Danita Paner (Photo by Bob Dungo Jr.)

MANILA, Philippines -- In her second starring project for TV5 “Bangis,” Danita Paner has a new leading man, Oyo Sotto. But the young actress said her relationship with fomer screen partner JC de Vera is still “okay,” and that they are “happy together.” She added, “After all, Oyo is now a very much married man, and soon to be a father.”

Danita is excited about her role in “Bangis” which is based on another Carlo J. Caparas classic comics novel. By the way, Carlo and Donna Villa’s talented son CJ is also in the cast of “Bangis,” playing the sidekick of Oyo who plays a hunter. Danita, on the other hand, plays an environmentalist.

Danita said she’s happy with TV5, her home studio for three years. She’s getting very good exposure in the Kapatid Network, first appearing in the “Five Star Special,” and then in “Star Confessions” before she was cast in the network’s Sunday afternoon show “Funtastiks.”

Danita was first reluctant to try acting, her first and foremost love being singing. “But because of my projects with TV5, I’ve learned to love acting, nag-e-enjoy na ako,” she said. She recalled that this was one of the conflicts she had with her mom, Daisy Romualdez, who wanted her to be an actress too but Danita did not like the idea at first because she’d rather sing on stage.

Danita was in her sophomore year in Entrepreneurship Management when she joined showbiz full time.

‘Sigwa’ wins 7 PMPC Awards

Congratulations to my dear friend Pelita Peralta Uy for the seven major awards that her initial independent movie production “Sigwa” won in the recent 27th PMPC Star Awards held at the Newport Performing Theater in Resorts World Manila. The movie actually got nine nominations but out of these “Sigwa” won the following: “Digital Movie of the Year,” “Digital Movie Director of the Year,” “Movie Supporting Actor of the Year” (Tirso Cruz III), “Digital Movie Editor of the Year” (Bebs Gothiu), “Digital Movie Production Designer of the Year” (Edgar Martin Litthua), “Digital Movie Cinematographer of the Year” (Monino S. Duque), and “Digital Movie Sound Engineer of the Year” (Alfredo “Dodoy” Ongleo).

Pelita said she had always wanted to produce movies, but it took her three years to find the right material.

When director Joel Lamangan and writer Boni Ilagan presented her with the story of “Sigwa” and “The First Quarter Storm,” Pelita saw the relevance of this untold part of our history.

“Sigwa” has given Joel Lamangan his fifth Best Director Award.

Pelita is the executive producer of Beginnings at Twenty Plus, Inc. which also produces concerts in support of Original Pilipino Music (OPM), like that of the APO Hiking Society three years ago, the Ogie Alcasid-Ryan Cayabyab team-up at the PICC last year, among others.

Beginnings at Twenty Plus Inc.’s latest project is “It’s Complicated,” featuring multi-awarded singer-composer and recording artist Jose Mari Chan and The Company. It will be staged on July 23 at the SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings for Wednesday, June 27, go to former Sen. Helena Benitez, socialite Ms. Zeny Cabral, Dr. Amelia Jarin, Chief Inspector Francisco F. Bautista, Ms. Chit Dee, Olive Hiyas, Fr. Louise Lester Neiz of Missionaries of Mary, Ma. Lourdes R. Valdez, Chit Estrada, Nora Alapan, Bernadette G. Martinez, Joey Liongco, Johanna Lim, and Aby Acosta… Happy wedding anniversary to Bejamin and Racquel Lacaden… To fight it out for the P150,000 cash prize in today’s edition of “Family Feud” are popular comedians: The Guevarra family of Gladys, Ed, Nervin and Pola versus the Lapus Family of Sweet, Bea Sebastian and Malou...