Tagbilaran, Saturday, 20 September 2008 20:56:55
Remember Jerome Sala? Of course, we do, don't we?
For a refresher, Jerome Sala created a stir when he became the grand champion of the reality singing tilt of ABS-CBN's Star in a Million 2005 Season 1.
But where he is now?
Well, Jerome (the People's Choice Top Entertainer Awardee as Most Promising Balladeer and finalist of the 19th Awit Awards for the Best Performance of a New Male Recording Artist for the song One In A Million You, among his awards in 2005) is back in his hometown Pilar (particularly in Barangay Bagacay) now—as a family man.
This was relayed to Bared by a Very Reliable Source (VRS) confirming (and swearing with all honesty) that Jerome took home a wife named Honey (who hails from Cebu City) and the couple have a one year old daughter.
So, the ever-supportive Tatay Jaime (who's a town councilor) and Nanay Ruth have another apo from Jerome. "The couple decided to settle down in Pilar far away from the limelight," VRS said.
And how about his singing career? He occasionally sings in parties and birthdays when he's invited. "The last time he performed in a big crowd was in June during the Miss Katigbawan Festival 2008 in Catigbian, Bohol," VRS added.
Jerome is busy. "He is now busy managing his own hallow block business," VRS added, "He supplies and trades hollow blocks to neighboring towns." An outlet or branch in Guindulman is reportedly owned by him.
Jerome was considered as another musical gem in the soulful and distinct ballads (after another fellow Boholano singer Luke Mejares. ABS-CBN Star Records said that "Jerome's strengths are his deep and moving baritone voice, and his oozing sex appeal." He sings like a younger Nonoy Zuñiga and has the same audience appeal as a new generation Rico J. Puno. More than being likened to other artists, Jerome had proven that he had his own style as he walked away with the much-coveted grand prize of the biggest talent search in the country.
Before, Jerome found himself joining and winning in barangay, fiesta, and municipal singing contests, even traveling to nearby islands in small dinghies to join competitions--and not even the near-tsunami waves and stormy skies could stop him from reaching his destination.
In 2005, streamers flooded the streets of Tagbilaran City signifying their support to "Bohol's golden son." Most households had tuned to Channel 2 to watch the preceding as chores were done early and supper were served before TV Patrol Linggo not to miss every detail of the show.
Many have suspected that Jerome's career was not properly handled. Others think that he wasn't able to survive showbiz, or he has begun entertaining the illusion (delusion?) that he's that par, the usual "ailment" of new stars making a little name--even a semblance of stardom goes to their heads. Wait, 'till they fall a loud thud--and like Jerome they will wake up to painful reality (ouch!)
Having been out in the limelight, Jerome must have realized that in this world, we have two types of friends: the real and temporary friends. The latter is dangerous. They make friends with you when you're on top or when they just need your help. When the time comes that you are ugly, poor and old, they'll leave you just like that. (A piece of advice: Treasure your real friends and be a real friend too!)
While it's a sunny day, gather more hay, invest your money in business, insurance and stocks while you can still have them. I am not kidding.
And another one: Showbiz is not forever.
Jerome, a simple lad from Pilar town has gone that far in being at the top of the country's premier search for music idol even for a short time. He can inspire thousands of Filipinos that there is room at the top for those who aspire.
From Nilo Sapong: Vicky Wallace (no, not the Singing Bee but Bohol's Queen Bee), the proprietor of Bohol Bee Farm was awarded by the Department of Science and Technology as among the Top 10 Awardees on Business Entrepreneurship. The bee farm is Vicky's way of sharing knowledge with visitors about products that are organically grown. The house's mouth-watering specialties include vegetable and honey-based products such as squash muffins, herb camote bread, and bee farm concoctions of fruity ice cream, homey spread, garden salad and honeyed tableya. Her continuing struggle to make organic farming a priority item for agriculture tops her wish list. "Let us not turn down the opportunity to help others. In life it is not only about an individual or about ourselves, but also the welfare of others."
Tagbilaran City is one of the best cites in the Philippines which offers the best quality of life, according to a new survey of the Asian Institute Management (AIM). City Mayor Dan Neri Lim should be proud of.
Carlo Roy Roslinda of the College Nursing and College of Business and Accountancy's bet Mylene Pedoro were crowned Mr and Miss UB Personality 2008 held on Sept. 18 at the UB quadrangle (part of it can be seen at youtube.com. History has it that the late Purisima Veloso-Datoy was the first UB Queen (formerly Rafael Palma College), while Margaret Gulle (now Mrs. Pascual who's in New York City) was the first Miss UB Personality in 1973. The first Mr UB Personality was Luisito Ytol from the Technology Department in 1985.
(Email me at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, or visit www.bohol.ph).
Leo P. Udtohan