MANILA, Philippines - Is the high-profile May-December affair of beauty icon Dr. Vicki Belo and young doctor/budding actor Hayden Kho coming to an end?

That?s the loud buzz this week, as Belo left for Paris Friday?alone.

Kho is staying behind, on the threshold of show biz where offers await him.

Insiders close to the couple say Belo, easily one of the country?s most accomplished women and who?s 23 years older than Kho, is said to be trying hard to cope with the myriad interests of her young squeeze. She tried hard to be interested, for instance, in basketball like he is, but just couldn?t keep up.

How much should they ?control? each other?s life seems to be the pivotal issue, the insiders say.

Actually, it?s not unlike issues many ordinary couples grapple with. But?given how she?s helped shape the lifestyles of many women, and how she?s marketed herself?the three-year-old romance has been anything but ordinary, and quiet. They are one of the high-profile couples around.

It is said Belo is hoping to get some breathing space in Paris, and ?to take it one day at a time.?

Ironically, just last month, Kho wrote Inquirer about their relationship:

?The basis is the same as in any boyfriend-girlfriend relationships: love, passion, honesty, openness and respect, etc. What differs is the people around us who are always on our case. I, being the younger one, have to prove to Vicki?s acquaintances that I am not as immature and inexperienced as they?d initially think. And she always has to prove that genuine youth is in the heart, not in the skin.

?I personally believe it?s harder for Vicki because, aside from what I mentioned, she also has to carry the flag of the single, more mature women, as they battle the self-righteous standards of naysayers. Just because they?re above 40 (or any number for that matter) doesn?t mean they are banned from falling in love, being loved and creating their own heavens by surrounding themselves with nothing else but love. The secret to youth is love.?

Hard to argue with that. But, girls, rather, women, be careful with the fountain of youth. You could drown in it. (Without your sunblock.)

Feeding program

According to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), over 25 percent or more than 1.5-million Filipino children are underweight, and over 30 percent or 1.8 million are under height.

Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral says the first five years of life is crucial to the growth and development of the child.

With over 6 million of the country?s population who are children under five years old, Unilever, through its brand Knorr?s Pasiglahin ang Batang Pinoy feeding program, is working to help change the numbers and the fate of children, one community at a time.

Thirty of the most malnourished children in a barangay are given one nutritious hot meal a day for over six months.

Pasiglahin ang Batang Pinoy has since been completed in over 40 feeding modules in Manila, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Bicutan and Cavite. Recently it concluded its feeding program in Calatagan, Batangas, with E. Zobel Foundation.

When the program was running in the first three months in Calatagan, the changes in the children already became noticeable. Their appetite improved. Weight and height increased.

The feeding program has benefited over 1,000 children, with a high success rate of normalizing nutritional levels and increasing the kids? heights.

No coconut for Burlesque Queen

After her talked-about performance during the 18th anniversary of the Belo Medical Group last month, Queen of Burlesque Dita Von Teese flew to Thailand and booked herself at the Chiva-Som Spa.

The reason? She was said to have been disappointed with the experience she and her companions had in a hotel?s luxurious spa.

Dr. Belo gave Ms Von Teese a spa treat. Ms Von Teese originally wanted to try something local and chose the Hayahay massage, a local therapy that includes fresh coconut scrub. But she was told there was no coconut oil that day and was made to select another service.

She later went for the Himalayan Tsangpo Ritual, a body, head and scalp massage. Again Ms Von Teese was told the room booked for her on that day was not for that massage.

Finally, she chose the Himalayan Healing Stone Massage, which, fortunately, was available.

It was a very embarrassed and disappointed Dr. Belo herself who wrote a letter to the spa manager.

How could coconut oil not be available in the famous spa?and in coconut-rich Philippines yet? An attendant could have just bought oil from the mall across the hotel.