onita Rose is not Ruffa Gutierrez's best friend of more than 13 years for nothing. Donita knew something was wrong when Ruffa told her about the lovers' quarrel she and now estranged husband Yilmaz Bektas were having.

For the first time, says Donita, she saw her best friend a “broken person.”

Donita knows a lot, but her lips are sealed.

“Ruffa and I would laugh and cry together,” Donita recalls. “I met Yilmaz a few times and I could say he's a nice guy. He couldn't speak English that well but that's okay.”

When she learned how distraught Annabelle Rama, Ruffa's mom, was over what happened, Donita felt only sympathy. As a mother herself, Donita understands what Annabelle is going through. Donita also knows that as the only girl in the family, Ruffa was sheltered and treated like a princess.

But Donita can only go so far. She herself is busy with her own projects. She is hosting the new travel magazine show Boracay '007, part one of which airs on May 27, 11 a.m. on TFC, to be shown in North America and the Asia Pacific regions. It will air 11 a.m. in the Middle East and 11:45 a.m. in Europe .

So enamored was Donita with Boracay she could hardly step out of the place the minute her boat docked in the island. And you can't blame her. The tourist destination is so peaceful and so beautiful, especially at sunset. And the residents now consider Donita one of them.

Cyril Lorenzana, Boracay '007 producer, shares her sentiments. An Atenean who took up filmmaking in the US , he extended his stay in Boracay after he fell in love with its beaches and people.

Donita's co-hosts, DJ Tracy Abad, Joey Agustin, Alvin Anson and Koy Rivera, are just as ecstatic over the place. The girls donned their bikinis and the guys their swimming trunks the minute they set foot on Boracay.

And they would like to entice Filipino balikbayan to do the same. Sadly, says retired US Navy man Ariel Abriam (also one of the producers), studies show that Pinoy balikbayan have been skipping Boracay in their itinerary for years.

“Many Pinoy balikbayan go here every year. But very few visit Boracay. Most of the place's visitors are Europeans,” Ariel, who runs the Boracay Beach Club, adds.

So he and his friends at Mogul Productions decided to produce a show that will present the island paradise's come-ons: Its powdery white sand, pulsating nightlife, clean, fresh, air, etc. They will also show viewers how to get to Boracay, where they can stay and what to eat.

The show is Mogul's first production with Manila Genesis Entertainment. Koy, an MA in Theater Arts graduate from UCLA, and Cyril, a veteran of international indie films, share directorial chores.

Original music is by Minco Fabregas with Jackie Castillejo as writer.

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INSIDE STORIES ABOUT SANCTIONED ‘PDA' SCHOLARS

SOMEONE told us “PDA” scholars Panky Trinidad and Irish Fullerton will not be terminated permanently by Dream Big Productions of ABS-CBN. Jay-R Siaboc will definitely come back but Chad Peralta has decided to return to Australia after promoting their new album. They will just be sanctioned. But as to what kind of sanction, no specific punishment was mentioned other than Panky being sent back to Cebu and Irish, to the US , for a forced vacation.

But we believe this move might only hurt their respective careers that will definitely lose its momentum. You know how it is in showbiz: out of sight, out of mind. As what Sandara Park has proven for herself when she went to Korea for a vacation. When she returned here, new faces have appeared to replace her on the scene.

We're also told that it's not only the bad behavior of the scholars (smoking, drinking, rudeness to fans) that are being sanctioned, but also the fact that they dared question their contracts with Dream Big. They felt that they are doing too much work and not being compensated well enough, since they are reportedly paid only $300 each per show. ”They felt they were being exploited, pero nang magtanong sila, hindi naging maganda ang response ng management,” adds our source.

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MARTIN DUPED BY PRODUCER

WE feel sad for Martin Nievera who was duped by his Fil-Am producer in Las Vegas while pursuing his great American dream. Martin is now producing the show himself at Planet Hollywood and it's very tough for him. “I had to sell my car and my watch just to be able to produce the show,” he says.

Martin performs six days a week and he doesn't give himself any talent fee. “I'm not here for the money,” he says. “I'm here for the opportunity and everyday for me is like having an audition. My goal is for international producers to notice me.”

All Pinoys who have watched his show are raving about how good he is, singing all kinds of songs with aplomb as a truly world-class performer. He does get to sell his own CDs and his own line of perfume to the concert-goers. We can't blame Martin if his ambition is to make a name in foreign music scene since, as far as local music is concerned, he has nothing else to prove. Let's just pray he'd soon find a real good producer who'd finance his shows for him.

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