DANITA PANER (left, Photo by Ali Vicoy) and Jasmine Curtis Smith

MANILA, Philippines – JUST A THOUGHT: Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet. – Plato

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FOR MAMA: Jasmine Curtis Smith, sweet 16, thought she was going to lead a normal life as a teenager growing up in Melbourne, Australia until she stumbled on a deal she couldn’t refuse.

TV5 offered to build her up, presenting her a three-year exclusive contract that allows her time to finish school. Jasmine is now set to divide her time between Manila and Melbourne, where she’s in Grade 11, one year short of finishing high school.

Her first regular assignment for TV5, “Ang Utol Kong Hoodlum,” opposite JC de Vera, will even shoot scenes in Melbourne and Sydney in March to accommodate her schedule.

The future looks rosy for Jasmine, who is possessed with a sunshiny, bubbly personality that easily invites friendship. While her older sister Anne is more on the mestiza side, Jasmine’s skin tone has a bit of shade to it, giving her an extra edge in the charms department.

Asked what she’ll do with her first earnings, the young actress said she’ll buy a new car for her mother, who has worked so hard for the family all these years.

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DANITA DARLING: We have seen Danita Paner grow up through times spent with her mother, Daisy Romualdez, on concert tours abroad back in the ’90s.

She was a playful, beautiful girl, who loved shopping and singing, although not always at the same time. In her teen years, Danita naturally turned into a singer, joining her mother’s concert productions where she shared moments on stage with hard-core singers and comedians.

Danita is now a grown young lady said to be playing beautiful music with JC de Vera, with whom she acted in the TV5 series, “Basta Driver, Sweet Lover.” She also sings and dances on the Sunday show, “PO5.”

Danita’s acting prowess, which has merited not a few notices from even the movie queen herself, Gloria Romero, will be put to test in her next assignment for TV5, “Bangis.” Danita and Jasmine are two of TV5’s leading ladies on the rise.

Meanwhile, Danita’s back on stage by way of a Valentine concert, “The Balladeers,” at the Manila Hotel on Feb. 14 with Erik Santos, Mark Bautista, Pilita Corrales, Carmen Pateña, Carmen Soriano, Paula Bianca, and K Brosas.

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TV NEWS: Established child stars had better watch out. The likes of Zaijian Jaranillla, Xyriel Manabat and before them, Makisig Morales, will have to give way, sooner or later, to younger finds.

ABS-CBN has found one new starlet in Mutya Orquia, who plays the title role in a teleserye that incidentally is also called “Mutya.” Teleserye producers are quick to say the role wasn’t tailor-made for the little girl. It is based on an old komiks novel by the late Pablo S. Gomez, who sold many of his komiks titles to ABS-CBN before his death.

“Mutya” is a mermaid born to a land-based couple, played by Alfred Vargas and Lara Quigaman. Unlike “Dyesebel,” however, “Mutya” remains a child throughout the duration of the story, the better to capture the youth market that has supported previous network shows as “Momay” and “May Bukas Pa” (Santino).

“Mutya” makes a splash starting Jan. 31 after “TV Patrol World.”

Weekdays from 5 to 5:30 p.m., an action-packed drama series called “Telegrande 8 Kingdom” takes TV5 viewers to a period back in time, the Northern Song Dynasty. The cinematic series, based on the Asian Wuxia novel, “Demi Gods” and “Semi-Devils,” features a cast of thousands and breath-taking action, immortal action and romance.

(nescuar@yahoo.com)