The Ten Best Films Of Vilma Santos

Posted on November 8, 2009 by @ffv Standard

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Sa history ng pelikulang lokal, sadyang namumukod-tangi si VILMA SANTOS dahil hindi lang sa larangan ng pag-arte siya nagtagumpay kundi pati na rin sa pulitika. Pagkatapos ng siyam na taong paglilingkod bilang mayor ng Lipa City, tinanghal naman siyang governor ng buong lalawigan ng Batangas. Nagsimula si Ate Vi bilang child actress noong 1963 sa pelikulang Tudis Liit ng Sampaguita Pictures nang siya ay siyam na taong gulang lamang. Nakipagtagisan siya ng talino sa dalawang batikang aktres nang panahong iyon, sina Gloria Romero at Lolita Rodriguez. Naging positibo ang reception ng publiko kay Ate Vi kaya naman nagkasunod-sunod ang movies niya as a child actress. Sa kanyang makumpletong filmography, makikita ninyong walang patlang ang paggawa ni Ate Vi ng pelikula. Hindi siya nagaya sa ibang child stars na sa transition from childhood to adolescence ay nawala sa eksena at tuluyang nagretiro, o kaya’y bumalik na lang noong teenager na sila. Noong naging 16 years old si Ate Vi in 1970, she became a teen idol and made a staggering total of 27 movies for one year alone. Malayung-malayo nga sa mga artista ngayon na isa o dalawang pelikula lang ang nagagawa taun-taon. She was truly in demand then! And to think may regular TV show pa siya at that time sa ABS CBN, ang D’ Senations na later on ay isinapelikula rin.

HINDI MADALING GAWIN – Ang assignment namin dito ay itala ang ten best films na nagawa ni Ate Vi at, sa totoo lang, hindi madaling gawin ito dahil nga napakarami niyang nagawang magagandang pelikula through the years. As a child star, pinakagusto namin ang kanyang Ging sa Premiere Productions. Street urchin siya ritong anak ng lumpong si Olivia Cenizal na natuklasan sa movies at sumikat bilang child star. Sa teenage phase ng kanyang career, ang most memorable movies niya for us ay ang Renee Rose (gumanap siya bilang isang sikat na artistang may mahigpit na stage mother, played by Lilia Dizon, at dahil dito ay nalaktawan niya ang kanyang kabataan and she often behaves like a child), Inspiration (directed by the late Ishmael Bernal, this is a well-written teen romance at ang nakatambal niya ay ang yumaong Jay Ilagan), Takbo, Vilma, Dali (this is and effective suspense-thriller directed by the late Joey Gosiengfaiao and Vilma played a witness to a crime na hinahabol ng killer), Dama de Noche (dito niya napanalunan ang first Famas best actress award niya and she is totally convincing in a dual role bilang magkapatid na kambal na ang isa ay mabait at ang isa ay baliw), Lipad, Darna, Lipad (this is her first Darna movie, a trilogy na naging blockbuster hit and established her as a top box office actress), Nakakahiya? (this is about a scandalous May-December romance na ang kapareha niya ay ang nasirang Eddie Rodriguez na pwede na niyang maging ama, naging big hit ito kaya nagkaroon pa ng sequel na Hindi Nakakahiya), at Tag-ulan Sa Tag-araw (directed by Celso Ad Castillo, ang first movie nila ni Christopher de Leon tungkol sa magpinsang-buo na umibig sa isa’t isa).

Natitiyak naming kayo ay may sariling paborito sa mga pelikulang ginawa ni Ate Vi. Tiyak na marami ring may gusto sa Pagputi Ng Uwak, Pag-itim Ng Tagak (a love story about a rebel, Bembol Roco, and a violinist, Ate Vi, na siya mismo ang nag-produce sa kanyang VS Films at dinirek ni Celso Ad Castillo), Rubia Servios (dito siya unang dinirek ni Lino Brocka and she played a rape victim who later gets to kill her rapist, Philipp Salvador), Tagos Ng Dugo (isa siyang serial killer dito, directed by Maryo J. de los Reyes), Kapag Langit Ang Humatol (a well-told komiks melodrama directed by Laurice Guillen), Anak (she played an OFW na may gap sa anak niyang si Claudine Barretto, directed by Rory Quintos), Bata-Bata Paano Ka Ginawa? (adapted from Lualhati Bautista’s award-winning novel, she played a liberal single mother who asserts herself, directed by Chito Roño) and Dekada ’70 (again adapted from a Lualhati Bautista novel and directed by Chito Roño, tungkol ito sa isang ina noong panahon ng martial lwa).

OUR PERSONAL CHOICES – Para sa amin, ang aming personal choices are the following:

article pic 003 1. SISTER STELLA L (1984) – Mula kay Mother Lily Monteverde ng Regal Films, ito ang most socially relevant film na ginawa ni Ate Vi, masterfully directed by Mike de Leon, written by Ricky Lee. Hinakot nito ang karamihan sa tropeo ng Urian Awards for that year, including best picture, best actress for Ate Vi, best actor for Jay Ilagan, best supporting actress for Laurice Guillen, and best supporting actor for Tony Santos, Sr. Si Vilma ang gumaganap bilang title-roler, isang apolitical nun na ang dating boyfirend ay naging isang journalist (Jay) na tumutulong sa mga inaaping manggagawa sa pangunguna ng labor leader na si Ka Dencio (Tony). Ang kapwa niya madreng si Sister Stella B. (Laurice) ang nagpakita sa kanya kung paano sila magiging mas makabuluhan by serving the people’s struggle for social justice. Ipinakita ritong dapat tayong makisangkot sa mga suliranin ng lipunan para magkaroon ng mabuting pagbabago sa sistema. Hindi pwedeng neutral ka lang na ayaw ma-involve. Kahit na nga member ka ng religious community, dapat ding makisangkot ka sa socio-political affairs. Ang talumpati ni Ate Vi nang maging militanteng madre na siya pagkatapos mapatay si Ka Dencio (“Kung ‘di tayo kikilos, sino’ngkikilos? Kung ‘di ngayon, kailan pa?”) ay talaga namang nakakaantig ng damdamin.

2. IKAW AY AKIN (1978) – Member kami ng Urian Awards nung ’78 at ang pelikulang ito, produced by Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions, ang siyang ipinaglaban namin para manalo ng best picture. Hindi ito sinang-ayunan ng karamihan sa mga kapwa namin Manunuri dahil mas pinili nila ang Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim Ng Tagak, dahil may elemento raw ng kaapihan ng magsasaka at ng reporma sa lupa. (Ang tanging consolation ng Ikaw Ay Akin ay nanalo si Christopher de Leon ng kanyang first Urian best actor award.) Years later, some of the Manunuri members who voted for Pagputi told us they regretted the decision dahil obvious namang Ikaw Ay Akin ang pelikula na talagang withstood the test of time, written by Jose Carreon and directed by Ishmael Bernal. Wala itong pretensiyon na nagpapa-socially relevant but it deals so effectively on the matter of how human beings and relantionships can at once be simple and complex. Malayo nga ito sa usual love triangle flicks na puno ng melodramang iyakan, although Christopher as Rex is also turn between Vilma Santos as Sandra, a kooky and neurotic artist designer, and Nora Aunor as Tere, an orchid expert. Ang mga salimuot ng menage-a-trois na ito ay sensitively laid out para makita ng viewer ang sakit at ligaya , at dusa at saya na dinaraanan ng bawa’t tauhan. Sa ending, nothing is really resolved. Basta nagtitinginan lang sina Nora at Vilma sa isa’t isa nang walang dialogue for five minutes. This is a very daring move, lalo na’t ang local viewers ay yung tipong gustong matiyak kung kanino ba talaga napunta si Boyet, kay Vi o kay Guy? Pero si Bernal ay walang pakialam with fulfilling viewer expectations. Basta ang gusto niya ay mailarawan niya ang mensahe ng movie.: that no one can totally, absolutely, fully own another human being. The best thing is to understand ang pangangailangan ng isang tao at mahalin mo ito according to his limitations. Sabi nga ni Boyet kay Guy: “Kailangan ako ni Sandra hindi lang sa pisikal kundi sa emosyonal din, tulad ng pangangailangan ko sa ‘yo. Sa kanya, nagkakaroon ako ng gamit. Kailangan ko kayong dalawa para mabuo ako.” Sabi naman niya kay Vi: “Si Tere, tinanggap nang hindi niya ako maaangkin nang buong-buo. Kung sasabihin mong nakuha mo ako ng buong buo ang isang bagay, kulang pa rin.” Grabe rin ang galing ng acting dito ni Vi sa tagpong inilantad niya ang kanyang sarili as an insecure woman: “Sabi nila, liberated ako, front lang. Kalong daw, front din. Alam mo namang kulang-kulang ako. ‘Pag wala ka, magkakalat ako. Para akong manok, takbo nang takbo, wala namang ulo!”

3. DALAWANG PUGAD, ISANG IBON (1977) – A commercial and artistic success written and directed by Ishmael Bernal, love triangle movie rin ito that banked on the real life romance then of its lead stars, Vilma and Romeo Vasquez. Si Vilma ay si Terry, na iniwanan ng kanyang immature boyfriend (Mat Ranillo III at sumama sa isang lalaking may asawa (Romeo) sa kabila ng pagtutol ng mga magulang niya. Pwede itong naging mediocre romantic melodrama pero nagtagumpay si Bernal na i-elevate ito to art by giving us mature, sensitive characters who, like most of us, are looking for meaningful personal relationships. Tinalakay sa movie (in a very sutle manner) ang legal and moral implications ng adultery o pakikiapid ng isang dalaga sa isang married man, lalo na nga’t society shuns such sinful relationships. Ang relasyon nina Vilma at Romeo ay reflected sa relasyon ng iba pang mga tauhan sa movie, tulad ng sa mother ni Vilma (Anita Linda) at ng ama niyang nagtataksil din (Fred Montilla), sa lola ni Vi (Mary Walter),sa first boyfriend niya (Mat) at sa babaeng may gusto rito (Ann Villegas) at kapatid nitong pokpok (Laila Dee), at sa misis ni Romeo (Anna Gonzales) na ayaw siyang pakawalan kahit hindi naman sila magkasundo. Kung may pelikula si Ate Vi na nasasabik kaming panoorin uli, ito ‘yon. Kaya lang, wala na yatang existing copy ito at nakasama sa movies produced by Lea Productions na nasunog o nasira sa baha. What a big waste. Sayang talaga.

4. RELASYON (1982) – Ito ay isa pang pelikula ni Ishmael Bernal sa Regal Films na tumatalakay sa subject ng adultery from the point of view of the other woman, si Marilou (Vilma), ang mistress ni Christopher de Leon na pinaglilingkuran siya ng buong puso: pinaglalaba siya, binibigyan ng beer at inaalagan pa ang anak niya mula sa legal wife niya. Ipinakita rin sa feministic movie na aito ang pagka-chauvinist ng mga lalaking Pinoy. Gusto’y sila lagi ang masusunod at ni ayaw makakausap ng ibang lalaki ang babae nila, tulad ng aversion ni Christopher kay Jimi Melendez sa kuwento, at pati na rin sa kaibigang bading ni Ate Vi na si Manny Castañeda. Tinalakay rin sa movie ang subject ng kawalan ng divorce sa Pilipinas, dahil kung may diborsiyo raw ditom sana ay pinakasalan na ni Boyet si Vi. Narito sa pelikulang ito, which scored for Ate Vi her first grand slam as best actress, ang famous death scene ni Boyet na namimilipit sa sakit habang inirereklamo ang masakit niyang ulo at tarantang-taranta naman si Ate Vi na hindi malaman ang gagawin. Tuhog ang kuha sa mahabang eksenang ito and the acting is really great kaya dito pa lang ay sulit na ang panonood ninyo.

5. BROKEN MARRIAGE (1983) – Nagwagi rin ng Urian best actress award si Ate Vi para sa acting niya sa pelikulang ito na muli ay produced ng Regal Films. As the title implies, tungkol ito sa isang nasirang marriage. Si Vi ay si Ellen, isang TV production executive, at si Boyet ay si Rene, isang newspaper reporter. Pagkatapos ng sampung taong pagsasama, kinakalawang na ang relasyon nila bilang mag-asawa. Dahil lagi na lang silang nag-aaway, umalis si Rene mula sa tahanan nila at si Ellen ay naging single parent sa dalawa nilang anak. Nang manakawang ang bahay nila, lumipat si Ellen at mga anak nila sa bahay ng nanay niya. Nang mabugbog si Rene ng mga tauhan ng isang politiko dahil sa expose niya, napilitan siyang muling pumisan kina Ellen at dito rin muling nabuo ang pagsasama nila bilang mag-asawa, resulting into a reconciliation. May dalawang mahabang arias dito si Ate Vi na talagang lutang na lutang ang kahusayan niya. Una’y ang monologue niya sa piling ng mga kaibigan na pinagtatapatan niyang bagot a bagot na siya sa buhay. Susunod ay sa eksena niya with Boyet na sinasabi niyang hindi sila magkakabalikan nang dahil lang sa mga bata. Hindi rin malilimutan ang unang confrontation scene nila sa movie na natural na natural ang away nila bilang mag-asawang na-alienate na ang loob sa isa’t isa.

6. SAAN NAGTATAGO ANG PAG-IBIG (1987) – Sa aming talaang ito, ito lamang ang pelikula ni Ate Vi na hinango sa isang nobelang komiks. This was shown in the same year as Tagos ng Dugo (na siayang nagpanalo sa kanya ng isa pang Famas best actress award), pero hindi namin naibigan ang performance niya rito as it was so palpably engineered, pati ang ibang movements niya na ang nakikita mo sa likuran niya ay ang instructions na bigay ng direktor kung ano ang gagawin niya. That year, ang choice namin for best actress ay si Lorna Tolentino sa anti-heroin role niya in Maging Akin Ka Laman ni Lino Brocka. But we will alwyas love Saan Nagtatago Ang Pag-ibig, na dinerek ni Eddie Garcia, dahil may kakaibang tama ito sa puso. Sa kuwrnto, si Vilma ay nabuntis ni Ricky Davao pero hindi siay mapakasalan nito dahil sa mamanahin mula sa kanilang dominanteng lola, the late Alicia Vergel, na inaapi-api pati ang ina ni Ricky, si Gloria Romero, who gives a great performance. Ang ginawa ni Ricky a kinumbinsi si Vilma na pakasal sa kanyang kapatid na retarded, si Val, played by Tonton Gutierrez, para aito ang magbigay ng pangalan sa magiging supling niya. Pumayag si Ate Vi at doon na nga siya natira sa malaking bahay ng pamilya nina Ricky at Tonton. Dahil doon, mababago ang takbo nga buhay ng pamilyang ito dahil si Vilma ang magsisilbing agent of change who will defy the matriach taht is Alicia Vergel. Mabubunyag din kung pano nagkaroon ng pinsala si Tontion sa utak. Maraming madamdaming eksena sa pelikula na talagang titimo sa inyong puso. Sa ending, there is justice dahil nagkamit ng karampatang parusa ang mga nagkasala.

pahiram 7. PAHIRAM NG ISANG UMAGA (1989) – Namatay si Ate Vi sa pelikulang ito sa papel niya bilang Juliet, isang advertising executive na dinapuan ng cancer, but the film, produced by Regal Films, written by Jose Javier Reyes and directed by Ishmael Bernal, is really more a celebration of life. Pagkatapos malaman ni Juliet na may taning na ang buhay niya, ginugol niya ang mga natitira niyang araw para ilagay sa ayos ang kanyang buhay. Nakipagkasundo siya sa kanyang estranged husband (Gabby Concepcion) na may iba nang asawa (Zsa Zsa Padilla) at inihabilin dito ang anak nila (Billy Joe Crawford). Maraming simbolo and motifs ng buhay at kamatayang ginamit din ang expressionist painter na si Ariel (Eric Quizon) ina an impressive performance) para ipakita ang parallelisms between life and art. In one scene, tinalakay pati ang origins ng art when prehistoric men made drawings on caves na kahit primitive ay they continue to exist until this day. people may die, but art will live on. Ironically, si Ariel ay isang tormented soul who wants to kill himself. Pero iniligtas siya ni Juliet, a dying woman na hindi na maililigtas ang sarili niyang buhay. The grand death scene of Juliet on the beach habang nakasuot siya ng puting night gown haang nagbubukang-liwayway, sa ‘di kalayuan ay isa sa mga ‘di-malilimutang paglalarawan ng buhay at kamatayan na maing napanood sa pinilakang tabing.

8. HAHAMAKIN ANG LAHAT (1990) – Produced by Regal Films, dinirek ito ni Lino Brocka and we honestly believe na very much underrated ito. Ang tanging award na pinanalunan nito ay best supporting actress award for Snooky Serna (na very deserving). Nirepaso nga namin ang aming listahang ito at napansin naming ito lang ang movie ni Ate Vi na dinirek ni Brocka which is included in our list. Mas marami kaming isinaling pelikula ni Ate Vi na dinirek ni Bernal. Actually, may iba pang ginawang movies si Ate Vi with the legendary director, tulad ng nabanggit na rin naming Rubia Servios (kunsaan tinalo siya ni Ate Guy as best actress for Atsay in the 1978 Metro Manila Film Festival) at ang Adultery: Aida Macaraeg with Philipp Salvador and the late Mario Montenegro. Pero para sa amin, this is Ate Vi’s best Brocka movie and one of her best and most demanding roles sa mga nagampanan na niya. Vilma plays an anti-heroin, si Sylvia, isang bida-kontabida. Asawa siya ng isang gahamang mayor (Eric Quizon), na piangtataksilan siya. Nang muli niyang makatagpo ang una niyang pag-ibig, si Rene (Gabby Concepcion) ay pinagsikapan niyang makuhang muli ang pagtingin nito kahit kasal na rin ito sa ibang babae (Snooky). Sa kanya nga patungkol ang titulo ng movie dahil hahamakin niya ang lahat maagaw lang muli ang dati niyang pag-ibig. Dati, akala niya, magiging maligaya siya sa mga materyal na bagay at pati ang mahirap niyang ina (Perla Bautista) ay nagawa niyang itakwil. Nguni’t natanto niyang wala sa pera o sa kapangyarihan ang tunay na kaligayahan kundi nasa tunay na pag-ibig. Ang hindi niya alam, paghahangad niyang maibalik ang nakaraan ay hahantong lamang sa isang malagim na trahedya. Sadyang mapanghamon ang role ni Ate Vi rito na tuso, matapang, sinungaling at manggagamit ng kapwa tao. Mapupuri mo nga siya dahil hindi siya natatakot kumuha ng ganitong klase ng roles (gaya rin ng role niya sa Sinasamba Kita) na pwedeng maka-alienate sa kanyang fans. She’s definitely more adventurous as an actress. Kaso ang nakalaban niya that year ay si Nora Aunor who played a more sympathetic role bilang inang nagpakasakait alang-alang sa ikabubuti ng anak sa Andrea, Paano Ba Ang Maging Isang Ina? kaya mahuhulaan na ninyo kung sino ang nagwagi ng best actress awards for the year.

9. BURLESK QUEEN (1977) – Humakot ng lahat ng tropeo sa 1977 Metro Manila Film Festival, tribute ito sa stage shows noong ’50s. Sinulat ni Mauro Gia Samonte at dinirek ni Celso Ad Castillo, dito unang nagpa-sexy si Ate Vi at talagang big blockbuster ito. Kuwento ito ng isang batambatang burlesque dancer noong 1950s, played by Ate Vi. Nagsimula siya bilang alalay ng isang reigning burlesque queen, si Rosemarie Gil, na kabit ang maton na si roldan Aquino. Nang iwana ni Roldan si Rosemarie, naglasing ito at ayaw nang sumayaw kaya si Vilma ang isinalang bilang kapalit niya sa entablado. Maiinit ang naging pagtanggap ng mga lalaking manonood kay Vilma, pero ang maprinsipyong ama niyang lumpo (Leopoldo Salcedo) ay tutol sa ginagawa niya. Dahil naghihirap sila, nasunod din ang gusto ni Vilma na maging burlesk dancer. Nagpatiwakal ang ama niya dahil dito. Umibig naman si Vilma sa isang iresponsableng lalaki na nakipag-live in dito, si Rollie Quizon, na isa palang mama’s boy at hindi sanay sa hirap kaya nilayasan din siya. Ang climax ng movie ay ang may sampung minutong pagsasayaw ni Vilma sa entablado hanggang duguin siya. Buntis pala siya at gusto niya talagang malaglag ang dinadala niya. Maganda ang maraming elemento sa movie, malian sa production design na 1950s ang setting pero hindi maingat kaya maraming detalye na pang-19702 ang kasama rito. Very memorable din dito si Jonee Gamboa sa papel ng stage impresario an siyang nagsasatining ng mga opinyon ng writer at direktot na pinupuna ang hypocrisy ng mga moralista, tulad ng pagtatanong niya kung anong uri ng show ang dapat ibigay sa masang Pinoy na hindi kayang magbayad ng pang-mayaman at kulturadong shows tulad ng operang Merry Widow. Sayang at wala na rin daw existing copy ng pelikulang ito (Actually some Vilmanians do have a copy of this film, medyo blurry nga lang – Rendt).

10. DOLZURA CORTEZ STORY: DAHIL MAHAL KITA (1993) – Ito ang unang pelikulang lokal na nagsiwalat tungkol sa sakit na AIDS at filmbio ito ng kuna-unahang Pilipino na umaming may AIDS siya, si olzura Cortez, na ang kuwento ay nalathala sa dyaryo. Sinulat ni Ricky Lee, dinirek ni Laurice Guillen at produced ng Octo Arts Films, bida-kontrabida rin ang papel ni Ate Vi rito in the title role. Hindi siya yung usual heroine na walang bahid-dungis at inaapi. Dito, isa siyang makasalanang babae na nagbili ng katawan, nagkaroon ng affairs sa maraming lalaki, hanggang sa dapuan nga siya ng dreaded sickness called AIDS. Muli ngang naka-grand slam si Ate Vi sa role niya sa pelikulang ito. The same year, meron ding nagawang movie si Ate Guy, ang Inay na dinirek ng yumaong Artemio Marquez, pero hindi man lang siya naging nominee para sa pagkakaganap niya roon. That year, dalawang movies ang nagawa ni Ate Vi. Ang isa pa ang ang action-dramang Ikaw Lang ni Chito Roño, na in fairness ay mahusay rin siya sa papel ng battered wife ng baliw na si Cesar Montano an naging bank robber kasama si Ronnie Ricketts. Pero sa Dolzura Cortez nga pinarangalan si Ate Vi dahil talaga namang very convincing ang pagkakaganap niya bilang isang babaeng lumaban sa buhay alang-alang sa kanyang pamilya, nguni’t sa kasamaang-palad ay iginupo ng isang sakit na walang lunas. Malusog na malusog si Ate Vi nang gawin niya ang pelikulang ito, pero very convincing siya sa paglalarawan ng isang babaeng may malubhang sakit at malapit nang bawian ng buhay. Dahil nga sa pelikulang ito, nagkaroon ng higit na kamulatan ang publiko ungkol sa sakit na AIDS.

BEST MOVIE IS YET TO COME – Kung magdagdag kami ng isa pang Ate Vi movie sa aming listahan, it will be another work of Laurice Guillen, ang Ipagpatawad Mo, where Ate Vi played the mother of an autistic boy na ipinaglaban ang anak niya kahit may kapansanan ito. At dahil aktibo pa rin si Ate Vi at may bagong movie na nakatakdang gawin sa Star Cinema, hindi pa tapos ang pagsulat sa history niya bilang isang actress. Kahait gobernadora na siya ang Batangas, lalabas pa rin daw siya sa movies every now and then. Who knows? Baka he really, really best movie is yet to come habang mas nagmamature siya, like fine wine, bilang isang actress for all seasons. – Source: Written by MARIO E. BAUTISTA, Hi! Magazine December 2007 Transcribed by Alfonso Valencia and posted at the Yahoo Vilma Santos e-groups, Nov. 17, 2007.

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Gawad Plaridel Award (Other Articles)

Posted on November 8, 2009 by @ffv Standard

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Vilma Santos sa Puting Tabing: Ikaw, Siya, Tayo – My Film 100 professor had said that when you see Vilma Santos in person, it’s really hard not to get starstruck with her stellar appeal. UP Diliman Chancellor Francis Sergio Cao agrees. In his opening remarks at the Gawad Plaridel 2005 Awarding and Lecture, he confessed it was still his first time to see the famed actress in person and just how “starstruck” he was to be near her (two seats away); yeah, I could almost hear him jittering. Well, good for them; they got to be a meter or two away from this still youthful even in her golden age film icon. Me, the closest that I could get was just around 8-10 meters. I was in awe, of course, to have seen one of my favorite older actresses. But not much awe for me to be considered starstruck. I was just way beyond the “Starstruck Radius”.

Multi-awarded Filipino actress Vilma Santos is this year’s UP Gawad Plaridel awardee. The UP College of Mass Communication (my college!) gave her this award for her innumerable and invaluable contribution to the film industry, and mass communication as a whole. Santos was given the award at the Cine Adarna (formerly UP Film Center) just this afternoon, where she also delivered a half-hour lecture, reminiscing her almost fifty-year life as an actress and speaking strongly against the problems that plague the film industry today (lets give one of them a name: piracy). Ms. Santos’ speech, for me, was very profound and candid. I always had great respect and admiration for her as a person, public servant, and actress. After the lecture, that respect and admiration hot-air-ballooned. It became clear to me that even if this person is now worthy of having a constellation named after her, she is still as human and feet-on-the-ground as possible. During the reminiscing part of her speech, she told us about her humble beginnings as an artist, and about her mistakes and the challenges that spiced up her life. There was that time, she confided, when she had just won grandslam best actress and she was filming another movie and she sort of…”laxed” a bit. Her director, whom she had previously worked with, scolded her saying, “di dahil nanalo ka na ng grandslam e magaling ka na!” The director had Vilma Santos jog for 10 minutes to awaken her from her “illusion.”

But aside from Vilma Santos, many prominent people were also present in the occasion. Here’s a list of those I can remember: Sen. Ralph Recto, UP President Emerlinda Roman, National Artist Napoleon Abueva (who sculpted the Gawad Plaridel trophy), ABS-CBN boss Charo Santos-Concio, Eugenia Apostol (Philippine Daily Inquirer founding chairperson and last year’s Gawad Plaridel awardee) and Film director Chito Roño. Members of the media were also there. I even got to see Mario Dumaual, that showbiz reporter in ABS-CBN! It was him whom I got to see closest; he and his crew were shooting a mere meter in front of me. That portion where he is talking, with the stage and the lecturing Ate Vi in the background–I was right at the back of the cameraman. Vilma Santos’ mother was also there. There sure were many film producers and directors present in the affair, it’s just that I forgot their names or they were not acknowledged at all. Students and faculty members from different universities and colleges occupied most of the theater’s seats. And yes, magpapahuli ba ang mga die-hard Vilmanians? They occupied the middle seats; you’ll know its them with their distinctive gray hair. PS. I don’t have a camera to prove that what I say is true (but trust me, it really is true). Thankfully, in less than two months, I’m having my first digital camera! My aunt in Ohio is sending me one (bless her) after a month of grueling “courtship.” So you might as well expect a photoblog from me in August. – Ringhithion, Monday, July 04, 2005.

How I wish there were more intelligent and passionate individuals like her in local show biz. – My long overdue visit to my beloved alma mater, UP’s College of Mass Communication and our tambayan, the Broadcasting Association, was a dejavu of sorts for me, and an overall enjoyable afternoon. Besides seeing the newer breed of young “broad-assers” as we call them (pardon the term of endearment), as well as my close professor-associates, I also witnessed the awarding of the Gawad Plaridel to the country’s premiere actress, Lipa Mayor Vilma Santos, which my friend Rome Jorge talks about in today’s banner story. Instead, let me fill you in on the glittering list of Ate Vi’s well-wishers that day—from her industry colleagues to the academic multitude to her loyal Vilmanians—who all gave the gem of an artist a standing ovation at the end of her 45-minute speech.

She had of course her husband the Senator Ralph Recto to escort her. I meanwhile, had the privilege of attending the event with the head of the Film Institute Prof. Ed Lejano and his brilliant namesake, my fave, Prof. Ed Piano. The audience, meanwhile, had such bigwig names like Atty. Esperidion Laxa, ABS-CBN and Star Cinema executive Charo Santos-Concio, film director Chito Roño, scriptwriters Ricky Lee and Pete Lacaba, fellow actor Tirso Cruz III, film critics Bienvenido Lumbera and Mario Hernardo, and National Artist Napoleon Abueva, who is the sculptor of the highly revered Gawad Plaridel trophy. To say that Ate Vi’s lecture was powerful is an understatement, as Rome will no doubt tell you. How I wish there were more intelligent and passionate individuals like her in local show biz. Inspiring rather than . . . never mind! Let’s just get on with my prowl! – Amiel Martin Cabanlig

UP honors Vilma Santos with Gawad Plaridel – She was unforgettable as Burlesk Queen, as Sister Stella L and as Dolzura Cortez. On Monday, however, she was Vilma Santos, the artist. “Ako po pala ay nakapag-ambag na sa industriya,” said Rosa Vilma Santos as she accepted the Gawad Plaridel, a citation given by the University of the Philippines to media practitioners who excel in their profession. The award was named after Filipino propagandist Marcelo del Pilar who used the pen name Plaridel. “Paulit-ulit ko pong binasa ang citation,” Santos said. She is the first artist to receive the award for her contribution to the movie industry. In her lecture on the relevance of the film industry on society, Santos said actors can be role models through the various roles they play. She said she was able to internalize her role in the movie “Sister Stella L.,” a story of a nun who became an activist during the martial law years.

“Totoong-totoo ‘yong sinabi ko sa Sister Stella L. na ngayon hindi na lang ako nanonood. Nakikisama na ako at tumutulong sa abot ng aking makakaya,” Santos said. She called on the public to support the local film industry. Santos, who acted in over 200 movies, said she owes her success to the film industry. She is now mayor of Lipa City in Batangas and is supporting the movie business by lowering the amusement tax in Lipa from 30 percent to 15 percent. She started her career when she was nine years old in the movie “Trudis Liit.” She, however, said the turning point came when she did “Burlesk Queen” when she was 23 years old. It was a tough decision, she said. She used to attend a school run by nuns. But it was a good choice, she said. “Ang pelikula pong ito ang nagpamulat sa akin sa maraming bagay,” she said. “Burlesk Queen,” shown in 1970, was a social commentary of the country’s patriarchal society.

Santos movie career, however, was not always happy endings. “Sister Stella L.,” for instance, did not rake in profits compared to the movies of Sharon Cuneta during those days. “Nilangaw po ang pelikula ko,” Santos said, adding that she cried over the box-office flop. It was worth the gamble, however. The movie is now considered a classic. Acting is an endless process of learning, Santos said. Despite the many awards she got she always remembers that she still needs to learn a lot. During the shooting of the movie “Relasyon,” director Ishmael Bernal told her: “Tanggalin ang ilusyon sa iyong sarili.” He ordered her to jog inside the toilet for ten minutes to internalize her role. Santos said she is grateful to the directors who megged her most unforgettable films. She thanked directors Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, Mike de Leon, Laurice Guillen, among other. Among the films that made marks in her acting career were: “Relasyon,” “Broken Marriage,” “Sister Stella L,” “The Dolzura Cortez Story,” “Anak,” and “Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa?” Bravo Ate Vi! – Vanessa Bago, ABS-CBN News

Recognizing Vilma Santos, thespian and nationalist – She is the grieving mother of sons to the struggle, linking arms and manning the front lines of a peaceful revolt. She is the mistress demanding the dignity deserving of a wife, a friend and a woman. She is the nun preaching the gospel of liberation against a dictatorship. She is the stripper dancing in tears as she lets go a love and a life never meant for one such as her. She is the single mom struggling to keep her wits amid domestic, financial and romantic dilemmas. She is the overseas worker facing down AIDS and its inevitable consequences. And she is Darna, a superhero fighting the giants, saving Ding and flying off to the stars. Burlesk Queen, Relasyon, Sinasamba Kita, Sister Stella L, Imortal, Dahil Mahal Kita: Dolzura Cortez Story, Bata, Bata . . . Paano Ka Ginawa?, Dekada ’70, not to mention Darna at Ding are just some of her countless films.

Vilma Santos is all these and more. From the every woman to the other woman, she elevates every role as worthy of a superstar and every character as deserving of precise and passionate acting. She braves patriarchal traditions and murderous dictatorships to play burlesque dancers, mistresses and activist nuns. “She gambles her popularity to widen her scope as an actress,” proclaims Dr. Nicanor Tiongson, Dean of the College of Mass Communication of the University of the Philippines (UP). He adds, “She proves popularity and ratings need not degrade the craft.” For that and more, Vilma Santos wins the 2005 UP Gawad Plaridel Award. Santos received the award designed by National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon Abueva on July 4 in ceremonies at the Cine Adarna, UP Film Institute. Besides speeches, renditions of original movie soundtracks from Santos’s best loved films, as well as an insightful audiovisual presentation directed by Jun Austria, regaled audiences comprised of students, entertainment industry luminaries and fans who packed the venue. The Gawad Plaridel is an annual award to honor the exemplary media practitioners of the highest professional integrity in the interest of public service. Adopting the pen name of propagandist and La Solidaridad publisher Marcelo H. del Pilar, the award recognizes those who, like del Pilar, use the media to advocate libertine principles. Newspaper publisher Eugenia Apostol is the award’s first recipient. Now Vilma Santos joins the highly esteemed ranks of nationalist media professionals.

Beyond celebrity – She won despite being a star. Bookish and unglamorous academics instinctively scornful of celebrities and politicians bowed to her stellar performance as thespian, woman, politician, and yes, superstar. Dr. Sergio Cao, chancellor of UP Diliman confessed being a star-struck fan, “I had to nebulize before coming here; I couldn’t breath.” He later thrilled to busing her on the cheek. Nevertheless, Cao sermonized, “Star power is real power. It is the power to move people to tears, to make them cry and laugh and urge them to by with endorsements. It is to make them think what you want them to think, to make them feel what you feel. They should use it wisely, make people do good and aspire for better lives.” The Gawad Plaridel validated that Santos has done just that. Her multifaceted portrayals of strong independent women have inspired those she has mirrored. Her portrayals of antidictatorship advocates have immortalized unsung heroes of the movement for generations to come. Her fearless gambles at parlaying her celebrity to triumph at portraying the most challenging of roles have set the mark for generations of actors.

Vilma Santos is a class act, not by any accident of pedigree, but rather by the brilliance of her artistry and the strength of her convictions. Santos herself credits her success to “nonstop learning.” She remembers basking in the glow of a grand slam win at every major award-giving body for best actress with the movie Burlesk Queen. On her next movie with director Ishmael Bernal, she recalls a humbling experience she remembers to this day: “I took seven takes just for the first scene on the first day. I wasn’t focused. Bernal trapped me in the toilet and ordered me to jog in place to work off many illusions from my grand slam win.” The Gawad Plaridel recognizes Santos as a consummate thespian and nationalist. In an industry marred by dubious awards, it is the academe that remains the unimpeachable judges of exceptional talent and principle.

Tough times – Vilma Santos, ever fearless, used her time at the podium not only to thank the industry and her supporters for her awards; she enumerated specific problems besetting the local cinema and television industry, and more importantly, specified solutions for the current crisis. The problems include the huge entertainment taxes imposed by government; digital video piracy; the lack of spending power of the masses; competition from foreign films that open on the same time as local films; and foreign television drama series that producers find cheaper to import instead producing ones locally. Santos proposes reducing taxes on films and television productions to bring down costs; better scripts and original stories that are distinct from foreign counterparts; lower talent fees for superstars—”Show me the script and we’ll talk about the talent fee,” Santos dares independent filmmakers; and Sen. Ralph Recto, Santos’s husband, passed a law that offers 10- to 50-percent tax rebates on film of worth and quality as adjudged by the Film Rating Board. “We can still overcome,” Santos rallies the Gawad Plaridel audiences. From superstars such as her to the new crop of independent filmmakers now with immortal lines from Sister Stella L. “Kung hindi tayo kikilos, sino? Kung hindi ngayon, kalian pa?” – Rome Jorge (READ MORE)

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Most Challenging Role

Posted on November 8, 2009 by @ffv Standard

People and Passions: Award winning actress Vilma Santos Recto tackles her greatest, most challenging role yet as governor of Batangas. Early dawn breaks in Batangas just as the clouds lose their heaviness, turning what have been just minutes before a towering, threatening storm-bearing mass to silky, wispy firmaments as harmless as spun cotton candies. In this tangerine-bathed panorama, just as the first fingers of the sun’s rays peek through, the landscape in the first few hours of the morning becomes absolutely breathtaking.

A place is always beautiful after it is cleansed free, and the wind and the rain have drawn out from the drenched earth a profusion of scents. Here, in this rugged, coastal province, it’s that wondrously intoxicating smell of coffee beans, the saps of early July-harvested mangoes, the aged bark of malabayabas that grosw unimpeded in vast, open spaces, the wild horses in the ranches of the hacienderos, and dozens of unidentified ones, layered on top of each other, crisp and musty, and unexpextedly, nostalgia-inducing. Over two million people will wake up to this olfactory overloaded vista, and one of them will have spent the last night pacing, nervous and exhilarated, all but oblivious to the tug of was between light and day, sunshine and monsoon rain, bullfrogs and crickets.

V FOR VOTES – VILMA SANTOS RECTO wouldn’t have noticed the gentle transformation of daylight. She was too busy going over the notes, trying to run through, for the umpteenth time, in the corrections she has scrawled all over her paper. Today, the scond of July, is officially the first day she’s taking over this province of 300,000 hectares, a population of tough, weather-beaten Marlboro Country men whose pastimes include taming wild horses and brandishing homemade balisongs (fan knives that natives purportedly carry everywhere they go.) So her anticipation is weel-placed, although you would not know by the stoic look on her face as she alights from the black van carrying her to the Kapitolyo, the official residence/office of the governor. After all, the multi-awarded star is still the country’s best actress. Solemn in her Paul Cabral barong, a long-sleeved creation with floral appliques, and her soft black slacks and pearls, she still looks like the huge movie star that she is. Never in the history of Batangas has a new governor been deluged with media-flashing light bulbs, mobile newrooms, mics thrust on their faces, and persistent camera crews – on the first day of assuming their posts.

With the rolling lawns of Laurel Park dotted with acacia trees as backdrop, it may look just like any other expensive production set of a movie starring the Philippines’ best actress. The neo-Classical structure of the Capitol is bravado personified, a men’s man’s lair if you will, with four Greek columns signifying, if not pillars of strenght, then phallic pro[portions. On the second story’s walls, there hang framed portraits of the men who ruled coffee country. Men, take note, not a single lady in its almost 500-year history, of varying pedigrees and popularity. This is the province that produced not a few of our good men: flag-maker Marcela Agoncillo, Apolinario Mabini, General Miguel Malvar, among others, prompting many to call it “the cradle of heroes and nationalists. ” It is with this burden, standing on the shoulders of giants, plus filling their shoes, that rests on the elfin frame of seasoned star and politician of mere nine years VILMA SANTOS RECTO.

“Oh my God, this is it,” she recounts, with a little shiver when asked what went through her mind as she woke up, or rather, met the day head-on. “I really wasn’t able to sleep well. I was trying to remember what else I wanted to say. Of course, I was nervous, but at the same time, prepared.” She glosses over the fact that she’s the first woman to come to the Batangas Capitol, the bastion of male supremacy in the country, if, indeed, there is one. “I think this is the first time for a governess,” she quips, luaghing. “Governess, parang yaya.” This may be but one small step for VILMA, but it is a giant leap for womankind. Her nine-year administration in Lipa as a city mayor is also a first time for a woman. “I believe in women empowerment, ” she stresses. “What you can do, I can do better. I respect you, but respect me, respect my ability, respect what I can do. I won’t tolerate not beign respected.” If she’s sending out zingers to God-knows-who, we can only guess. There are the usual suspects, like ex-governor Armando Sanchez, who did not concede without putting up a fight.

“You konw what, I did not even think about the preparations leading up for today,” she intimates as we talk in her barely-furnished governor’s office. The only personal touch you can see around is a picture of her family – erstwhile Senator Ralph Recto, sons Luis Manzano and Ryan Christian – in an informal pose that might’ve been taken in one of their many holidays together. Earlier, she had done the rounds of the Capitol, her first, and proclaimed it needed her signature look. “Even a week before this, issues were coming out,” she intimates. “Talk was flying about how they would stop me from assuming my post, about TROs, about how I shouldn’t be too sure I would be starting (today). Those were really my concerns. I would have been prepared to face them, you know.’ But the day has come and gone without upheavals and she says she thanks the ex-governor. “If he wants to join me for the good of the province, he is very welcome,” she intones, smiling.

And then, there’s the rift with Ricky Recto, brother to her husband Ralph, who proclaimed his intent to run in the gubernatorial post. But that’s a hatchet buried because, for all the world to see Ricky gallantly attended the first day proceedings. What was she thinking during that one-week hiatus when she mulled over the decision to run against Ricky? “I prayed really, really hard. I thought, if rested for one term, would the people need me the same way they do now?” she opens. “So I just went and took the risk. I can only say that God guided me.” At fifteen past nine on a Monday morning, in front of supporters and allies, VILMA, a Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats bet, won in 5,840 precints with 475,740 votes, 100,000 more than closest rival Sanchez. ‘I told the Lipeños, let’s work together. I will not have you blaming me. You also need to do your part!’

V FOR VISION – For the people who know her, VILMA SANTOS RECTO deserved every one of her 475,740 votes and then, of course, some. As a congresswoman’ s wife, she involved herself in medical missions and school programs that endeared the native Nueva Ecijana to the Batangueños. When she was asked to run for Lipa mayor in 1998, she declined three times before she got her sign that she was to spend her life in public service. “God must have wanted to teach me a lesson,” she discloses. “Spoiled ka ha, pwede ka mag demand ha, pag may shooting ka may van ka ha, ngayon, baliktad. Ikaw ang lalapit sa tao, ikaw ang magsisilbi sa tao (If you’re spoiled, demanding, and catered to, now we’ll reversed it. You’ll serve the people. You’ll go to them).”

Like a veteran movie star setting her sights on the climatic crescendo, she waited for that final day before she turned in her petition for candidacy, alb eit without premeditation on her part. She enrolled at the University of the Philippines’ special five-module crash course in Public Administration to bolster her performance and, as they say, the rest is “herstory,” peppered here and there by special citations from three different award-giving bodies as an Outstanding Mayor. For someone who had great hesitations to plunge into the world “I knew nothing of,” she has done infinitely much better than most of her political contemporaries. “I really still don’t know why I’m here,” Vilma admits modestly. “It’s true. I maybe more comfortable now, what with my experiences, but talaga, I still can’t imagine this.” She is quick to attribute a huge chunk of her success to Ralph, who is her senior adviser, and to teamwork, of which Vilma refuses to be shorthchanged. “I told the Lipeños, let’s work together,” she says. “I will not have you blaming me. Kailangan ‘nyong gumalaw (You also need to do your part)!” Newly-elect Mark Leviste, who has worked closely with Vilma is all praises, even if he ran under the opposition banner. “I’d like to think the reason she is successful as she has always been a source of inspiration to her colleagues, her staff, her constituency in Lipa, he says. “In everything she did, it was because of that sense of inspiration. She is an inspirational leader.”

Amelia Lipata, a messenger who has worked for the governor since 1998 when she was sitll campaigning for mayor, sums up what thousands of provincemates think about their leader. “Abunado pa si Ma’am. Ang dami n’yang natutulungan. Minsan inaabot ng dilim. Lumalabas kahit sa mahihirap na bayan. Mas malayo nga ‘yung bayan, mas priority pa ‘nya (She’s not profiting from this. She helps a lot of people, and the further-flung a town is, the more she prioritizes it).” “One thing I can brag about my leadership,” Vilma says of her past administration, “is that the whole time I served, I served without politics. The people who didn’t vote for me, the barangay kapitans that weren’t mine, nakuha nila ng buong-buo ang serbisyo ko (they got my full service).” What fuels Vilma as a politician, this unerring desire to give a hundred percent, perhaps take its roots in her background as a young, working actress at age nine. She won her first FAMAS award for Trudis Liit and has continued to reap many more in the years to follow. For a child to have gained recognition that early must have left an indelible mark on the young thespian. In more ways than even Vilma herself can comprehend, she has always felt the need to rise to expectations and, for her, that has become a way of life. VIVA VI! Woman power reigns supreme as VILMA SANTOS RECTO takes her place as governor of what used to be the domain of the barako, a man’s land, the province of Batangas.

V FOR VALUES – “I’m so blessed to be loved , but I can’t answer that,” Vilma truthfully replies when asked how she feels to have reached a mythic status, idolized, and, in the pantheon of modern day gods and goddesses, revered beyond reason. Today, over lunch at the Mansion, a nearby residence constructed during the American occupation, an octogenarian Vilmanian has come bearing a gift of beautiful (and huge) South Sea pearls from her own farm. The old woman had asked Emelyn, Vilma’s older sister, to please have Vilma wear it on her first day. Another, a teacher, has come all the way from the Visayas to witness this new era in her idol’s life.

With more than forty years in the biz, you would have thought that the governor has become used to the attention, but to her credit, she does seem genuinely puzzled at the level of success she has achieved. And nobody is that good an actress. “It’s only now, after my term as mayor and before I became governor, that I appreciated how lucky I am,” she humbly reveals, citing the clamor for her to run for governor where people rallied in the streets. “Without the cameras, I found out what real life was like. Dati, when I give tips to waiters, I’d give without thought P2,000, but when I became mayor, I found out that there was this family who didn’t even have electricity for two years because they couldn’t afford the P800 they had to pay. That changes my perspective.” Her life has indeed changed tremendously. Although she has never run out of movie offers, she certainly prefers that, at her age, she would rather grab the opportunity to give back. “You know what I had to give up?” she challenges jovially. “No income! No raket! Di hamak mas malaki ang income ko sa showbiz, dios me! (There’s no question I learn more in showbiz, my God!). So I wondered how I was able to just, you know, sacrifice. It’s not easy to.”

Since she became a politician, Vilma would only do a movie every other year, in spite of good scripts, and high talent fees. She has always repeated in many of her interviews that there’s no equivalent to the trust and respect she gets from the people she had helped, and now as the first woman governor, she’s reaping more. She’s leaving a legacy. “That no amount of money can buy,” the governor proudly reveals. “Batangueños are known barakos so when you see these kapitans give you their respect and they treat you with such deference, you really can’t put a price to that.” She adds half-seriously, “Sa last bayaran nga ng tax, mas malaki pa ang binayaran ni Lucky. Nakaka insecure na ito.” (The last tax payments, my son paid more than I did. I feel insecure.) ‘You won’t believe this, no matter how tired I am, I still tutor my son Ryan. And Lucky still needs somebody to listen to him. They need their mother.’

V FOR VOCATION – As with any other lot in life, Vilma perfectly understands, but will not tolerate, that no matter how hard she tries, some people will always find flaws with what she does. She has been known to be unapologetic, especially if she’s criticized in her juggling act between her many vocations as mother, wife, public servant, and celebrity. “I was accused before of not being a twenty-four- hour public servant,” she divulges, “but it’s not my fault that things now are just a click away. One text from me is all they need for approval. Everything’s computerized. I may not be here all the time but when I go home, I make sure I’ve done my job.” Every day without fail, Vilma the mother goes home to her children in Quezon City, and says with pride, “You won’t believe this, no matter how tired I am, I still tutor my son Ryan. And Lucky still needs somebody to listen to him. They need their mother.” She unfailingly inculcated in her constituents the weighty importance of her own time. “The people from Lipa know that when my son has school activities I will be there, even when I am needed here. That’s what your department heads and vice mayor are for,” Vilma shrugs. “I’ll now have to teach the same thing to Batangueños, that I won’t be effective to you as a leader if I can’t even keep my own family happy. What I want for my children is what I want for them. First and foremost, I am a mother.”

In her order of priorities, family comes first. Every so often, she and her family retreat to out-of-the-country vacations to recharge from the daily stresses. This is what keeps her sane, and she counters, effective. “Problems are the greatest reasons for getting old,” she laughs. “I am fifty-three and yet still have energy, only because I am truly happy and comfortable with life.” She still does tae-bo twice a week and swims on weekends to keep her trim shape. “I am still an actress,” she proffers. But that’s the extent of how the well-preserved actress exudes efforts to preserve herself. Although she’d splurge on Gucci and Ferragamo, Danilo Franco, JC Buendia, and Paul Cabral, she has never undertaken extreme measures like facelifts or surgery to look and feel good. “I don’t even have a beauty regimen. I have nothing against Botox, but I’ve never tried, not even once,” she admits. “But I’m still fine and, honestly, I have other things to do.” Then she says with aplomb, “Hindi pagiging matanda ang importante, ang pinagkatandaan (It’s not about aging, but how you age). Everybody grows old. Nothing’s going to stop it. I just want to do it with grace.” A politician of nine years, VILMA takes her seat at Batangas’ Kapitolyo, on the stength of 475,740 votes and 5,849 precints won. TRIPLE DUTY. VILMA plays multiple roles in her present life – sometimes an actress, foremost a mother, and always the leader of Batangas.

V FOR VICTORY – At exactly eight in the morning, as the returning sun beats with a vengeance down on the crowd gathered at the lawn in front of the Capitol building for the first official flag ceremony, VILMA SANTOS RECTO takes her place among the leaders, old and new, of Batangas. The employees, most of them who have grown up watching the governor take on her many roles as an actress, are skittish and excitable. You get a sense that, for them, the petite, five-feet-flat actress is just portraying one of her award-winning roles. No, she isn’t really going to be the governor. Look, she’s beside the more imposing ex-governor Antonio Leviste and the suave, smooth-talking provincial administrator. It still feels surreal. Cameras from cellphones flash, and even during the somber flag-raising, all eyes are trained on her. She’s aware of this, even if at the moment, she doesn’t let on. “Every day is still a learning process for me,” the newly-appointed governor shares thoughtfully a few hours later, back at the cool confines of her office. “I’m apprehensive about the expectations. I just want to be magnanimous about the victory I got. People need to understand my priorities, support them, and do what they need to do. This is not even for me, you know?” Judging from the still star-struck faces of most, it’s a reality that may take a while to set in, but the tough politician who’s turned a city around is not one to easily give up. When she takes the stand to speak for the very first time as their governor, a quiet, expectant hush falls over the crowd. You could hear a pin drop. And then Vilma, who never disappoints, gravely said, “We’re all in this together. Kami dito sa stage walang payong, kaya ibaba ninyo ang mga payong ninyo. Kung kami maiinitan, lahat ay maiinitan (We don’t have umbrellas here, so fold yours. If we take the heat, so should you.)” There’s a moment of silence before giddy laughter erupts and then from somewhere, scattered burst of applause cracks the stillness until the whole plaza joins in, and as they have always been since she was nine, people unwittingly feel under Vilma Santos Recto’s magic spell. The first lady governor of Batangas smiles triumphantly, surveys her audience with a fond look, and steps up to the dais, bravely facing the dawning of the new day. The End – Source: Senses and Style, August 2007 Issue By Krizette Laureta Chu Portraits Rudy Liwanag; Text transcribed by Alfonso Valencia posted at the VS Yahoo e-groups.

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Vilma Santos: Plaridel Awardee 2005

Posted on November 8, 2009 by @ffv Standard

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The UP Gawad Plaridel Awards 2005 is the only award in the University of the Philippines bestowed to outstanding media practitioners. It honors Filipino media practitioners in print, film, radio, television and new media, who have excelled and performed with the highest professional integrity and in the interest of public service. National Artist Napoleon Abueva conceptualized and molded the Plaridel trophy showing Marcelo H. del Pilar (the crusading journalist and editor of the vernacular section of Diariong Tagalog, the first Philippine bilingual newspaper, and the La Solidaridad, the reformist newspaper), which will be given to the awardee plus P100,000. Last year’s awardee was editor and publisher Mrs. Eugenia Duran-Apostol. This year, a film practitioner was to be distinguished among our many outstanding film practitioners.

Vilma Santos was declared the Plaridel awardee for 2005. The actress, now mayor of Lipa City, has received 65 awards from different award-giving bodies including the best actress in the Brussels International Film Festival in 1999, 10 awards from FAMAS, and another 10 best actress Urian awards from the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino. The other awards are from FAP, the Manila Film Festival, the Metro Manila Film Festival, Star Awards, Catholic Mass Media Awards, CineManila International Film Festival and many others. Her first film, Trudis Liit, garnered for her the best child actress plum 41 years ago, and the rest is “herstory.” She declared that she was very nervous the day she received it. The award, she thought, was so prestigious that it carried with it a lot of responsibilities. But it seems Vilma Santos is used to handling responsibilities. Aside from being an active movie personality, she takes her tasks as city mayor of Lipa seriously.

Sen. Ralph Recto attended the awarding like a proud husband would, attentive in the front row of the theater beside Vilma’s mother as UP President Emerlinda Roman, UP Diliman Chancellor Sergio Cao and Dean Nicanor Tiongson bestowed the Plaridel Award 2005 to Ms. Vilma Santos. President Roman, in her message, said “Because of her dedication to her craft and her portrayal of roles important to women and society, Ms. Santos deserves recognition not only from the viewing public, but also from the academic community.” UP Diliman Chancellor Cao said that he was starstruck and that it was the first time he had seen Vilma in person, adding, “More importantly, Ms. Santos has used her status as celebrity to pursue public service. As mayor of Lipa City, she has proven that art and politics do not exist in separate plains. She has shown us that women artists can transform society in more ways than one.”

College of Mass Communications Dean Nicanor Tiongson said, “Traditionally, the academe has always kept a discreet distance from show business and for good reason. For one, academics have always emphasized critical thinking and professional integrity, both of which seem to be rare commodities in a movie world obsessed with instant gold and glamour. For another, the popularity of a movie star, to be sure an unwanted legacy from Hollywood, has been used by producers to cover up for a multitude their cinematic sins. Stardom is not a sin in itself. In the hands of film actors who are sincerely committed to their art, popularity can be harnessed to uplift the standards of the whole film industry. In choosing Vilma Santos as the UP Gawad Plaridel Awardee for Film, the College of Mass Communications would like to offer to film and media industries incontrovertible and living proof that popularity and ratings need not lead to the degradation of media tastes and standards.”

After receiving her trophy, Vilma Santos delivered her Plaridel lecture. She shared her experiences in the industry that she truly loves and expressed her concern for the high taxes on film, dwindling audiences of Filipino films, piracy and the strong competition from foreign films. She spoke to a very attentive audience. The Cine Adarna of the UP Film Institute, which can seat almost a thousand people, was SRO. Ms. Santos has over 200 movies to her name. Some of the more notable ones are: Burlesk Queen, Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak, Ikaw ay Akin, Rubia Servios, Broken Marriage, Relasyon, Sister Stella L, Dahil Mahal Kita, Bata Bata Paano Ka Ginawa, Anak and Dekada 70. Many recognize the value of this “Star for All Seasons.”Writer Lualhati Bautista says, “As an actress Vilma gets into the character she is playing, goes through her experiences and pain.” Feminist Mara Lanot says that, “In all the roles Vilma has played in her films and real life, she chose for herself and got what she wanted, and these characters are strong.” Scriptwriter Ricky Lee explains that “Vilma, by embodying the different images of the Filipina as victim and fighter in the span of three decades, has consistently molded the image of the woman and society that moves forward.” Another writer, Pete Lacaba, admires Vilma for her fearless portrayal of Sister Stella L during martial law years when it could have affected her career and her personal life at the time, and also for courageously using her clout as a big star in the movies to perform roles that are different.

Vilma has worked with many of our reputable directors. Chito Rono sees her as a consummate actor who brings brilliance to her performances, saying, “Sometimes an ordinary role becomes a diamond when she portrays the role.” Maryo de los Reyes says, “As an artist, she has nurtured an aesthetic refinement and has continuously searched for the beauty and the enhancement of her craft. She has maintained her ‘pagiging tao,’ being ‘makatao’ and ‘pakikipagkapwa-tao’ all these years.” Critic Bien Lumbera calls her an “auteur,” one who leaves the mark of her personality in the roles she plays. In her performances, he adds, she manages to bring her audience together with her character’s experiences and ways of looking at things. Another critic, Butch Francisco, explains that, “Vilma took a long time to be recognized as a serious actress. Through the collaborative efforts with top directors, she became one of the greatest actors of Philippine cinem. She tackles scripts with social issues and often times was experimental with her roles.” Producer Atty. Espiridion Laxa says Vilma “has reached this incomparable height of success because of several good traits: her discipline, her determination to excel in her acting profession and her knack for choosing the right roles.” Producer/actress Charo Santos-Concio speaks of her as a “passionate thespian, her filmography boasts of a list of films that are audacious, artistic, classic and socially relevant. Inevitably, she has brought to the limelight ordinary people with extraordinary lives and has created awareness of various socio-political issues.” Her frequent leading man in her films, Christopher de Leon, has good words to say about her, too: “Vilma Santos is not a selfish actor. For example, if I have a scene that is really meant for me, she will make me shine; she is a very gracious actor. ” He explains that the brilliant performances of the actors who interact with her are evident in her films. To Vilma, congratulations! – Philippine Daily Tribune, July 07, 2005 (READ MORE)

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About “Larawan” and Nick Joaquin

Posted on November 7, 2009 by @ffv Standard 1

larawan

When an article was published in Tempo last month about the suggestion of Vilma Santos and Nora Aunor playing the rival sisters in Nick Joaquin’s ‘Larawan,’ I felt excitement and hopeful. This is despite the fact that Vilma Santos’ hectic schedule as governor prohibits her in doing any films. In addition, Nora Aunor’s location doesn’t help the dream of putting these two veterans in one movie. But despite all of this, I decide to research information about Nick Joaquin and Larawan. Here’s what I found.

About Nick Joaquín’s “A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino”

First published as ”an elegy in three scenes” in the Women’s Weekly Magazine in 1952, Joaquín’s play Portrait of the Artist as Filipino eventually ended up in book form in 1952, 1966, and 1979.

Lamberto Avellana adapted the play A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino to a film in 1967.

Lamberto Avellana’s film starred Daisy H. Avellana and Naty CrameRogers as Candida and Paula.

The film was screened in the Frankfurt Film Festival in 1967.

Joaquín’s A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino has been translated into Filipino book twice by Alfred Yuson in 1969, and Bienvenido Lumbera in 1992.

Both Nick Joaquin and Lamberto Avellana were declared National Artist for Literature and National Artist for Film and Theater in 1976.

Larawan was staged by film directors that include Lino Brocka (1979), Behn Cervantes (1982), Nonon Padilla (1989), and Anton Juan (1993).

Veteran drama superstars, Lolita Rodriguez and Charito Solis portrayed Candida and Paula in a stage play directed by the late Lino Brocka in 1979.

Joaquín’s A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino became an original musical stage play titled “Ang Larawan” was staged at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theatre) in July of 1997. Mikee Cojuanco and Dawn Zulueta starred as the fighting sisters. The musical was revived in November of 2004 that showcased Celeste Legaspi and Zsa Zsa Padilla as the new competing sisters.

A gay version of “Larawan” was stage in 2002 starring past directors of Larawan, Anton Juan and Behn Cervantes.

Synopsis of Nick Joaquín’s “A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino”

Source: JOAQUIN’S ‘PORTRAIT’ NOW A CLASSIC By Ambeth R. Ocampo Phil Daily Inquirer, 27 Nov 1999

Act I

”Bitoy Camacho, an old friend of the Marasigans, pays them a visit one afternoon after many years of absence. He is greeted by the two daughters of Lorenzo Marasigan, a famous painter, who in his declining years has been living in isolation and abject poverty. Recently, he finished his latest and perhaps last major work of art, a painting he entitled Portrait of the Artist as Filipino. The sisters Paula and Candida welcome Bitoy. They reminisce about the past and the good old days. Tony Javier, a young musician renting a room in the house, comes home from work and is surprised. Tony confides to Bitoy his frustrated efforts in convincing the sisters to sell the painting to an American client.

Act II

”In the second act, Don Lorenzo is visited by Manolo and Pepang–the older brother and sister of Candida and Paula. They plan to transfer their father to a hospital and sell the house. They have invited Don Perico, a senator to convince their younger sisters. Don Perico appeals to both sisters to donate the painting to the government in exchange for a handsome pension that would relieve them of their burden. The sisters remain firm and indifferent during the debate the senator is forced to examine his life realizing too late that he has betrayed his true vocation as an artist-poet. Forlorn and devastated by remorse, [the senator] bids the sisters farewell. ”Manolo and Pepang quarrel with their younger sisters [who] are forced to reveal why their father painted the picture. They had confronted him a year before, and in pain accused him of having wasted their lives. As a reaction, he painted his last work of art and then attempted to commit suicide. ”Alone, Candida tells Paula of her frustration in job seeking. Tony Javier rushes in with news about his American client who has doubled his offer [for the painting]. In a moment of weakness, Paula abandons the house and joins Tony.

Act III

”The third act begins with Bitoy remembering the Octobers of his youth and the feast of La Naval de Manila. A group of visitors to the Marasigan home inquire about rumors that the painting and Paula have disappeared forcing Candida to admit what happened and accuses herself of masterminding the crime. Paula enters and admits to having destroyed the portrait. Crushed, Tony accuses the two women of condemning him back to poverty. He leaves cursing them. In the meanwhile, the two sisters reconcile and reaffirm their decision to remain in the house with their father. Bitoy in a monologue ends the play with a prayer deciding to dedicate his life to the preservation of Intramuros and its historical past through art and memory.”

larawan 01

About Nick Joaquin:

Real Name: Nicomedes Marquez Joaquin
Aliases: Nick Joaquin, Quijano de Manila
Date of Birth: May 4, 1917 (Paco, Manila)
Parents: Leocadio Joaquin and Salome Marquez
School Attended: Mapa High School

Body of Work: Three Generations (1945); Prose and Poems (1952); The Woman Who had Two Navels (1961); La Naval de Manila and Other Essays (1964); A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino(1966); Tropical Gothic (1972); A Question of Heroes (1977); Nora Aunor & Other Profiles (1977); Ronnie Poe & Other Silhouettes (1977); Reportage on Lovers (1977); Reportage on Crime (1977); Amalia Fuentes & Other Etchings (1977); Gloria Diaz & Other Delineations (1977); Doveglion & Other Cameos (1977); Language of the Streets and Other Essays (1977); Manila: Sin City and Other Chronicles (1977); Tropical Baroque (1979); Stories for Groovy Kids (1979); Language of the Street and Other Essays (1980); The Ballad of the Five Battles (1981); The Aquinos of Tarlac: An Essay on History as Three Generations (1983); Almanac for Manileños, Cave and Shadows (1983); The Quartet of the Tiger Moon: Scenes from the People Power Apocalypse (1986); Collected Verse (1987); Culture and History: Occasional Notes on the Process of Philippine Becoming (1988); Manila, My Manila: A History for the Young (1990); The D.M. Guevara Story (1993); Mr. F.E.U., the Culture Hero That Was Nicanor Reyes (1995); Rizal in Saga (1996)

Trivia:

1. Joaquín was hired by the Philippines Free Press as proofreader in 1950.

2. Joaquín traveled to Mexico and the United States to write The Woman Who Had Two Navels in 1957.

3. Joaquín became the editor of Philippine Graphic in 1990.

4. Joaquín wrote articles about movie celebrities like Nora Aunor, Fernando Poe Jr, Amalia Fuentes and Gloria Diaz.

5. Joaquín won the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature for “La Vidal” (1958), “Doña Jeronima” (1965), and “The Beateas” (1976).

6. Joaquín also received the Manila Critics Circles’ National Book Awards, ESSO Journalism Award, the Republic Cultural Heritage Award for literature (1961), and the Patnubay ng Sining at Lakinangan Award from the city government of Manila (1964).

7. Joaquín was a loyal Nora Aunor supporter but wrote a wonderful article about Aunor’s closest rival, Vilma Santos in Philippine Graphic Magazine in 1990 titled, “Vilma, The Glad Girl” under the pseudonym, Quijano De Manila.

8. Joaquín died of cardiac arrest in the early morning of April 29, 2004. – Sinulat ni Rendt Viray, unang nilathala nuong 2005 sa VS Yahoo e-group.

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Woman For All Seasons

Posted on November 7, 2009 by @ffv Standard

Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos proved that every woman could conquer whatever field she wants to pursue as long as she gives her heart and soul to it.

She’s so petite and yet so tall in all her accomplishments in life: as a loving and dedicated wife, a devoted mother to her two sons, a multi-awarded actress, a dedicated public servant and most especially a woman worth emulating. Indeed, Vilma Santos-Recto is also a woman for all seasons. She was able to cross the border of many boundaries in life, in her chosen profession as an actress and now as a public servant. “Gusto ko ang mga challenges sa buhay. Pag sinabi nila na hindi ko kaya, pinatutunayan kong mali sila (I love challenges in life. Whenever they underestimate my ability, I’ll prove to them that I can), ‘Vilma says when asked by Cito Beltran during the launching of Ponstan SF where she was launched as its official model endorser.

BEGINNINGS – Maria Rosa Vilma Tuazon Santos started as a child actress at the age of nine in Tudis Liit in 1963, the same movie that gave her first FAMAS best child actress award. The daughter of Milagros and the late Amado Santos, Vilma was seen by her mother as a real trooper. Mrs. Milagros recalls, “When she was still a little girl, I saw her ability to make it big someday.” Her mother, who was also present during the launching, was acknowledged by Vilma to have introduced her to Ponstan when she was just 21 years old. From Trudis Liit, Vilma transformed to be a lovely teen icon in the late ’60s until the ’70s with blockbuster movies like Lipad, Darna, Lipad, Dyesebel at ang Mahiwagang Kabibi, Kampanerang Kuba, among others.

WOMAN’S ROLES – With almost 200 films under her belt, Vilma is regarded as the longest reigning Box-Office Queen of Philippine Cinema. And among these films are critically acclaimed for tackling roles on various women’s issues. Burlesk Queen was one of the turning points in Vilma’s life and career. From being a sweet teen icon, she proved to be a mature actress in this movie. It was followed by other award-winning movies like Rubia Servious, Relasyon, Sister Stella L, Dolzura Cortez, Dekada ’70, Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa?, and Anak. A versatile and intense actress, Vilma honed her craft through the various top caliber directors, writers and actors she worked with.

MUSICAL SHOWS – Though Vilma admitted that only her fans would love to hear her singing prowess, Vilma’s musical variety TV shows emerged on top for many years – The Sensations, VIP and the long-running multi-awarded Vilma. Again, Vilma proved that she can make wonders whatever it takes. “It’s really blood, sweat and tears. But when you love your work, it will love you back,” she says recalling her struggles to stay on top of the entertainment industry.

THE BIG LEAP – Marrying Ralph Recto was one of the happiest changes in Vilma’s life and it turned to be the road to another career in her life. “I never thought that I will be a public servant, not in my wildest imagination,” Vilma admitted while talking to a lot of eager reporters and writers she obviously missed for a long time. “But this is the life I have now and I believe it was given to me because He (referring to GOD) wants me to make a difference in other people’s lives,” Vilma enthuses. The first woman mayor of Lipa and now the first woman governor of Batangas, Vilma considers herself lucky for having earned the trust of Batangueños. “Their faith in me is priceless,” says Vilma in another interview.

WOMAN STRATEGY – A real woman in all her endeavors, Vilma considers herself the mother of all her constituents in Batangas. She looks upon them as children who need her care and attention. “At first, I did the housekeeping of the province. We had the poverty diagnostic approach to know the concerns of all the constituents of Batangas, then when we got the budget we allocated to my HEARTS priorities,’ Vilma shares when asked about her priority projects for Batangas. HEARTS means health, education, agriculture, road (infrastructure), tourism and security. “I believe in teamwork and family approach. I consider them my family, that’s why last Valentine, I gave chocolates to all the departments of the governor’s office to let them know that we can make HEARTS work if we are team,'” Vilma recalls.

ACTING AGAIN – For this year, Vilma has two wishes: to start implementing her projects and to make movie. “There are three movies I committed to finish – one with John Lloyd, one with my son Luis and one with Sharon Cuneta but because I became the governor of Batangas, I have to ask for extension because I have to see to it that I implement my projects in Batangas first,” Vilma explains begging her fans to wait for her. But she quickly adds, “Whatever I have now is because I am a showbiz personality. I owe it to my first profession but my role is real life. Isang pagkakamali ko lang at pumalpak, masisira ako at ang mga constituent ko. Ayaw kong sumugal (One mistake and it will ruin not only my name but also the lives of my constituents, and I don’t gamble).

FIRST PRIORITY – But above all these priorities, Vilma admits that being a wife to Ralph and mother to her two sons Luis and Ryan are still her number one priority. Still a woman devoted to her husband, Vilma always acknowledge Ralph’s help and inspiration in her career as a public servant. “Public service is Ralph’s life and I learned to embrace it through him. Though we have differences in ideas, sometimes we clash, at hindi naman ako magpapatalo (I will not give in without a fight), I listen to Ralph. After all, whatever I achieve as a public servant, I owe it to my husband who has been my mentor up to now,” Vilma enthuses. With Luis, Vilma is a doting mother who just listens to his son’s escapades and love life. “I don’t want to meddle with my son’s life. I just advice him to enjoy life and to do what is right so that he will not commit mistakes that he might eventually regret.” She also finds time to help Ryan in his studies. “I help him in doing his projects especially when there are art works and proud ako na honor student ang anak ko,” Vilma says.

TIME FOR MYSELF – With all her roles in life, Vilma sees to it that she finds time for herself. “Ah, yan ang hindi mawawala. Every weekend, I do the treadmill, tae boxing, and yes, even swimming,” she proudly says. I also eat anything but always in moderation. Medyo conscious na ako kasi 38 na ako eh,” she jokingly says. Vilma will turn 55 this year and is not scared to age gracefully. “I think when you’re happy, you’re comfortable, you find time for yourself, you exercise, you eat good food in moderation and you love what you’re doing, then it’s the secret.” As a parting word Vilma says, “When I was able to make a difference in other people’s lives, then it adds to my positive outlook in life and it inspire me to do more.”

UNSTOPPABLE PARTNERSHIP – For more than four decades, Ponstan has been relieving body aches, pains, making it a household name when it comes to reliable fast relief. Just about the same time when Ponstan was strongly gaining the trust of consumers, the public witnessed the emergence of a talented and eye-catching young performer who will later become the country’s multi-awarded actress and eventually the first woman governor of the province of Batangas. “We are very excited and honored to have Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto as our celebrity endorser. We could not have chosen anyone else to effectively communicate the brand’s message to the public,” says Laiza Filart, Ponstan SF product manager. Filart further states that the choice to have Gov. Vi as the latest face behind Ponstan is the striking parallelism between the brand and the hardworking public official. “They are really fit to be unstoppable partners,” she adds. Gov. Vi has been known to pull all the stops whenever she sets her eye on her goals. As a show business personality, she aimed only for the best, which made her the most awarded actress in the country. As a politician, she willingly took the challenge posed by her constituents and run for the gubernatorial seat in the province of Batangas in 2007, earning her the title Ina ng Batangas. And as a family woman, she is never short in filling their home with love, respect and happiness. As Gov. Vi juggles her schedule as a politician, an actress, a wife and a mom, she sometimes finds herself in pain – whether in the form of a headache or backache. Whenever such pains strike, Gov. Vi relies on Ponstan to help her get through the day. “My work is physically, mentally and emotionally demanding. So when I get a headache, I immediately take Ponstan to relieve the pain.” states Gov. Vi. – Source: “Woman For All Seasons” by Lea Manto-Beltran, HEALTH NEWS magazine, Mar 2008, Vol. 12 No. 4. Transcribed by Alfonso Valencia and posted at the three Vilma Santos Yahoo e-groups, March 2008.

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Discography: Aloha My Love (1972)

Posted on November 7, 2009 by @ffv Standard

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ALOHA MY LOVE (1972)
Edgar Mortiz and Vilma Santos

Side A
1. Hawaiian Medley
2. Beyond The Reef
3. All Alone Am I
4. Why Don’t You Believe Me
5. Eternally
6. My World Is Your World

Side B
1. Aloha Oe
2. Seven Lonely Days
3. Mandolins In The Moonlight
4. Daddy
5. Seventeen
6. Two People In Love

Photos: Nar Santander

The success of Sixteen brings out another facet of Vilma Santos’ talent. Everyone knows that she is a good actress and a wonderful dancer but nobody expects that she will be able to succeed as a singer. At the early stage of her young career, the rivalry between her and a more established singer, Nora Aunor was lapse sided because Aunor was the number one singer in town. The success of Sixteen brings about an even playing field between the two young stars. Vilma’s record breaking sales positioned her career into high grear. She continued to act in several musical films and at the same time recorded fun-filled songs. To her critics, Vilma’s recording success were attributed to pure luck. And so, to prove them wrong, Vilma’s manager smartly plotted follow-up recordings. Not only did Vilma record her follow-up album, she recorded a string of mini-LPs. Mini-LPs are shorter version of the big vinyl record with two songs on each side. She ventured into Tagalog songs, recording six songs that include instants hits like Isipin Mong Basta’t Mahal Kita, a theme song to a film she did opposite Filipino chess grand master, Eugene Torre; Palong-Palo, where she received a golden record award in 1974 and an up-tempo opm, Tok-Tok Palatok, another theme song from one of her comedy film with the same title opposite Jojit Paredes. Vi and Bot also released two mini-LPs, “Something Stupid,” a song that they regularly sings at their TV show, D’Sensations and “Christmas Tiding,” a collection of famous holiday songs like Silver Bells and Vilma’s now famous version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Mommy Kissing Santa Claus thats been circulating in the internet in recent years. In addition, Vilma recorded Baby Vi, another mini-LP. She also shared equal billing with Edgar Mortiz, Esperanza Fabon, Ed Finlan, Hilda Koronel and Sahlee Quizon in a Christmas compilation album titled, Christmas Carols.

Willears Records continued Vilma’s recording projects with two albums, Sweethearts and Aloha My Love both featured her with off and on screen love partner, Edgar Mortiz. The company who introduced the resurgent singer, Vilma in Sixteen followed up her solo success with Sweet, Vilma, Sweet, a much more ambitious offering with Vilma doing popular cover songs. Songs that are mostly identified with more established singers, like Nora Aunor. It is worth noting that during the peak of the musical genre in the early 70s, the musical films relied heavily on foreign influence. Maybe this was the reason why Vilma’s rival Nora Aunor doesn’t have a signature song. Recorded songs are mostly versions of the foreign recordings. Tom Jones, Frank Sinatra, Connie Francis, Neil Sedaka are the usual suspects. Instead of original simple composition, Willears selected songs like Mama, Sad Movies, and Our Day Will Come and let Vilma create her own version. The result was a disappointment not because Vilma didn’t work hard for the project but because it lacks the originality of her first album. Vilma’s thin voice also didn’t help.

But despite this visible contrast to her first album, Sweet Vilma Sweet was a successful follow-up. She continued her singing stints with an album most Vilmanians seems to forget, All I See Is You carried the folk song, Ati Cu Pung Sing-sing and Wonderful world of Music. The later song became a title of a musical film that paired Vilma with Edgar and co-starred with Snooky, Tony Ferrer, and Boots Anson Roa. The demand for Vi & Bot’s recordings increased and Willears produced Sweetheart, perhaps a confirmation album of the real score between the two young teen stars. Out of 25 films Vilma and Edgar made in 1970, both Sweethearts and Sixteen stands out as two of their certified hits both as films and recorded albums.

By 1972, Vicor Music Corporation took over Vilma’s singing career and smartly went back to the original fun-loving carefree theme that suited Vilma’s voice and made her a successful recording artist. With the guidance of Orly Ilacad, Vilma recorded original compositions that were light hearted, up-tempo and simple. Sing Vilma Sing arrived at the radio airwaves with the carrying single, “Bobby Bobby Bobby.” Despite the declaration of Martial law in 1972, the album became another instant hit. Also, Vilma and Edgar recorded their third album together, a follow-up with the hit, The Sensations. Aloha My Love came afterwards which also became a film and appropriately shoot entirely in Hawaii. Aloha was artistically packaged and contained Hawaiian and popular cover English songs like All Alone Am I and Eternally.

Unfortunately, all good things must end. By 1973, Vilma made her move. After almost one hundred films with Edgar Mortiz, she decided, it was time to venture out of the love team and test the water as solo star. This move also signaled the end of her singing career. At the same time, the musical genre started to subside as more turmoil politically spreads around the country. The bomba films exploded in mainstream local cinemas in mid 70s. Movie theatre owners illegally inserts porn clips in the middle of film. It was so popular back then that even the first Manila International Film Festival organized by former first lady, Imelda Romualdez Marcos allowed the bomba or sexy films to be shown during the midnight time slots of the festival. The bomba period created a long line up of respectable sexy actress like Elizabeth Oropeza, Daria Ramirez and Chanda Romero. Even former beauty queen, Gloria Diaz ventured into the sexy film. The emergence of sexy or “bold” films as what they referred to by local film buff challenged the now solo superstar, Vilma Santos. Tagalog Ilang Ilang production transformed her into an action super hero as the new Darna, Philippines version of Wonder Woman. Lipad Darna Lipad (Fly Darna Fly) defeated entertainment giants Fernando Poe Jr and Joseph Estrada, both have films being shown at the same time and the usual bomba films. A very long line-up snake down the streets of Claro M. Recto Avenue’s Cinerama theatre. It was recorded that Tagalog Ilang Ilang Production distributed Darna dolls and Coka-Cola bottles to the massive patrons during the film showing. Lipad Darna Lipad became the most successful Darna film ever. It broke box office records and solidified Vilma’s clout as the new box office queen of Philippine movies. Vilma’s stature as the most bankable artist of that time validated her decision to leave her love team with Edgar Mortiz and the singing stints to her closest rival, Nora Aunor. She became more adventurous and accepted roles that showcase her versatility. And this move cemented her position as the actress to watch, the actress on top of her game.

Remarkable History – As a singer, Vilma’s thin voice didn’t stop her to become a successful singer. Her hard work paid off and earned her a piece of history. The reluctant singer recorded strings of solo albums that created her signature songs, “Sixteen” and “Bobby, Bobby, Bobby.” Signature songs that enlisted her together with famous singers like Imelda Papin (Bakit), Eva Eugenio (Tukso), Claire DeLaFuente (Sayang), Sharon Cuneta (Mr. DJ), Didith Reyes (Nananabik), Aiza Siguerra (Pagdating Ng Panahon), Freddie Aguilar (Anak), Florante (Handog), and Gary Valenciano (Di Na Natuto). Her sweet and child like voice reflected the innocence of her original up-tempo songs that tackles teenage issues like dating, sexual education, body images and adulthood. Teenage issues that are still remarkably relevant today. – RV (READ MORE)

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Vilma’s Unforgettable lines

Posted on November 7, 2009 by @ffv Standard

How can we forget these dialogues? All of these lines are embedded in our memories. In it were the unforgettable performances in unforgettable films.

PAHIRAM NG ISANG UMAGA: “Irene…Di ko kaya ang walong buwan! Kung mamatay rin lang ako…mamatay na ako ngayon o bukas o sa linggo pero hindi ko kaya ang walong buwan!”

“Irene, ayoko ng mahabang burol kung maari kinabukasan rin ipalibing mo na ako.”

“Ayoko ko pang mamatay…paano si Chad?…hahanapin ako ng anak ko, hindi siya sanay ng wala ako…Ariel…gusto ko pang mabuhay, kahit ilang araw lang, kahit konting oras lang, kahit isang umaga lang…”

“Ariel maliwanag na ba?…anong kulay ng langit?…at ang dagat?…ang mga mangingisda nandiyan na ba?…Ariel…ang ganda ng mundo!…ang sarap mabuhay!”

IKAW AY AKIN: “Rex,,,anong gagawin mo? Ako anong gagawin ko? Ako baa ng nagpapagulo sa otherwise your perfect world?…sure? Rex ang problem ako hindi lang ako eh…si Teresita rin,,,nasasaktan ko na siya…anong gagawin ko iwasan kita eh de ako naman ang nasaktan? Shit! Bakit? Ewan…nahihiya nako kay Teresita at saka sa’yo eh!…Rex huwag mong sabihin yan, naiintindihan mo ba ako? I need your presence more than anything else. Sabi nila liberated woman raw ako, front lang, kalog raw, front din…alam mo namang kulang-kulang ako eh sinabi ko na sayo nun pa…ninenerbiyos ako kapag hindi kita kasama eh, baka dapuan ako ng kung ano diyan, bery-bery, typoid fever! Pakiramdam ko safe lang ako kapag nariyan ka eh…pag wala ka,huh, nagwawala ako parang manok takbo ng takbo wala namang ulo!…Rex, anong gagawin mo?”

Dahil Mahal Kita: The Dolzura Cortez Story: “Hindi ako naniniwala…Putang…anong karapatan mong sabihin sa akin yan?! Diyos ka ba?! Ikaw ba na nagbigay ng buhay sa akin?! Sino ka ba?…Akala mo alam n’yo nang lahat ayoko nito! Akala mo alam n’yong lahat hah..Ayoko nito…ayoko nito..ayoko pang mamatay!…anong mangyayari sa mga anak ko…mga putang ina n’yo…ayoko nito!”

LANGISIS AT TUBIG: “Labanan natin siya…pupunta ako sa kanya, makikiusap, kung kailangang lumuhod, gagawin ko…isang linggo sa kanya, isang linggo sa akin…kung ayaw niya, anim na araw sa kanya, isang araw sa akin, kung ayaw pa rin niya lahat na ng araw ay sa kanya na…Bobby you gave me hope, you make me a wife, you showed me love when theres only hatred, ginawa mo ako kung ano ako ngayon, babae, ano pang hihilingin ko?”

SAAN NAGTATAGO ANG PAGIBIG: “…Si Val! Si Val! Si Val! Si Val na walang malay?! Si Val na ang tanging kasalanan ay naging anak ng mommy mo sa ibang lalaki! At nitong nasira na ang kanyang pagiisip…ay alam n’yo bang si Val pa rin ang pinanagot nila sa isang responsibilidad na dapat sana’y ikaw Rick ang nanagot!…ayan ang magaling n’yong apo, itanong n’yo sa kanya kung sinong ama ng batang binigyan ng pangalan ni Val!”

PINAY AMERICAN STYLE: “I’m PX, short for Paula Xavier, I’m a Filipina…kyontiii…I can understand Tagalog but I’m having a hard time speaking it…actually, I’m not hungry…but on the second thought, why not?”

“one-fourth Japanese, one-fourth Chinese, one-fourth Indonisian, one-fourth Filipino but I was born in Hongkong…you see my mom was a tourist in Hongkong when she met my Japanese father, my Chinese father, my Indonisian father and my Filipino father!”

TAGOS NG DUGO: “Di ko sinasadya! Di ko sinasadya!!!!”

PAKAWALAN MO AKO: “Kukunin ko ang bayad ng halik! May sukli ka pa!”

“Puta! Sige ituloy n’yo! Sabihin n’yo! Hindi lang naman kayo ang ang unang nagparatang sa akin ng ganyan. Puta! Puta! Puta! Putang-ina n’yong lahat! Putang-ina n’yong lahat! Sige! Sabihin n’yo! Isigaw n’yo! Kung sa inyo lang ay malinis ang aking konsensiya!”

SINUNGALING MONG PUSO: “hayup! Hayup!…Baboy! Mamatay kang kasama ng mga baboy mo!”

“nababaliw ka na noh…puro kabaliwan yang nasa isip mo…hindi Jason, meron iba tayong dapat nating sundin…meron iba! Gamitin natin ang sinasabi ng isip natin, ang ipinararamdam ng kaluluwa natin, yun! Dahil madalas yun ang nagsasabi ng tama, yun ang nagsasabi ng nararapat nating gawin hindi ang puso…hindi ang puso Jason, hindi ang sinungaling mong puso…huwag kang padadala, ililgaw ka niyan…ililigaw ka dahil marunong manglinlang ang puso dahil alam ko ang tama huwag kang magpapadala…huwag kang magpapadala, hindi mababago ang katotohanang mali ang ginagawa natin, mali…”

GING: “Pagmasdan n’yo ako…ako po’y ulilang lubos…inaapi at hinahamak…kung hindi n’yo po kahahabagan ay nasaan ang katarungan?!”

KARMA: “Ganuon naman pala eh, de alam mo na may asawa na ako…bitiwan mo ako…alright wise guy, gypsy pala ako nun hah…sinabi mo rin mahilig ako sa music, dancing, siguro may favourite song ako, huwag nang yung napakalayong kahapon, baka hindi mo mabasa eh, yun na lang natapos na kahapon, twenty, twenty five years ago…ano kayang favourite song ko?”

SINASAMBA KITA: “For godsake, Nora! Magkaroon ka nga ng sarili mong identity!”

“Imposible namang lumaki ang tingin ko sa taong tinutulungan ko lang!..kungsabagay magkaiba tayo ng ina…bakit kaya pinatulan ni papa ang iyong inay?…hindi ko siya iniinsulto sinasabi ko lang sayo ang totoo…magkaiba tayong dalawa…hindi mo ako matutularan at hindi kita tutularan. Nora, ang hindi mo maabot huwag mong pagplitan abutin, wala ka pang pakpak kaya huwag ka pang lumipad ng ubod ng taas!”

PALIMOS NG PAG- IBIG: “Para kang karinderyang bukas sa lahat ng gustong kumain.”

“Mahal Kita at yan ay di ko kayang maihati sa iba. Pero kung ganitong niloloko mo lang ako kaya kitang palitan kahit sampung Lalaki!”

YOUNG LOVE: “I hate you…dirty…you’re dirty! I hate youuuu!…huwag n’yo nang mabangit-bangit ang pangalan nyan! Kinasusuklaman ko siya!..ngayon ko lang nakita ang kapangitan ng buhay ang akala ko masaya’t maganda na ang daigdig..”

SISTER STELLA L: “Ako ay kristyano, higit sa lahat ako ay tao. Kung nandito lamang si kristo sa ibabaw ng lupa alam kong kasama ko siya sa pakikipaglaban.”

“Kung walang kikilos sino ang kikilos, Kung hindi ngayon Kailan pa… Katarungan para kay Ka Dencio!”

ADULTERY: AIDA MACARAEG: “Huwag mo nang itanong. Baka mas masakit kung malaman natin ang sagot.”

AYAW KONG MAGING KERIDA: “No woman can seduce a happy husband.” and “Ang asawa ang karugtong ng buhay, kasiping sa kama.”

YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW: “I refuse to dignify your question. Unang-una hindi ka nagtatanong, Nagbibintang ka.”

ANAK: “Sana tuwing umiinom ka ng alak…habang hinihitit mo ang sigarilyo mo at habang nilulustay mo ang perang pinapadala ko! Sana maisip mo rin kung ilang pagkain ang tiniis kong hindi kainin para lang makapagpadala ako ng malaking pera rito. Sana habang nakahiga ka diyan sa kutson mo, natutulog, maisip mo rin kung ilang taon akong natulog mag-isa nabang nangungulila ako sa yakap ng mga mahal ko. Sana maisip mo kahit kaunti kung gaano kasakit sa akin ang mag-alaga ng mga batang hindi ko kaanoano samantalang kayo, kayong mga anak ko hindi ko man lang maalagaan. Alam mo ba kung gaano kasakit iyon sa isang ina? Alam mo bang gaano kasakit iyon? Kung hindi mo ako kayang ituring bilang isang ina. Respetuhin mo man lang ako bilang isang tao. Yung lang Carla…yun man lang.”

“Hindi ako nagpakahirap sa Hongkong para lang mauwi tayo sa Ganito. At ang mga kasama mo mga mukhang ADDICT.” “Bakit pag ang lalake ang nagbigay ng damit, pagkain sasabihin ng mga tao “Aba mabuti siyang ama” pero pag ang babae, kasama na pati pusot kaluluwa hindi pa rin sapat.”

T-BIRD AT AKO: “Sira ka ba? Babae ka, babae ako!”

“Putik nga ito! kahit ganito ako, nagsisimba ako kahit paano, ang sabi ng nasa itaas, ang sala sa lamig, sala sa Init iniluluwa ng langit, isinusuka ng diyos!”

“Ano ba naman ito, katawan lang ito…konting tubig konting sabon wala na…tapusin na natin ang kaso, pagkatapos sabihin mo kung kalian, saan…darating ako, ang katawan ko!”

“…hindi naman ako ipokrita, kung tomboy ka bakla ka, ok lang sa akin yon…pareho rin yon eh, tao rin yon, kung saan sila maligaya duon sila…huwag nating pakialamanan. Alam mo kung nuong una sinabi na niya sa akin kung ano siya, hindi na kami nagkaganito eh, akala ko kaseh tutoong tao siya…”

PAANO BA ANG MANGARAP: “Dinaya n’yo ako! Saan n’yo dinala ang anak ko?.. Hindi mo alam…Sinungaling!… Kasabwat ka ng ina mo! Alam ko matagal n’yo nang plano ito!… Dinaya n’yo ako! Mga Traydor Kayo! Traydor kayong lahat!… Wala akong pakialam! Ibalik mo sa akin si Jun Jun! Ibalik mo sa akin ang anak ko! Ibalik mo sa akin si Jun Jun! Ibalik mo sa akin…”

BURLESK QUEEN: “Kung Inutil kayo, Di Inutil kayo. Wala naman tayong magagawa kung yan ang gusto ng Diyos para sa inyo.”

BATA, BATA PAANO KA GINAWA: “Sister nain-love ka na ba. Hindi yong Love kay Kristo ha, yong love na may sex. Wala akong Ginagawang mali!”

“Namputang Itlog yan, gawing mong manok!”

MANO PO 3: MY LOVE: “Pinuntahan n’yo ako rito para awayin?…silang dalawa,,,mahal ko silang dalawa, bago ko pa man naging boyfriend si Michael, naging asawa si Paul, magkakasama na kami, kaya mahal ko silang dalawa, mahirap bang intindihin ‘yon?…walang batas na nagsasabing bawal magmahal ng dalawa….”

“Aalis ka rin ba, Judith? Naiintindihan mo ba kung para saan yung ginawa nila?…sanay akong tinatalikuran at iniiwanan. Alam mo bang yan ang istorya ng buhay ko.”

RELASYON: “Emil, Emil, Diyos ko anong gagawin ko? Emil! Mommy Patay na si Emil.”

“Ang hirap dito sa relasyon natin, puro ikaw ang nasusunod, kung saan tayo pupunta, kung anong oras tayo aalis, kung anong kakainin natin, kung anong isusuot ko sa lahat ng oras, ako naman sunod ng sunod parang torpeng tango ng tango yes master yes master!”

“Ano ba ako rito istatwa? Eh dinadaan daanan mo na lang ako ah, hindi mo na ako kinakausap hindi mo na ako binabati hindi mo na ako hinahalikan ah…namputsang buhay ‘to. Ako ba may nagawa akong kasalanan hah? Dahil ang alam ko sa relationship, give and take. Pero etong atin, iba eh! Ako give ng give ikaw take ng take! Ilang taon na ba tayong nagsasama? Oo, binigyan mo nga ako ng singsing nuong umpisa natin, pero pagkatapos nuon ano? Wala na! Ni-siopao hindi mo ako binigyan eh dumating ka sa bahay na ito ni butong pakwan hindi mo ako napasalubungan sa akin eh kaya kung tiisin lahat pero sobra na eh…hindi naman malaki hinihingi ko sayo eh konti lang… alam ko kerida lang ako…pero pahingi naman ng konting pagmamahal…kung ayaw mo ng pagmamahal, atleast konsiderasyon man lang. Kung di mo kayang mahalin bilang isang tunay na asawa, de mahalin mo ako bilang isang kaibigan, Kung ayaw mo pa rin nun bigyan mo na lang ako ng respeto bilang isang tao hindi yung dadaan daanan mo lang sa harapan na para kang walang nakikita!”

ALYAS BABY TSINA: “Kung ano ang kinatatayuan ko, Yon ang teritoryo ko.”

BROKEN MARRIAGE: “May mga anak ako, Nagtratrabaho ako, Nag-aaral ako tapos lagi pa kaming nag-aaway na mag-asawa. So tense, Minsan gusto ko ng tumalon sa bintana.”

“Bakit nababawasan din naman ang pagkatao ko kapag sinisigawan mo ako.”

”Nawawala din naman ang pagkababae ko pag sinisigawan mo ako ah! Huwag mo kong duduruin.”

“Ang marriage trinatrabaho yan…twenty four hours…”

Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan?: “If he goes, you go, if he dies…dalawa na kayong nawala sa buhay ko.”

Dekada ’70: “Buong buhay ko yan na lang lagi ang sinasabi nila sa akin…wala kang magagawa eto ang gusto ng asawa mo…wala kang magagawa eto ang kapalaran mo…wala kang magagaw dahil dapat…putris naman, dapat hindi ganuo…tapos sasabihin ng daddy n’yo hindi lang ang anak ko ang pinatay hindi lang ang anak ko ang dinukot…lolo akong nanggigigil, lalo akong nagagalit dahil kung nanay ka talaga, hindi ka lang dapat nanganganak kundi naiapaglaban mo rin ang anak mo dapat kaya mong pumatay para sa anak mo…gusto ko lang malaman bakit nila pinatay ang anak ko…hindi masamang tao ang anak ko, kahit sa oras na ito humarap ako sa diyos kahit sa dimonyo hindi masamang tao ang anak ko…hindi masamang tao ang anak ko!”

“You could stop being proud of me! Nagsawa na ako sa ganuon, gusto ko naman ngayon ako mismo just for a change, maging proud sa sarili ko!”

Lipad, Darna Lipad: “Ding, ang bato dali….DARNA!”

Kapag Langit ang Humatol: “Akin pa rin ang huling halakhak akin Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha HA HA”

Regalo: “Bakit ang mga anak pag nawalan ng magulang ang tawag sa kanila ulila, ang magasawa kapag nawala ang asawa nila ang tawag sa kanila balo…bakit kapag ang isang ina nawalan ng anak walang tawag sa kanila?” – Aries Roll-on, Franco Gabriel, V Magazine, Issue No. 7, The Literary Issue, 2006; Updates: RV 2007-08

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Discography: All I See Is You (1971)

Posted on November 7, 2009 by @ffv Standard

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All I SEE IS YOU (197Os)
Arrange and Directed by: Danny Subido and Freddie Lozano with The Barons

Side A
1. Ati-Cu-Pung Singsing
2. Baby Cakes
3. Little Brown Gal
4. Grown Up Like Me
5. Nine Little Teardrops
6. Jealous Heart

Side B
1. Wonderful World Of Music
2. El Condor Pasa
3. Hawaiian Wedding Song
4. I Understand
5. My Special Angel
6. Just Say You Be Mine

Photos and Text courtesy of Nar Santander

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Edgar Loves Vilma

Posted on November 7, 2009 by @ffv Standard

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I saw this book of Lorna Kalaw Tirol titled “Above the crowd.” It caught my attention when I saw the drawing of Vilma’s face which was the most beautiful one compared to other caricatures. This book contained interviews of Kris, Kuh, Nora, Lino Brocka, and others. The pictures were illustrated by Nonoy Marcelo. Let me share you the article about Vi (Vilma Santos) and Bot (Edgar Mortiz)…

“If Vilma comes, can Edgar be far behind?” – In the colorful world of the Filipino movie fan, circa 1971, the ideological lines (with all due respect to the radicals and the moderators in the movement) are sharply drawn. One is either for Nora Aunor or for Vilma Santos. One cannot like both and be worthy of the name “movie fan.” In fact, there are no fans in the case of Nora and Vilma; they are only fanatics. Nora, her loyal subjects maintain, has a far better singing voice than Vilma. That, counters the Santos camp, is because Vilma is primarily an actress and only incidentally a singer. And Vilma of the doll-like face is definitely the prettier of the two, her fanatics boast. There, we think, the debate should end. The assignment was to interview Vilma Santos for a cover story. We were told that we could catch her one Saturday morning at an Antipolo resort where she was shooting “Wonderful World of Music” for Tagalog Ilang Ilang. Her director was there, all right, and so was Snooky (child star), too self conscious and too small for her age. But Vilma was still in Cabanatuan, and so was Edgar.

The following Wednesday she was scheduled to start filming for another Tagalog Ilang Ilang picture, Young Lovers. With a title like that, we thought, the movie couldn’t be anything but a further buildup of the Edgar-Vilma love team. But who wants a story when you can have your fill of Vilma and Edgar exchanging sweet words and glances? We were at this house in Quezon City, site of the first day of shooting, at nine in the morning. The entire cast and crew were there, except for the leading lady and her leading man. When they arrived an hour and a half later, the place seemed to come alive. The young lovers were chaperoned by Mrs. Santos, pretty and amply proportioned. We were relieved to see none of the burly tomboys who smothered Nora. It was Edgar Mortiz, with his height and size, who looked more like Vilma’s bodyguard. If he were slim and shorter, he could pass for her shadow. Yet it is difficult to imagine him in the role of bodyguard, he is what older folk would describe as mukhang musmos pa. Edgar Mortiz is, in fact, younger than Vilma Santos who, at 17, is no giggly teenager. She is a woman and she knows it. “A LOT of people tells me that I am very mature for my age,” she says at the start of the interview. “I feel it myself. I like to think that I have the mind of 23-year old woman.” She speaks with unusual poise and self-confidence, a self-assurance that must explain why she strikes some people as suplada. Vilma had little time to be a child. When she was nine and a student at St. Mary’s Academy in Manila, an uncle who was a cameraman at Sampaguita introduced her to Dr. Jose Perez. Not long afterward, Rosa Vilma Santos made her first film, Trudis Liit, where she played the title role. Shooting schedules were arranged so as not to conflict with her studies. She attended school in the morning, reported to the set in the afternoon. More pictures for Sampaguita followed, including two on the life of Ferdinand Marcos, in which she was cast as Imee. When the time came for Vilma to choose between school and a film career, she readily chose the latter.

“We study so we can get a job later, di ba? Well, I have a job already.” When she does decide to resume her studies (she was in fourth year high school when she quit), she wants to go into fine arts. Right now however, her thoughts are on her career and, if we are to believe her studio’s drumbeaters, Edgar. Is he or isn’t he? That is as intriguing a question to their fanatics as Imelda Marcos’s political ambition is to newspaper columnists. The love team of Vilma and Edgar has been going strong for two years now. Whether on TV’s Sensations and Edgar Loves Vilma or on radio’s “Hot line 1250 with Edgar and Vilma” or in advertising gimmicks, the latest of which is birthday party with Vilma and Edgar, the team-up has proved to be a hit. They are, in addition, neighbors somewhere in Quezon City. Doesn’t she get tired of being paired with him? “Of course not,” she says petulantly. Whether their apparent fondness for each other is the real thing or just plain acting is hard to tell. When not holding hands, which are most of the time, they have their arms around each other. “I’m not really a singer,” Vilma admits, “but Edgar is teaching me how to sing.” Love team come and goes, but that is the least of Vilma’s worries. Show business is her world. She wants to stay in it for as long as she can. “Sana magtagal ako” she says. Even without Edgar? – Asia-Philippines Leader, July 9, 1971

Today, Vilma Santos is still the most bankable star of Philippine cinema. Her movies continued to be box office hits. She is the most awarded actress in the country and a respected public servant. Edgar on the other hand is now a TV director. He is now a happy family man. He’s now part of the Teleserye “Kampanerang Kuba” which happened to be the remake of a Vi & Bot hit during the 70’s. Recently, Vilma was one of the sponsors of Edgar’s daughter’s wedding. The former love team is now Kumpares & Kumares. – Franco Gabriel, V magazine, Volume 1 Issue Nos. 1 June – July 2005

Star For All Seasons

Vilma Santos-Recto is a popular multi-awarded actress and politician in the Republic of the Philippines. * She is known as "Queen of Philippine Movies," "Queenstar," "Grand Slam Queen," "Box Office Queen," and "Star for All Seasons." * This website is mostly about her iconic film career.

Monthly Archives: November 2009

The Ten Best Films Of Vilma Santos

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Gawad Plaridel Award (Other Articles)

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Most Challenging Role

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Vilma Santos: Plaridel Awardee 2005

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About “Larawan” and Nick Joaquin

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Woman For All Seasons

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Discography: Aloha My Love (1972)

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Vilma’s Unforgettable lines

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Discography: All I See Is You (1971)

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Edgar Loves Vilma

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