Iza Calzado with Ida Henares

Iza Calzado recently won her first Best Actress trophy (for her role in the Joel Lamangan indie film “Dukot”) but interestingly her losing weight seemed to have earned her more mileage.

When she received her trophy during the recent Enpress Golden Screen Awards, it was her new physique that surprised and amazed everybody especially the members of the press. When GMA Artist Center held a press conference after her winning the Enpress Best Actress award, the entertainment writers lost no time in grilling Iza as to how she achieved her now enviable figure (35-27-38).

It was a gradual weight loss, Iza said, and she attributes it to running and of course, strict dieting. She started running (three times a week) last year but she also got help from Marie France. “I still run but not anymore as intense as last year. I also now do pole dancing.” She was encouraged by Jackielou Blanco to try pole dancing “because mahina ang arms ko.”

Iza really looks good new after shedding those unwanted pounds. So she’s ready for more projects. Which her manager, Ms. Ida Henares, assured are on the way. “Definitely, her next projects will showcase her dramatic talent,” Ida said.

Winning the Enpress Best Actress award came as a surprise, according to Iza who in 2005 won the URIAN Best Supporting Actress award for her role as an investigative reporter in the movie “Isabel.” The 27-year-old actress said “hindi ko talaga inaasahang mananalo ako but I really worked hard for it.”

Iza, who is the daughter of choreographer and TV director Lito Calzado, has been around for some time and has proven herself worthy of the projects she’s getting. Her breakthrough film role was in “Milan” (2005) where she played opposite Piolo Pascual. For this role, Iza won the Breakthrough Performance citation (also from Golden Screen Awards).

Iza is seen in the GMA-7 teleserye “Panday Kids” and in her first sine-novela “Kaya Kong Abutin ang La-ngit.” She also host a cooking show on Q Channel 11 called “Healthy Cravings.”

By the way, another enviable thing about Iza is that she saves and invests her earnings well.

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Cristina G. Romualdez re-elected councilor

Former actress Cristina “Kring-Kring” Gonzalez, now the leading lady of Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, has been re-elected councilor of Tacloban City. Our heartfelt congratulations, Kring-Kring, keep up the good work!

Although she is now busy with various responsibilities for her cons-tituents in Tacloban City, and also as a wife and mother, Cristina makes it to visit Patio Victoria in Intramuros, Manila at least once a week to oversee the needs of her staff and clients.

Patio Victoria, is of course the ideal setting for weddings and other special occasions. It has an old charm that can be found only within the “Walled City” that is Intramuros – cobblestone walkways, an antique wooden gate, lush foliage and an old-fashioned fountain.

It has two gardens named after Cristina’s daughters, Sophia and Diana, and an air-conditioned banquet hall. All three venues can accommodate as many as 1,000 guests.

Patio Victoria offers a yearly promo and to know more about it, visit its website at www.patiovictoria.com. Or e-mail at patiovictoria@gmail.com.

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Music school offers holistic approach

Many voice teachers think technique is everything. As long as you don’t have flat notes, as long as you follow the rules, you’re okay. Only a few voice teachers tell their students that voice is as much a part of a person’s psyche, his mind and even his spirituality.

This is what Clarissa Ocampo, who holds a Masters Degree in Voice Perfomance, from Jilliard School of Music in New York, will impart to her students at The Music School of Ryan Cayabyab where she starts holding voice classes starting today, May 29. As certified personal trainer and Thai yoga practitioner, Ocampo has developed a holistic approach to singing.

Ocampo herself approached Emmy Cayabyab, wife of Ryan Ca-yabyab, and offered to share her knowledge at the family-run music school’s 23rd summer classes at the lower level of Robinsons Galleria.

Ocampo’s other voice workshops at the Music School of Ryan Cayabyab are set on June 5, 12, 19 and 26 and July 3, 10, 17 and 24 with a culminating event on July 25.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings on May 29 go to Mrs. Celia Laurel, Robbie Tan, Eli Pinto, Raul Piedra, Emma Gutierrez, Nestor C. Encariza, Ruby B. Villaruz, Pearl Susim, Dr. Luz Espiritu, Oliver Bundalian, Col. Reynaldo Gopilan, Pacita Aguirre, Virgie Lovely, Dianne Bautista, Shirley Uy, Taiwan-based Tsung-Chieh Lagana-Huang, Charmaine Vea Baldo, Berna Duran Velasco, Ines Ragodon and actress Barbara Milano.