Eugene Domingo and Wendell Ramos

"There was a hang-over,” Eugene Domingo confessed, “everytime I had a kissing scene with Wendell Ramos!”

Of course that was on camera for “Hot Mama,” the forthcoming SRO Cinemaserye of GMA-7, a four-part drama series which begins airing on Thursday, March 11. Eugene and Wendell have several kissing scenes in “Hot Mama,” something that Eugene never expected.

Did she complain about it?

“I am so afraid of the director,” Eugene jokingly confessed, referring to Director Joel Lamangan who megged the TV series. Eugene has so much respect for the multi-awarded director.

During the taping of the show, Wendell had already warned Eugene he might suddenly kiss her. Eugene told him he had nothing to worry. His kisses would be alright. And so, they had so many kissing scenes on camera. “I felt excited,” Eugene said. “And who would not with Wendell as your leading man?”

She described Wendell as professional, even in their bed scenes. If Eugene is playing the role of a Hot Mama, then Wendell is the Hot Papa.   

Eugene plays the role of an alluring psychiatrist/sex therapist popularly known as Hot Mama. She hosts a late night radio program where she gives sex and relationship advice to callers who ask questions about love and intimacy.

In real life, Eugene revealed that she has no boyfriend as of now, and it seems that marriage is still far off, not even as a mirage. Perhaps, now that she is very much matured and popular because of her successful movie career, men might feel intimidated, and they shy away from her.

But Eugene is funny to talk with, frank and outright. She is one celebrity who is very approachable. She is everybody’s friend, once you know her.

Hot Mama appears to be the exact vehicle for what she is now. She does not even need to act. The drama is like a replay of her life, and her desire to find Mr. Right. Hot Mama is a comedy, and it guarantees that you will be tickled to the bones!

As Dr. Lola Cardenas in Hot Mama, Eugene displays a very liberal and open-minded personality as Hot Mama, but unknown to many, she is an old maid who leads a simple and carefree life. Despite being an expert therapist, Lola does not have a sparkling sex life and worse, she has not found Mr. Right yet.

Hot Mama is single, lonely and desperate for love. She soon finds herself obsessed with Bruce, her executive producer/friend. But he is already in love with her cousin/manager Mari.

Loveless, she devotes her time to her career and using the social networking site Facebook. She meets Randy, her avid fan from Cebu. Both develop special friendship!

Follow the show and enjoy the fun and outrageous comedy of Hot Mama and Randy (Wendell Ramos).

Other members of the cast are: Maureene Larrazabal, Victor Aliwalas, Ces Quesada, Joseph Smisek, and Janna Dominguez.

* * *
A multi-talented lady

Talk about talent and Ms. Ging Ticzon Tiongson has a lot of them. If at her senior years she is still graceful, this could be attributed to an early training in ballet which she took up while in grade school. She graduated from the UP Conservatory of Music, where she majored in piano and voice as her minor.

During her teen years, she had offers to join beauty contests and even the movies, but her parents didn’t allow her to. But with her natural beauty and charm, she was a campus beauty while studying at UP. In high school (at St. Joseph’s College in Quezon City), she was a constant class officer and regularly belonged to the Top 10 honor list. Ging went into commercial modeling for both print and TV from the 60s (and into the 90s even when she was already married then and have children). In 1967, the year of her graduation from UP, Ging got married. She was blessed with four children – Marla, Jovy, Vic and Angelica who died at birth. Ging now has five grandchildren – Migs, Mavis, Enzo, Andie and Agu.

If Ging has remained youthful-looking, energetic, bubbly and charming, it’s because she never allowed herself to be idle. Aside from a capiz manufacturing business that she established during the ’90s, she is also a culinary expert. She cooks special dishes and bakes cakes and cookies for family and friends during her free time.

For keeping fit, Ging plays badminton daily. But before she got addicted to badminton, she was very active in bowling, and was even the president of the Philippine Women’s Bowling Association from 1992-94. Aside from badminton and bowling, Ging also plays squash and golf.

For relaxation, this charming and ever-smiling grandmother hangs out with friends, either playing badminton or dancing the night away at her favorite Bykes@Lancaster along Shaw Blvd. in Mandaluyong City, and modeling for her favorite couturier, Goullee Gorospe, who along with seven other designers, will present his latest fashion show “Expressions & Impressions (Fashion X 8)” on March 28, 7 p.m. at the poolside of Legend Villas along Pioneer St. also in Mandaluyong.

* * *
Dental Focus gives star treatment, gets star clients

Dentist Ninia Rodil-De Luna’s so-called trade secret in making Dental Focus Center for Cosmetic and Orthodontic Dentistry so successful is no secret at all: Give the patients reasons to smile during and after each visit.

“Nowadays, it’s not just about the technology or service a dental clinic offers that gives it an edge over the competition. Rather, it’s about giving the patients a good experience when they come so they will keep returning,” said Dr. Ninia.

A good experience ala-Dental Focus begins with the patient-friendly atmosphere in their clinics. Unlike others, the architectural design and furnishings in all three Dental Focus branches are similar to that of top beauty parlors.

A Dental Focus clinic has an open foyer and sitting room. The dental chairs are in cool, open spaces with see-through dividers and not inside closed, little cubicles. There are cushy chairs and pillows everywhere and soft but adequate lighting is used.

Two Dental Focus clinics are also inside malls for strategic reasons.

“Malling usually means shopping, video games, movies, fastfoods and fine dining. In other words, it’s a pleasurable event that everyone looks forward to. Locating a dental clinic in a mall and making a dental appointment a part of the malling experience conditions people to look forward to seeing their denists,” said she.

Then there’s the Dental Focus team whose members were carefully selected to ably represent the company. Aside from being experts, all staff members are friendly, accommodating. Indeed, who wouldn’t want to return with such a welcome every time?

“We call it giving the patients the star treatment,” quips Dr. Ninia.

Little wonder that Dental Focus boasts of having many celebrity patients. More, these stars tried out and remained loyal to Dr. Ninia even without an endorsement deal!

Many of these are GMA Artist Center (GMAAC) talents including Sam Bumatay, Miguel Tan Felix, Bea Binene, Charisse Solomon, Arci Muñoz, LJ Reyes, Moymoy Palaboy, Sheena Halili, Steph Henares, Stef Prescot, Rhian Ramos, Chuck Ali and Benj Pacia.

And they all say the same thing: They got wind of Dental Focus through word-of-mouth (that is, from one celebrity to another).

“Well, yes, I don’t go around asking celebrities if they want to give us a try (laughs). My policy has always been for the work, for the experience the patients gets from us, to speak for itself,” says Dr. Ninia who is fast becoming known in the entertainment industry as the Dentist to the Stars.

This is the reason Dr. Ninia sometimes appear on GMA-7 shows. When talks are about whom to cast as dentist, she is almost always recommended by the stars because she is, after all, their dentist!

“Appearing on those shows is just for kicks and to further good will between me and my celebrity patient,” she explained albeit shyly.

Her celebrity patients love Dr. Ninia’s services so much that some who live far from her clinics would rather travel than try another dentist. Some of the stars even hang out in her clinics sometimes.

One of Dr. Ninia’s strengths is in treating children such as BJ Forbes (her very first celebrity patient). It is said that Dr. Ninia has a way of putting the kids at ease throughout their visit that they actually ask after a session when their next appointment will be.

“Kailangan magaan lang ang kamay at laging nakangiti,” she advised.

Asked what services and treatments the stars avail most of the times, Dr. Ninia answered that these have to do with the way their teeth look on camera and enhancing the smile.

“But more than that, Dental Focus proactively promotes dental hygiene because that’s where it all starts,” she said. “As a rule, we only pull out teeth as a last resort. If we can save a tooth, we’ll do it.”

The first Dental Focus clinic opened in Molina, Bacoor, Cavite in May 1998. The other branches are at SM Supercenter – Molino and at Festival Supermall in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Some of the services that Dental Focus clinic offers are Oral Prophylaxis using Booster P5 Suprasson Scaler Cosmetic restoration; Light Cured/Laser Filling; Veneering; Endodontics; Pits and Fissure Sealant; Pedo Shell Crown; and Diastema/Space Closure, among others.

* * *
Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings on March 11 go to Jose Mari Chan, Hero Bautista, Vera Isberto, Lucy Chuaying, Avi Siwa, Belsha Valdecanas-Dizon, Chico Querol Moreno, Oyang Capistrano, Dr. Teresita Gozar, Mr. and Mrs. Rogelio Nolasco, Camille G. Nolasco, Anthony Segovia, Atty. Nards Virtucio, Dr. Remy Suntay, Jesse Lucas, Janne Dominguez, and former Comelec Chairman Ramon H. Felipe.