs is bored at the home of his dad who lives in a condo unit, until he meets the girl next door, Mona, and they become playmates.

Dennis meets Mona’s mom, Claudine, and this starts a series of terrifying visions where he sees Migs turning to a corpse, bathed in blood. It turns out Claudine and Mona have a deep dark secret that will turn the lives of Dennis and Migs into a horrifying nightmare. Written by Senedy Que and directed by Uro de la Cruz, “Spooky Nights Presents Kalaro” will be shown tonight after “Manny Many Prizes” on GMA7. Meantime, Ali Dedicatoria, ”Spooky Nights” program manager, announces that

The Dr. Fe del  Mundo Medical Center Department of Pediatrics will hold its post graduate course "Changing Facets of Pediatric Care Almost a Century Later” on November 23-24, 2011, at the Century Park Sheraton Hotel. For details, please call 7120845.

WHAT'S HAPPENING INSIDE PBB

THE three G’s (Gorgeous Girls) who entered ABS-CBN’s “Pinoy Big Brother UnliNight” are Cindy, the Pretty Miss Perfect ng Nueva Ecija; Rhea, the Sexy Single Mommy ng Pampanga, and Denisse, the Independent Woman ng Sampaloc. They’ve started sowing intrigue in Kuya’s House. Kuya asked the boys to swim with them in his pool while the girl housemates remained inside the house, listening to what’s happening in the pool area with the 3G’s. The promdi, Joseph Biggel, quickly jumped into the swimming pool as it’s his first time to swim in a pool. Kigoy, in turn, enjoyed the jacuzzi.  Later, when it was the girl housemates turn to swim in the pool with the hunky Carlo (who showed his butt to them), the 3G’s entered Kuya’s house and planted kiss marks on the cheeks of the boys to make the girls jealous.

At UnliDay, the Power Strangers who intruded are RJ Padilla as Astiging Kengkoy ng Paranaque, Reg Pineda as Pilyong Raketero ng QC and Kulas Alon as Poging Petiks ng La Union. Four housemates were punished for violating house rules. Seichi didn’t use his lapel microphone so he was made to talk through a puppet. Pamu won’t get up in the morning despite wake up calls so she was strapped to a bed and wasn’t allowed to stand up for a while. For talking through hand signals, Lordwin and Unad were strapped back to back to each other like conjoined twins. Toni Gonzaga continues to host UnliNight while Bianca Gonzales, who has become prettier and sexier lately, hosts UnliDay.

TALENTED CHILD ACTRESS

SABRINA Man is one of our talented child stars today. Managed by Manny Valera, she was born in Hong Kong to Filipino-Chinese parents on March 12, 2000. She was first noticed when she won as Little Miss Laguna and Little Earth Angel in 2007. She then went into acting in “Princess Sarah,”  “Luna Mystika,”  and as the young Serpina in “Darna.” She later did “Blusang Itim,”  “Bantatay” and played one of the leads in “Panday Kids.” She has done two films, “Yaya and Angelina” and “Super Inday and the Golden Bibe.”  She’s been hosting “Tropang Potchi” since 2011.

“I like ‘Tropa’ so much as it imparts good values to our viewers,” she says. “In today’s episode, I star in a story about friendship and telling the truth. Nakita ko ang isang classmate ko doing something wrong, but it’s another classmate who gets blamed. My problem is will I tell the truth or just keep silent to protect my friend? I’m sure nangyayari ang ganitong sitwasyon sa mga bata. Bukod dito, my co-hosts Liane Valentino and Lenlen Frial share their experiences with animals in some safari adventure stories.” “Tropang Potchi” airs every Saturday at 8:30 a.m.

MARVIN OPEN TO ALL NETWORKS

MARVIN Agustin plays a kind pastor who later on kills his wife, Carmina Villarroel, in GMA Films’ scary suspense-thriller, “The Road.”  “First time ko to do a role like this,” he says. “Mabait akong husband but something went wrong in our family kaya naging killer ako. I’ve won best actor before in ‘Kutob’ as a psychotic killer, pero ibang klase itong ‘The Road’. I salute our director, Yam Laranas, for his fine handling of the material. He’s very articulate in explaining what he wants from you in every scene.”

He didn’t renew his contract with GMA Artist Center. After doing “Iglot”, is he really leaving GMA7? “Hindi naman. Happy ako rito. Heto nga may bago pa kong movie. But I want to open other doors for me, kahit sa 7, 5 or 2. Ang importante, 'yung project. Basta sure na magugustuhan ng tao, doon ako.”

Why is he still acting when he’s already a successful entrepreneur owning more than 20 restos all over? “Enjoy ako with both acting and my businesses. You just don’t work naman for the money. Dapat, fulfilled ka sa ginagawa mo. I’m so fulfilled with acting so I’ll act forever.”

GREAT TIME AT MALOU'S PARTY

WE had a great time at the birthday celebration of ‘Eat Bulaga’ exec Malou Choa-Fagar at Century Imperial poolside on Wednesday night. Mother Lily and daughter Roselle led the guests, along with ‘Eat Bulaga’ hosts Jimmy Santos, Ryan Agoncillo, Ruby Rodriguez, Allan K, Pia Guanio, Pauleen Luna, Julia Clarete, Anjo Yllana with wife Jackie, Joey Marquez and son Yeoj, Sen. Bong Revilla with wife Cong. Lani Mercado, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Phillip Salvador, Rocco Nacino and Sheena Halili, Martin Escudero, Bodie and Djanin Cruz, Directors Joel Lamangan, Gil Portes, Mel Chionglo, Manay Ichu Maceda and daughter in law Rica, Kuya Germs, Bibeth Orteza, talent managers Dolor Guevarra, Girlie Rodis, Shirley Kuan, Popoy Caritativo, Ethel Ramos, and press people Mario Dumaual, Salve Asis, Gie Trillana, Ian Farinas, Jojo Gabinete, Alfie Lorenzo, Jerry Olea, Dondon Sermino, Joe Barrameda, Anna Pingol, Ces Evangelista, Allan Diones, and others. Here’s wishing Ms. Malou more many happy birthdays to come! Cheers!