Mariel: I'm not pregnant

Actress-host Mariel Rodriguez vehemently denied reports that she is pregnant by her showbiz sweetheart Zanjoe Marudo.

In an interview, Rodriquez said that she's now busy with her superheroine character "Varga" who will soon be part of ABS-CBN's "Mars Ravelo's Presents: Isang Lakas."

"Ayaw ni Varga niyan. Mahirap naman yatang tumakbo at makipaglaban sa bad men kung buntis, kaya hindi 'yon totoo," she said.

Aside from denying that she's on her way to motherhood, the  "Wowowee" co-host also downplayed issues that she's now living in with Marudo in a condo. "Hindi yan totoo dahil hindi naman sa condominium unit nakatira si Zanjoe," she said.

Maria Erlinda Termulo in real life, Rodriguez started her career as a commercial model before she went into hosting.

She was also one of the hosts of the reality show "Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Plus."

Rodriguez also appears in several drama and comedy shows on ABS-CBN. With a report from DZMM's Laila Chikadora.

Mariel Rodriguez defends Christmas gift of boyfriend Zanjoe Marudo

Nang magdesisyon sina Mariel Rodriguez at Zanjoe Marudo na maging open tungkol sa kanilang relationship, marami ang natuwa dahil bihira nga lang naman sa mga artista ang umaamin pagdating sa kanilang love life.

Pero sa pagiging bukas nina Mariel at Zanjoe sa kanilang relasyon ay ang paminsan-minsang pagbato rin sa kanila ng mga intriga. Sa katatapos nga na holidays ay may lumabas na kuwento na isang mumurahing silver necklace at Bench gift certicate lang daw ang regalo ni Zanjoe kay Mariel, na endorser naman ng clothing line na Meg.

Dinepensahan naman ni Mariel ang boyfriend nang makausap ng PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) ang TV host last Saturday, January 17, sa dressing room ng Entertainment Live.

"It's a white-gold heart shaped necklace with diamonds, so I don't know why people make it api. Nahihiya nga ako kay Zanjoe, naaawa ako sa kanya," sabi ni Mariel.

Dagdag niya, "I love it and it was not even an issue. Alam mo ba na I was the only person na pinag-isipan ni Zanjoe ng gift? It's a surprise kasi nilagay niya yun sa isang malaking box, tapos nandun sa loob yung gift niya. Iisipin mo, ‘Ano ba ito?' Box na malaki tapos nandun pala sa loob yung necklace."

Regarding the gift certificate from Bench, nilinaw naman ni Mariel na biro lang ito ng boyfriend lalo't alam naman nito na endorser siya ng Meg.

"Joke niya lang yun, niloloko lang niya ang mga tao," ngiti ni Mariel. "Alam mo naman yun, mahilig magsalita ng kung anu-ano. Sabi ko nga, ‘Sira-ulo talaga ito! Bench, e, Meg endorser ako!' Definitely, hindi siya puwede."

THE SECRET OF A HAPPY RELATIONSHIP. Masaya at kuntento raw si Mariel sa itinatakbo ng relasyon sa boyfriend. Ito ay sa kabila ng busy schedule nila, lalo na raw ni Zanjoe. Mariel realized na ang mas malalim na pang-unawa at suporta ang kailangan ng boyfriend ngayon.

"We're okay, we're happy," sabi ni Mariel. "I'm so happy nga for him dahil sobrang busy siya ngayon. Dyosa just ended, mayroon siyang Weddings, Parekoy, and mayroon pang isang soap na big time talaga.

"For a relationship like us to work out, kailangan talaga you have to be understanding. He has no time in the world because of his sked."

TWO SHOWS. Happy with her love life and showbiz career, sinabi ni Mariel na sobra niyang mahal at ine-enjoy ang dalawang shows na ipinagkatiwala sa kanya ng ABS-CBN—ang Entertainment Live at Wowowee.

"I'm fabulous and I'm very happy!" bulalas ni Mariel. "I love E-Live kasi matagal ko nang kasama ang mga co-host ko dito, so we're very comfortable with each other. Kita mo naman kami ni Luis [Manzano], kumportable kami sa isa't isa. Si Toni [Gonzaga], from the very start pa lang, and si Bianca [Gonzales] na friend ko na ever since. I'm happy with the show and I love it so much. I'm used na sa mga intriga. Kailangan because it's our job, trabaho namin yun.

"Magti-three years na kami sa Wowowee. Masaya and nakita ko na ngayon na pamilya talaga kaming lahat, even the staff. So, sobrang mahal ko rin yung show," pagtatapos ni Mariel.

Fashion 101 from Mariel & Bianca

Mariel Rodriguez and Bianca Gonzalez offer tips that can make girls and women look like celebrities. Bianca and Mariel are endorsers of Meg Clothing line. Both were commercial and ramp models before showbiz beckoned. On stage and television, Bianca and Mariel are aware that what they wear has an impact on their audience.

They feel some kind of responsibility to the public and at the same time they have to express their individuality.

“Do not confine yourself to what people say you should wear. Individuality is important. Wear what you feel is comfortable and what is appropriate for the occasion,” says Bianca. And most of the time, girls going out on a first date are always at a quandary on what to wear. Is it dress down or dress up? Does she have to impress her date with big chunky jewelry? Does she have to wear jeans or a gown? Is wearing shorts okay on a first date? The answers are as diverse as the types of girls there are in this planet.

In their line of work as TV hosts, Bianca and Mariel may be considered image-savvy. They’ve collaborated with designers to create their red carpet looks. They’ve talked with fashion stylists on star dressing. Their exposure through travel has helped them cultivate their own style. For these reasons, Meg has chosen Bianca and Mariel as its image models/endorsers.

Many girls have come up to Bianca and Mariel for fashion advice. These two reveal, “Most of the time, they ask, ‘What should I wear on a date?’ or ‘What’s the best outfit for a date?’”

Some tips from Mariel and Bianca:

Dress for the location and the occasion. Mariel and Bianca advise that a girl should choose her outfit based on where her date is taking her, whether to the mall, a coffee shop, a restaurant or to the movies. Wear clothes you would usually wear to these places, but the trick though is to elevate the outfit one level higher. They suggest, “So if you always wear jeans and a T-shirt when you go to Starbucks, why not wear a skirt or a dress for a change?” Mariel says, “Dapat maganda, pero nothing too flashy, especially for a first date. Dapat yung pinakamaganda mong outfit pero dapat effortless pa rin ang dating. Dapat mukhang hindi ka masyadong naghanda.”

Strike a balance. Related to that is to be tastefully sexy. “Hindi dapat masyadong slutty. Puwedeng may konting sexiness factor,” says Mariel. For a dinner date, Bianca suggests a white polo and black high-waisted pants which are the latest fashion must-haves.

Natural makeup completes the look. A great outfit wouldn’t work if the makeup isn’t right. “Guys prefer the natural look,” says Bianca. “Scared sila kapag mukha kang fully made up.”

Mariel agrees, “Yeah, scared ang guys kapag parang hindi mahahawakan ang mukha.” Both recommend that a nice shade of lipstick and a cheek tint are enough to bring out the natural beauty to give a young lady a lovely glow.

Dress up like you’re always ready for a date. A girl should always look her best, not for anybody, but for herself. Looking great and feeling great are interrelated. “So dress up like you always have a date,” says Mariel.

“In other words,” says Bianca. “Don’t be caught wearing something pangit!”