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Tinatawag natin ang ating sarili bilang Vilmanian. Paano tayo naging ganito? Eto ang ating mga alaala…ng ating pinamulan.

Eddie Lozano – Simula sa pagkabata at matutong humanga, siya lamang talaga ang una at wala nang iba pa. Noong elementary ako ay picture ni Ate Vi as in picture talaga ang nasa cover ng notebook ko, mostly nga black and white pa. Dahil ang aming ama ay hindi mahilig sa mga palabas na tagalog, ang aming tv ay laging nasa may English na palabas. Kaya kadalasan, kapag palabas na ang D’ Sensations, ay nakikipanood ako sa kapitbahay, maliban na lamang kung nasa duty si ama. Hindi nga ba’t mayroon pa siyang Dulambuhay ni Rosa Vilma, at yung sitcom with Nida Blanca and Rod Navarro, yung Kelan Pa? Remember ba ninyo yon? Kahit pa noon sa D’ Sensations, ang most awaited na portion ay ang dance number ni Ate Vi. Doon ko siya nakitang sumayaw ng singkil, Tahitian at kung anu-anong sayaw pa, pero ang talagang nagaya ko ng husto ay yung ‘penguin’ na hanggang ngayon ay sinasayaw ko pa rin, kahit na nga tumatalbog-talbog yung tiyan ko. Nung mabuwag ang love team na subok na matibay, subok na matatag, kay Ate Vi ako pumanig, dahil kahit na sino naman ang ka-partner niya ay okay lang sa akin, I realized then na Solid Vilmanian ako. Those were the days na wala akong pakialam kung maganda o hindi ang pelikula ni Ate Vi, ang importante sa akin ay enjoyment at makita siya sa wide screen at sa pagbabaka-sakaling mag-theater tour siya, kaya most of the time, ay sa opening day ako nanonood. Nag-aaral pa man ako hanggang sa magka-trabaho ay ganun pa rin ang aking naging routine kapag may pelikula si Ate Vi. Ilang beses ko na rin siyang nakita ng personal, malapitan man o malayuan pero hindi ako nagkalakas ng loob na batiin siya, hanggang tingin na lamang ako’t nagpipigil ng damdamin at baka bigla akong mapatili. Katulad ng mga nabanggit ko noon, yung makita ko lang siya ng personal ay nangingilid na ang luha ko sa sobrang kasiyahan, ano pa kayang mangyayari kung ma-experience ko ang katulad ng kay Kuya Father J and bespren Charls, to name a few? Remember Kuya Father ang experiences natin kapag nanonood tayo ng parade of stars sa Roxas Boulevard? Hindi man tayo magkakilala at magkasama, pero iisa ang ating ginagawa, ang humabol sa karosa ng Reyna Vilma na talaga namang may magnetic charm.

Aries Rollon – Ano ba, wala ka na bang gagawin maghapon kundi gumupit ng mga articles at pictures ni Vilma Santos? That was my mother always asked me more or less 20 years ago . But what can I Do? I really admired Vilma Santos. Minsan tinatanong ko ang sarili ko kung normal pa ba ang ginagawa ko? Wala bang mali sa inaasal ko? Bakit ako ganito? Bakit sobra sobra ang paghanga at panahong inuukol ko kay Vilma Santos? Ako lang ba ang ganito? Na-addict ako kay Vilma Santos. Natatandaan ko noong high school pa lang ako, hindi naman ako actually ganoon ka devoted as Vilma Santos fan. But I really admired her dahil na rin sa impluwensya ng mother at mga pinsan ko. Yes napaanood ko na ang mga pelikula nya sa TV and to think na ang first movie na napanood ko sa sine ay ang LIPAD DARNA LIPAD. Sometimes sinasabi ko rin sa Nanay ko na nahawa lang naman ako sa kanya. Kaya lang mas naging malala lang ang Vilma fever ko. Actually hindi nga ako mahilig sa showbiz at wala akong panahon sa mga artista. But when I started watching Vilma on television and started watching her good movies, nagsimula na ang hysteria sa buhay ko. Ano ba ang meron si Vilma na wala ang iba? Well, hindi ko na siguro kailangang isa-isahin ang mga achievements niya. Tanging manhid at walang pakiramdam ang hindi nakakaalam. Personally, of course hindi ko siya kilala at hindi rin ako interesado sa pinagdaanan niya. Ang alam ko lang, heto nalulong ako kay Vilma. Vilma, Vilma puro na lang Vilma. Bakit pati sa panaginip Vilma pa rin. Nasasaktan ako kapag mayroong hindi magandang sinasabi kay Vilma. Nagmumura ako at nakiki-pag-away kapag may pumipintas kay Vilma. Naghahanap ako ng mapapangasawa na kamukha ni Vilma. But of course, my wife for the past thirteen years ay hindi naman kamukha ni Vilma. Iisa lang si Vilma Santos and she’s incomparable. Nobody comes close to the One and only Star For All Seasons. She was branded as poor second sa tinaguriang phenomenal Star. Marami ang nooy nagsasabi na siya ay hanggang doon lang, laging sunod lang ang pangalan sa nag-iisang Superstar. Ngunit ang panahon ay sadyang nag-iiba, ang poor second nasa TOP of the World na ngayon. Sa tatlong dekada na nagdaan walang nakahadlang sa kinang ng Bituin ng lahat ng panahon. Pinataob niya ang lahat ng bituin na minsay kuminang at nabigyan ng pagkakataon…I got married on the same year that Vilma got married to Sen. Ralph Recto. Medyo nag lie low na ako sa pagiging Vilma fanatic, but still hindi pa rin nagbago ang paghanga at pagmamahal ko kay Vilma.

Willie Fernandez – May simula pero walang katapusan hanggang sa kabilang buhay. Yes, I breath and exist for Vilma. All my waking hours, si Ate Vi lang yata ang laman ng puso at utak namin. Maging sa pagtulog ay dala-dala namin sa diwa ang ala-ala ng aktres. Kesehodang nakatira kami sa bahay ng kaibigang aktor na si Daniel Fernando, na ngayon ay senior Board Member ng Bulacan. May pagkakataon pa ngang nagseselos ang actor – pulitiko kay Ate Vi sa tuwina’y siya ang paksa ng aming usapan. Alam ni Ate Vi ang tungkol sa sakit ko, hypertension (high blood pressure: 190 over 120). Hindi namin malilimutan ’yumg pagtulong niya nang kami’y ma-confine sa hospital. What a big surprise when she gave me a call at nangumusta. Tinanong niya kami kung ano pa ang mga pangangailangan. Siempre, tameme ang inyong lingkod for her nice gesture. Nang lumabas na kami ng hospital, at minsan nang dumalo kami sa shooting ng kanyang pelikula, in one of our friendly tender moments, sinabi ng butihing aktres na siya ang bahala sa mga gamot na kailangan for my continuous medication…Iba ang “magic” na nagagawa ng pagmamahal, lalo na kung ito’y nangagaling sa isang minamahal at iniidolo pa. There were times, halos hindi na kami makatulong at makakain nang maayos sa kaiisip at kapapangarap sa aking idolo for all seasons. Lalong tumingkad ang katuparan na lubos namin siyang “makilala” nang kami’y pumasok sa showbiz media. Inamin na “i will not grow as a writer” dahil talagang laging nananaig ang aking pagiging Vilmanian sa lahat ng oras. Hindi maalis sa amin ang “fan mentality”. Pawang maganda at positibo ang sinusulat namin sa aktres sa aming kulom sa mga diariong pinagsusulatan. Madalas kaming sermonan ng editor sa tuwing mag-submit ng artikulo na si Ate Vi ang nilalaman. Katuwiran niya, wala na nga bang kaming alam isulat kungdi ang aktres. Basta naman kasi ang subject namin ay si Ate Vi, walang duda, napakapositibo namin. Hindi dahil mahal namin siya at nagiisang idolo na hinahangaan sapul sa pagkabata, kungdi dahil ang sarap-sarap niyang iluklok sa pedestal dahil lahat ng bagay sa kanya ay positibo.

Julie Ouano Haglund – Well what more can one say about Vilma Santos, it’s not enough to say that she is the best. I haven’t met her personally but I have loved her and admired her ever since i was a little kid. I remember waiting every friday just to watch “VILMA” in GMA7 and that 2 hours of pure entertainment makes me kilig and proud at the same time that it’s her I idolized. I’ve watched the Vilma movies that is being shown on Tv as well as in the movie theater, laugh with her when she’s happy and cry as well when she’s hurt. There was a time that I was so closed in meeting Ate Vi when my best friend who is Chit Guerrero’s niece April and I were in Manila for a job interview in Cathay Pacific as a flight stewardess, we asked tita Chit if maybe just maybe we can visit Ate Vi and to finally meet her in person but unfortunately at that time she was pregnant with Ryan Christian and the pregnancy was difficult that Tita Chit has to begged off we were disappointed but pray for her that everything is gonna be fine. After many years of working and living abroad nothing has changed I’m still an avid and true Vilmanian in fact I’m still watching her old movies now and then even if I have seen it like a thousand times and still buying and ordering the ones that I don’t have. I want to thank this group for giving me the opportunity to know some of you ( VILMANIANS) all over the globe and really hope to meet some if not all of you in person one day. To you Ate Vi I love you so much and that you are an inspiration to everyone who loves you. I really wish you all the best and my prayers for you and to your family.

Jeannie Wong – I first saw Ate Vi in person at the Manila International Airport. She was still sporting shoulder-length hair, ka-loveteam pa niya si Bobot Mortiz. I think they were having a show there. I went to the MIA’s ladies room and few minutes later Ate Vi and two ladies came in. Ate Vi was in front of the mirror touching up her make-up and the two ladies were helping her get ready for the show. Only 4 of us were in there and yet all I did was stare at her. I didn’t even get enough courage to approach her. If only I can rewind it back, it would be different approach this time around. Magawa ko kaya yon? The second time I saw her was at the theater showing of her movie with Manny de Leon. My friends (Ana, Mitzi and I) went to watch the movie. The movie theater was SRO even lodge section, grabe ang dami ng tao. All of the sudden, everyone watching were rushing outside instead of watching the movie. Know why? Ate Vi and Manny de Leon dropped by to greet their supporters. Everyone crowded around them. I lost one of my earring that my mom just gave me sa dami ng tao. I had that earring only for 3 days yata. Well, anyway that’s not the first time I lost my earring. There were other occasion isang araw pa lang (baka nga ilan oras lang) sa akin nawala ko na. Mabuti na lang hindi nagalit ang mother ko sa akin. Ate Vi and Manny de Leon didn’t stay long, pupunta pa sila sa ibang sinehan. After they left, everyone went back in and continued the movie. That was an added bonus watching the movie and seeing Ate Vi in person. HEAVEN! The third time I saw Ate Vi was in California, USA. The year was 1980. I was in America for a month long vacation. My aunt told me that their church planned a Great America trip for the youth with special price of only $4.00 per person including admission entrance to the park and bus ride from the church to Great America and back to the church. I asked my cousin to go with me nilibre ko siya. We went on so many rides, believe me I’m not crazy with wild rides. Should I say, super takot ako sa mga wild rides! When we were on queue for the log ride (not a wild ride) on the upper section. Guess what? I saw Ate Vi with Edu Manzano, they were in the lower section, it was their turn to hop in the log for the logride. Nakasandal si Ate Vi kay Edu. SUPER BEAUTY si Ate Vi, she must have only very very light make-up on parang wala pa nga pero ang GANDA-GANDA niya. From the upper section, I wanted so much to call out her name sa tuwa ko, kaya lang natulala ako! Guwapo ni Edu kaya lang mukhang masungit. Like the first time, the only thing I managed to do was my eyes following them until I couldn’t see them anymore. All that time, I didn’t see Edu smile at all, serious looking siya! Masungit nga! Si Ate Vi was wearing jeans and high heels, diyan ka bibilib kay Ate Vi! Ate Vi and Edu weren’t holding hands, bakit kaya? May sompi yata si Edu kaya hindi siya ngumigiti. I can’t get that picture off my mind. Again, if I can rewind it back, the approach would be different. Siguro kung kasama ko ang mga Vilmanians dito sa egroups lalakas siguro ang loob ko. August 21, 2005, Sunday around 11:00am. Our TV was on cable channel 8, the program was MMK. Our home phone rang, Alan T. called (Thanks, Alan!) and passed the phone to someone and guess who was on the other end? Si Ate Vi nga! Naka-usap ko si Ate Vi. She was having lunch with the Vilmanians at the Radisson Hotel, NY. I must have ESP and stayed home that day kung hindi na miss ko ang chance na maka-usap si Ate Vi. That moment was Heaven! Parang mayroon MAGNET at MAGIC si Ate Vi. Lalong lumalim ang pahanga ko sa kanya ngayon. That was my fourth encounter with Ate Vi. Ano kaya ang susunod? I hope to meet and bond with her. That would be HEAVEN!

Mario O. Garces – I am a baby boomer and come from a large family. The seventh of 11 children (5 boys and 6 girls), with one breadwinner, my Tatay, I knew what poverty was like. Dad was only a high school graduate but he was smart. He was the eldest of 8 children. They started rich: they had a big house, a car, and he enrolled at the U.P. College of Fine Arts. He painted/ drew well and was a great writer. His father, a church deacon, led a double life. He was a compulsive gambler. He forgot his marriage vow and covenant with God to serve His people. He died a pauper. From rags to riches. In his deathbed, he called all of his children to swear not to do what he did. “Isumpa ninyo ang pagsusugal. Malas iyan sa buhay. Sa demonyo iyan.” How I wish I could tell this story to some celebrities I truly admire and respect. Dad had to stop studying and started doing odd jobs to support his mother who had TB. He cried when his younger brothers lied about their age to be able to work as ’kargador’ in the public market. His strong belief in his Creator helped him move on. He dabbled in self-study oil painting, wrote some zarsuelas, even wrote for Tiktik and Liwayway magazines. He ended up being employed by a printing company and served as its lead writer and lay-out artist. My mother only finished the second grade but she knew how to sew clothes and manage our little tienda or sari-sari store. Dad won in some oil painting contests. National Artist Fernando Amorsolo was his role model. All of us 11 children had to help with the family business, household chores and must be at the church every Sunday. Dad’s orders. We had our first black and white Radioweatlh television set and we, eleven siblings would all fight for our favorite channels. Dad preferred to watch stuffs like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Rifleman, Combat or Bonanza. Mom would settle for Mga Aninong Gumagalaw (she swooned over Carmen Rosales and Rogelio De La Rosa), and Oras ng Ligaya with her favorites Chi-chay, Sylvia La Torre and Oscar Obligacion. But all of us younger kids were unanimous that Popeye is forever. We would all watch the very slim Pilitia Corrales sing the Pilita Corrales ’patuwad’ way: “the day you came along, with your song, my heart began to sing dear, a million thanks to you my love.” Not to be outdone, Carmen Soriano sang and sashayed to televiewers on Carmen on Camera. We would imitate Joe Quirino’s accent and ’take it away’ lines in Seeing Stars with Joe Quirino. Before Penthouse Live with Martin and Pops, there was Dance-O-Rama with Pete Roa and Baby O’Brien and later replaced by the new U.P. graduate Boots Anson. Yes, we were all hungry for local entertainment. There were no cable, TFC, or the Internet at the time. The proverbial Tagalog weekly comics were our other source of ’escape.’ Kalabog en Bosyo. Booma. Tanikalang Apoy. Gumuhong Bantayog. On radio, Sebya, Mahal Kita and Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang were on our must listen to list. On weekdays, my Mom’s day would not be complete without listening to her favorite Dear Abby counterpart, Dely Magpayo. Coming from school, I could hear these lines: “Alas tres na naman po ng hapon. Ito po ang inyong Tiya Dely.” And then there were Nora Aunor and Edgar Mortiz in Tawag ng Tanghalan. I never saw anyone sang People better than Nora. I noticed something different about her eyes. They looked sad yet hopeful. When she was declared champion, I knew something was set free from our masses. There were Vilma Santos and Connie Angeles in Eskuwelahang Munti. Vilma Santos made everybody cry as a hostage victim who softened bad boy Martin Marfil’s heart of stone in the original teleserye of all teleserye, Larawan ng Pag-ibig on ABS-CBN. Some episodes were live but the audience did not notice. I did. The Gripo Princess, Vilma Santos, was on everyone’s lips as Trudis Liit, Ging and that ’cry me a river tot’ in that high rating TV soap tearjerker. Tirso Cruz III in pre-Aunor era was a hit in Nine Teeners. Elvis hairdo, matchstick thin and all. He could hit the high notes of such love ballads like My Cherie Amor by Stevie Wonder. Dad would require us to read Bible verses aloud some days of the week so we could practice our English. I was the champion. I memorized Psalm 23. The winner got to join him and Mom to a double feature in nearby Scala theater. Not that he did not like Tagalog movies. His goal was to teach his kids literature, art and movie appreciation. He was different from other fathers. He would rather tinker around the house, read Time magazine, the Bible or write sermons from an old Underwood typewriter, rather than dwell on idle talk and drink beer like those big-bellied gents at a corner barber shop. To augment family income and help support our tuition and pang-sine, my sisters and brothers would sell ’jewelries’ made from Meycauayan and our house to market stalls in Central and Bambang markets. The boys would trek to Daniel Barrion by FPJ or an Erap action movie. We would save money to be able to watch James Bond’s new movie every Christmas season. Or patiently wait for it to run in double feature theaters. The girls swooned over Rock Hudson and Doris Day, Amalia Fuentes, Susan Roces, Gloria Romero and Nida Blanca. But my favorite was Lolita Rodriguez. She is ahead of her contemporaries. She reminds me of Liv Ullman and today’s Michelle Williams. Oh the power and triumph of restraint. Nora, Vilma, Charito, Hilda, Gina Alajar must have taken a cue from this great actress. Less is more. Where the hell is she? And Vilma Santos? There’s something that’s different about her. I loved Ging but I loved her more in the company of Marlene Dauden (Sa Bawa’t Pintig ng Puso) and with Lolita/Marlene/Eddie R. menage a trois like in Kasalanan Kaya? I didn’t know she won the best supporting actress award from this movie until I was older. All I knew was she is pretty, cute and always cries in her movies. The 70’s I knew that Vilma can act but Nora can sing. U.P. was split between Nora, (Turn to next page) Hilda and Vilma. Communism and the status quo. The avant garde and the weirdos went gaga over Hollywood and European films, especially France’s Truffaut and Company. Movie appreciation started with my Dad and encouraged by the U.P. system. My eyes popped out watching foreign flicks like Fritz Lang’s Birth of a Nation, and some classics like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, The Seventh Seal and La Strada. I knew my Truffaut from Bergman and Kurosawa. Even the Apu Trilogy. Over at nearby Delta theater, I saw intriguing avant-garde movies like the one with Glenda Jackson in Women In Love, from hardearned money. I would walk miles to save on U.P. Ikot jeep and bus fares and spend it on movies. I was paper thin. I was addicted to the movies and reading. Since money was tight, I would wait long lines and wake up early to get an expensive reserve book, a required reading in school. I would bring itlog na maalat and rice as baon, and spend lunch money on film retrospective festival tickets at the school and other venues in Makati. My PETA acting experience taught me a lot about how difficult and disciplined stage acting is. One summer before Martial Law was declared, I appeared as one of the angry market vendors in Nikolai Gogol’s drama-comedy five act play, The Inspector General, presented by Campus Crusade for Christ and PETA. Fellow schoolmates Lutgardo Labad and Maryo J. De Los Reyes were at the helm. I didn’t have a clue on what to expect as I never acted on stage before. PETA stalwarts Soxy Topacio, Angie Ferro, even Lino Brocka were happy and generous to teach us acting 101. My parents almost disowned me as I came home late and hungry from rigorous rehearsals at the Raha Sulayman Theater in Fort Santiago. I saw Dama De Noche with Vilma in a dual role. I thought her breakdown scene in this Nestor Torre scipted movie, akin to her similar and memorable role in Ikaw Ay Akin would win her a grand slam in the Quezon City Film Festival and the FAMAS. Well, at least the FAMAS chose wisely. And then, when Vilma donned the Darna costume, there was no looking back. There I was at the jampacked Grand theater in Cubao, a witness to history when the New Box-office Queen was born. All of Metro Manila citizens trooped to the theaters and witnessed the Longest-Reigning Box-office Queen Vilma Santos kicked the bad guys’ ass as the flying super heroine in Lipad, Darna, Lipad. Up, up and away and Vilma took off. Bye-bye, forever, arch-rivals! Ecu tatakot, keka pa, ne? At the height of the Vilma-Nora rivalry, I didn’t sleep when Vilma didn’t bring home the trophy in the 1978 MMFF. I was one of the millions who went to bed depressed, maybe along with Manunuri Isagani Cruz (who thought that Vilma’s role in Rubia Servios was more complex and difficult to do). The whole brouhaha was, I believe an offshoot of Vilma’s earthshaking win in the 1977 MMFF where she made the greatest career turn via Burlesk Queen. At last, the box-office queen and overshadowed Actress found her niche in Philippine Cinema. From Burlesk Queen to Relasyon, Dekada ’70, and Mano Po 3, on one end, and from Minsa’y Isang Gamugamo to Sidhi on the other side of tinseltown, someone had to win the prestigious U.P. Gawad Plaridel Award. Overnight, the 1972 QCFF and the 1978 MMFF nighmares were erased. It was more than revenge, it was poetic justice. For Vilma, these words of wisdom ring true: “thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” “And he who perseveres to the end will be…saved.” Flash forward to August 19 and 20, 2005. At long last, Vilma In Person. A dream come true. The object of my inspired articles, movie-going life and movie reviews stood beside me and my wife. She shook our hands. Now I know why she is still what she is then and now. You would forget she is the greatest actress of the Philippines, or a surprisingly capable Mayor with a PhD degree in Humanities. The Queen is indeed charming, pretty, humble, down to earth, funny and smart. From reel to real, Vilma Santos is God’s gift to the Filipinos. May she live long and healthy to continue to inspire us all.

John Agra Amauri – Lumaki ako sa kapaligirang baduy ang humanga o umidolo sa artistang lokal. 1970’s: Noong mga panahong ito, malaki at matindi ang tunggaliang Vilma-Nora kung kaya’t hindi mo ito matatakasan. Laman sila ng halos lahat ng balitang pangartista at sa aking murang pag-iisip, marami akong katanungan. Sinagot yun isang hapon ng isang aleng maglalako. Nakiusap ito sa aking mga magulang kung puwede siyang pumuwesto sa gilid ng aming ng aming bahay at magtinda ng iba’t-ibang gulay at prutas na may kasamang paarkilahan ng mga Komiks/Magasin. Pinayagan naman siya at bilang pasasalamat, inaabutan niya kami ng pinakasariwa niyang paninda paminsan-minsan. Pinayagan rin niya akong arkilahin ng libre ang mga Komiks/ magasin niya at iyon ang naging simula ng isang hindi inaasahang mahabang sikretong ’relasyon’ at tumulong sa paghugis ng aking pagkatao magpahanggang ngayon. Patago kung basahin ko ang mga Komiks at Magasing balitang artista. Istrikto kasi si Itay, napakarami niyang hirap na dinanas sa pagtaguyod sa aming pamilya at para sa kanya, walang maidudulot ang mga artista, lokal man o banyaga, kundi ang pagtatapon ng oras at pera. Ilang ulit din akong nahuhuli ng aking ama at napapagalitan ngunit hindi talaga ako mapigilan. Panahon iyon ng pamamayagpag ni Nora ngunit mas nahulog ang loob ko sa naaapi. Ang naaalala ko ay ang husay ng pagdala sa sarili ng puma-pangalawang labtim ni Vilma at dito ako unang humanga. Sa aking panakaw na pagbabasa, sa bawa’t tagumpay na tinatamo niya, patago akong ngumingiti sa aking sarili. At sa bawa’t dagok na dumadating sa kanya, patago rin akong nagdadalamhati. Maging sa paaralan, bihirang mapagusapan ang mga kuwentong artistang lokal sa aming grupo. Ang kinagigiliwan noon ay mga pelikulang aksiyon mula Hollywood. ’Colonial mentality’ ngang tunay. Dahil dito, marami akong pinalampas na pelikula ni Vilma. Maliban sa mga aguinaldo, tuwang tuwa ako sa pagsapit ng Pasko at Bagong Taon dahil sa MMFF. Pelikulang Pilipino lamang ang mapapanood at pelikula ni Vilma ang pinapanood namin kapag kasali siya. Ngayon ko lang napag-isip, hindi kaya secret Vilmanian rin ang mga barkada ko noon? Panahon ito ng Lipad,Darna, Lipad. 1980’s: Kolehiyo. Sa unang pagkakataon, ako ay lumisan ng bahay upang tumira sa kampus ng Pamantasan. Dito naman, mas lalong hindi pinapansin ng akademya ang mga artistang lokal at bagkus, mababa pa ang tingin sa kanila kung minsan. Hindi rin nakatulong na dormitoryo ng mga dayuhang estudiante ang napili kong tirahan. Subali’t nakamtan ko naman ang sariling laya sa mga panahong ito. Para akong ibong nakawala sa hawla at natutung maging magsarili. Mag-isa kong pinapanood ang mga pelikula ni Vilma at masaya na ako sa ganoon kahit na papaano. Pero hindi pa rin ako matatawag na ’die hard fan’ dahil hindi lahat ng Vilma Santos movie ay aking pinapanood tulad ng Doctor, doctor…at Ayaw kong maging Kerida. Namimili pa rin. Ang dalawang pelikulang hinding hindi ko nakakalimutan at lalong nagpahanga sa akin ay ang Pahiram ng Isang Umaga at ang makabuluhang Sister Stella L. Dito na nag-iba ang pagtingin ko sa kanya. Artistang may ’social at political relevance’ sa mga trabaho niya. Matapang. Noong mga unang taon ng dekada ’80, ako’y nagumpisang mangolekta ng mga librong Anthology ng Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature na bigay ng La Tondena Distillery. Dito ko unang nakilala si Lualhai Bautista at nabasa ang Dekada ’70. Mainit ang librong ito noong panahong iyon. Nangarap akong sana’y isapelikula ni Vilma ito. May matinding mensahe at ang babae dito ay ayaw nang magsawalang kibo sa nangyayari sa kapaligiran niya. Vilmang Vilma. Ito, sabi ko ang kasunod ng Sister Stella L. Nang sumunod naman ang nobelang Bata-Bata, Paano ka Ginawa noong 1984, nangarap uli ako at pumasok talaga sa isip ko ang padalhan si Ate Vi ng dalawang aklat na ito at imungkahing gawin niya. Nabanggit ko ito sa aking matalik na kaibigan at ako’y tinawanan lamang at sinabing ako’y nahihibang. Siyempre, Isa ako sa unang labis na natuwa at nagalak nang ito ay natupad pagkaraan ng halos dalawang dekadang paghihintay. 1990’s-2003: Memoirs of Buhay ’Merika. Malayo man ako sa inang bayan, balitang Vilma pa rin ang aking unang hinahanap. Ilang minuto lamang ang Hollywood mula sa trabaho o tirahan at naglilipana rin ang mga babasahin at balita tungkol sa mga bituin ng Hollywood pero wala pa rin. Merong Kulang. Paminsan-minsan ay merong balitang Ate Vi sa mga diaryong Pilipino dito at nakaka-dulot na ito ng saya ngunit bitin pa rin. Malaki ang pasasalamat ko sa internet at naging mas madali at mabilis ang paghanap ng mga balita tungkol kay Mayor Vi. Palihim at panakaw akong naghahanap ng balita sa net kapag nasa trabaho ako. Sa internet ko nalaman ang unang pagkapanalo niya sa eleksiyon. Ganoon din ang pangalawa at ang pangatlo. Sa mga panahong ito, ako ay sumaludo at naging 100% Vilmanian at taas noong pinagmamalaki siya noong pinatunayan niya ang pagiging epektibo niya sa kanyang panungkulan bilang Mayor. Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, may ’clippings’ ako ni Ate Vi at iyon ay pinamagatang Starring: Vilma Santos sa Newsbreak ng Inq7 (Oct. 27, 2003). Sa tuwa ko ay gumawa ako ng maraming kopya at pinamudmod ito sa mga kaibigan kong pinoy na gustong makinig. Kasabay sa isyung ito ang artikulong The Bad Mayor na si Joey Marquez. Tunay nga siyang kahanga-hanga. Hindi na isang artista lamang ang tingin ko sa kanya mula noon. Role Model at Inspirasyon. Magaling na aktres, marunong bumangon sa pagkadapa, maganda at mabait, mapagkumbaba, kagalang-galang at mas may bayag pa kesa sa ibang lalaki. Sa mga iilang taong iniluluklok ko sa pedestal na nabubuhay pa ay pawang mga lalaki iyon at maituturing kong malaking karangalan at pasasalamat at nakaharap ko sila sa magkakaibang okasyon. Sina Noam Chomsky, Warren Buffett at HH the Dalai Lama. Ikinagagalak kong sabihin na si Ate Vi ay kabilang na ngayon sa mga ito. Sana ay makadupangpalad ko siya. Sa pamamagitan pa rin ng internet, nalalaman ko ang mga bago niyang pelikula at aking inaabangan sa mga tindahang Pilipino sa may Vermont St., Temple St. at sa Glendale kung saan pugad ng ang Pinoy. Kasama ang kaibigan kong Vilmanian at ang buong pamilya niya, sabay kaming manonood ng mga pelikulang Vilma sa kanilang bahay tuwing linggo habang kumukukot ng cornicks, Chippy o V-Cut, chicharon na may suka o di kaya ay manggang hilaw at bagoong at minsan naman ay caramel pop-corn at pulvoron ng Goldilock’s. Kahit papaano, nasa Pilipinas uli kami sa mga sandaling iyon. Panahon naman ito ng mga Ipagpatawad mo, Dolzura Cortez, Sinungaling mong Puso at Bata-bata. Halos linggu-linggo kung dalawin ko ang aking nakababatang kapatid at kalapit nito ang West Covina. Sa aking pagkaka-alam, dito nakatira ang pamilya Santos. Minsan ay nababasa ko na lamang na nasa California si Ate Vi at nagbabakasyon. Natutuwa naman ako at alam kong naririyan lamang siya sa malapit ngunit wala naman akong maisip na paraan kung paano siya makaharap. So near and yet so far nga. 2004 noong una kong matunghayan ang ibat-ibang website ni Ate Vi. Nagmamasid lamang ako noon at naglakas loob lamang sumali noong 2005. Nasa ibang bansa na uli ako at malayo pa rin sa sariling bayan ngunit hindi na ako pipi ngayon bilang Vilmanian. Salamat sa grupong ito at nabigyan ako ng boses bilang isang Vilmanian. Nang dumating ang UP Gawad Plaridel ay hindi ko maiwasang mapaluha sa galak. Gustong gusto kong maging bahagi sa okasyong ito na handog ng sistemang aking pinagmulan subalit sadyang hindi nauukol. Hindi pa rin ako mapakali at nakadalawang tawag ako sa kolehiyo ng Mass Comm noong araw ng parangal upang makibalita. Madaling araw man dito noon ay hindi ko ininda. Ito kasi ang itinuturing kong pinakamahalagang parangal na natamo niya sa buong buhay niya. Bindikasyon ito sa lahat ng nagawa at nai-ambag niya sa sining at taong bayan. At nagpapatunay lamang ito na hindi nga ako nagkamali sa pagpili ng hinahangaan. Ngayon, dito sa grupong ito ko na kinukuha ang mga pinakasariwang balita tungkol kay Ate Vi at ang magbigay o makinig ng opinyon. Dito ako nakatagpo ng maraming kapwa Vilmanian na hindi ko naranasan noon. Ang unang-una kong pakikipag-tanggol at pakiki-pagsagutan sa kampong mapang-away kahit man lang sa pagsulat. Unti-unti ko ring hinahasa dito ang kinakalawang kong pag-sulat sa Ingles man o sariling wika. Dito ko naranasan ang pinakamalapit kong pakikiharap kay Mayor Vi sa pamamagitan ng kanyang pagbati at pagsulat. At siya, bilang aking inspirasyon, ang nakapag-udyok sa aking makagawa at maibahagi dito ang kauna-unahang ’haiku’ sa tanang buhay ko na hindi ko inaasahang mangyayari. Salamat, Ate Vi. Agra Amauri, n.b. Ang paggamit ng pangalang ito ay pagbibigay pugay sa isang taong naging tulay upang madiskubre ang isang munting Vilma Santos. Kung hindi ako nagkakamali, ang ’uncle Amaury Agra’ ni Ate Vi ang unang nagdala at nagprisinta kay Doc Perez sa Sampaguita Pictures. After that, the rest is history. Ano na kaya ang nangyari sa kanya? Wala akong nababasa tungkol sa kanya. Kung saan man siya naroroon, maraming salamat.

R Viray – Maliit pa akong bata, mulat na ang kaisipan ko tungkol sa mga bagay bagay tungkol kay ate Vi. Madalas yung mga amiga ng auntie kapag nagmamadjong, isa sa mga usapan nila lagi ay nauuwi sa mga maiinit na debate tungkol kung sinong mas mas maganda, kung sinong mas magaling kumanta, sumayaw. Kadalasan ang kinauuwian nito’y ang pagliliparan ng mga “tiles” ng madjong. Ang mga amiga ng tita’y ang mga makukulay na karakter sa aking kabataan. Nakasanayan ko nang manood ng mga pelikula ni Ate Vi mula pa sa aking kabataan. Mayroon kaming kamaganak na takilyera kung kaya madalas ang pagpasok namin sa mga sinehan na walang bayad. Ilang sa mga pelikulang napanood ko na nagbigay sa aking ng ilang bangungot ay ang mga pelikula ni Ate Vi na kakatakutan. Katulad ng Lipad Darna Lipad, Hatingabi na Vilma at Anak ng Aswang. Kung sa gabi’y banungot ang lagi kong nararanasan salamat naman kay Darna at ang kapatid niyang si Ding laging nasasagip ako sa ending ng bawat masamang panaginip ko. Sa tuwing hapon matapos ang aking klase, takbo ako ng takbo, kalaro ko ang aking pinsan. Ako si Darna at ang pinsan ko naman ang babaing ahas! Labanang umaatikabo. Takbo kami sa bubong hanggang sa silong na aming bahay. Sigaw ng sigaw si inay lalo na nang marumihan namin ang puting kulambo na kakaalmirol lamang niya’t nakasabit kisame ng aming sala. Takbo rito, takbo ruon habol na rin si inay sa amin. Kapag dumarating na si tatay na lasing, naiisip ko lagi si Max Alvarado sa Darna and the Giants. Dahil sa mga yabag niya, nabubugabog ang buong bahay namin. Kapag dumarating rin si tatay ay laging napuputol ang panonood ko sa tv. Taong 1973, gabi ng parangal ng FAMAS. Nominado si Ate Vi. Nakatutok ako sa telebisyon habang nanahi ang nanay ko ng mga belong itinitinda niya sa Quiapo. Hating-gabi na pero dahil sa kaabalahan ay hindi ako pansin ni inay. Malapit nang i-proklama kung sino ang best actress. Hanggang sa dumating si Itay, si Max. Bakit raw gising pa ako! Inutusan akong bumili ng kanyang lapad. Nagdadabog akong tumakbo sa tindahan. Malayo-layo rin ito. Mabilis akong kumilos dahil sa banta ni itay na kung hindi ako kikilos agad papatayin niya ang telebisyon. Mga sampung kanto rin ang tindahan mula sa aming bakuran. Ilang araw na ulan kung kaya ang lupa sa aming bakuran ay basa’t maputik. Sa tindahan magsasara na si Aling Toyang mabuti na lang at naabutan ko kung hindi’y ang lalakbayin ko’y dagdag na anim na kanto, duon sa susunod na tindahan, kay Mang Tomas. Kapag kuha ko ng lapad ay takbo na ako. Sigaw ako ng Darna at ang pakiramdam ko talaga’y lumilipad ako. Malapit na ako sa aming pinto’t tumatakbo ako sa aming bakuran ng marinig ko ang mga kahol ng aso ng aming kapitbahay. Sa tako’t ko’y lalo ko pang binilisan ang pagtakbo hanggang sa madapa ako sa gitna ng putikan. Galit na galit ang tatay ko. Bakit raw puro putik ang lapad niya, pero mabuti raw at hindi nabasag. Galit na galit ang nanay ko at nag-umpisa na silang mag-away dahil ang sabi ni nanay mas mahalaga pa raw kay Max ang lapad niya. Naligo agad ako’t nagbihis at bumalik sa harap ng telebisyon habang patuloy na nagaaway ng tatay at nanay ko. Malapit nang sabihin kung sino ang mananalo nang bigla na lamang akong sigawan ng tatay ko’t ibig paalisin sa harap ng telebisyon. Napatingin na lamang ako sa nanay ko upang humingi ng saklolo. Hatak hatak ako ng tatay ko pero nakatutok pa rin ang mga mata ko sa telebisyon. Iprinoklaman si Ate na ka-tie ni Boots Anson Roa bilang best aktres! Habang paakyat ng entablado si Ate Vi, nakangiti ako, hindi ko alam na pinapalo na pala ako ng tatay ko ng kanyang sinturon. Nang patayin ng tatay ko ang telebisyon ay saka ako napasigaw sa sakit, latay latay na pala ang katawan ko hindi ko pa pansin dahil sa epekto ni Ate Vi sa akin. Bata pa ako nuon hanggang sa lumaki ako, lahat ng sakit sa puso at kung ano anong problema hindi ko naaalintana dahil nariyan si Ate Vi. – GO to 1/2

RELATED READING:
V Magazine Issue No. 7 Memoirs of Vilmanians
Vilmanians Photo Album
Memorabilia Photo Album
V Magazine
Music Album (Photo)
Vilma Santos’ 18TH Birthday (Repost)
Vi and Bot Photo Album
Paper Doll and other Nostalgia
Die Hard Vilmanians Magazine
Favorite Penpal (Repost)
1972 Best Actress
Happy Birthday Vilma – The VSSI Officers & Members (Video)
Print Media 1970s – 2000s (Video)

Last month, we discussed leading female stars’ “career arcs” with some show biz colleagues and most of us agreed that Vilma Santos has had the most interesting and instructive career to date — and her future prospects could be even more remarkable! We have other outstanding female stars who’ve won all sorts of awards, essayed a great variety of roles with distinction, and enjoyed a nationwide influence beyond their show biz context.

Major Crises – But, Vilma has done more, gone further and weathered major crises besides, so she’s in a category all her own. See if you agree: Vilma started her career as a child star, and this made her grow up in a hurry. Unlike many other child talents who stop getting offers at the onset of adolescence, Vilma kept right on working in front of the TV-movie cameras, all the way to pang-kilig teenybopper roles, her precocious love team with Edgar Mortiz, and young-adult roles. Financial reverses pulled her down momentarily, but Vilma fought back and paid her debts, eliciting the admiration of entertainment industry leaders, who were surprised and gratified to see that the “cute” star had true grit going for her, as well. Then came another challenge that threatened her career’s continuing upward trajectory: Vilma had been acting her heart out in her starrers, but she always seemed to end up second-best to Nora Aunor when it came to awards. As a result, Vilma took a hard look at her options, and decided to concentrate on relatively daring roles that Nora felt incapable of doing full justice to.

Challenging Roles – This meant that Vilma would go for challenging roles like the tragic stripper in “Burlesk Queen,” the demented lead in “Dama de Noche,” and the modern, conflicted wife in “Relasyon!” Happily, Vilma’s daring gamble worked: Viewers didn’t feel that she had “cheapened” herself. Many awards came her way, and the industry finally saw Nora and Vilma as co-equal queens, not only of the box office, but also of movie awards competitions. Later, Vilma’s thespic stock went up even further when she played an activist nun in “Sister Stella L.” Not only did the difficult role stretch Vilma’s limits, but it also made her “relevant” in terms of social issues, as “Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo” had earlier done for Nora. This new sensitivity to extra-show biz concerns peaked when Vilma married rising politician, Ralph Recto. Soon, she herself ran for office, and served Lipa City well as its mayor for nine formative and affirmative years. Her constituents’ approval of her tenure invited her to dream bigger in political terms, and she ended up in a hard-fought campaign that made her the governor of Batangas province. Sure, Vilma’s focus on politics for the past decades has limited her show biz involvement, but her colleagues have supported her in her new endeavor, because she has proven that some stars can do more than entertain.

Female TV-movie Luminary – Yes, male stars like Fernando Poe Jr. and Joseph Estrada have done the same, but it’s gratifying to see that a female TV-movie luminary like Vilma can also serve the nation. To date, Vilma’s political posts have been local and provincial in nature, but her recent triumph at the polls has made some “queenmakers” dream of next pointing her toward running for a national position — as senator, or even higher! At the moment, this sounds like a fantasy, but stranger things have been known to happen in this country, where show biz and politics are — very comfortable bedfellows!

Tandem – It’s interesting to note that, some years ago, we saw the Ralph-Vilma tandem eventually contesting the top post in the land with Kiko-Sharon, Mar-Korina, or other, yet-unheralded politics-and-show biz pairings. — And now? Will it be Vilma-Ralph, instead? In any case, Vilma has been scrupulously learning her political lessons, so she could decide to take the “big step” without waiting for another decade to elapse. Adding to her confidence is the fact that, although she’s rarely seen on the big and small screen these days, she remains a popular star and her movies have continued to hit it big at the box office — evincing a popularity that she can make full use of in a national election. So, will she, or won’t she? Whatever the future holds, Vilma is our leading female TV-movie luminary to date — and the Star for All Seasons is now also the Star for Many More Reasons! – Inquirer, 08/18/2007