Respect – “…We have been talking about women empowerment—you should treat women with respect. Ang sinasabi nila babae lang naka sunod lang sa lalaki—not anymore. We truly respect men, but remember marami kami kaya gawin. Hindi ka babae lang—babae kami. Do not underestimate us, do not say bad words against us, kahit papano—aalma kami. Bago ka magsalita ng hindi maganda, tingnan mo sarili mo.” – Hon. Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto, Governor of the Province of Batangas, Philippines, reported by Anna Cerezo, ABS-CBN News, 16 March 2026

Quiet Strength – “…What makes their union remarkable is not its perfection, but its resilience. Through political seasons, showbiz pressures and personal challenges, Vilma and Ralph have chosen consistency over spectacle and partnership over ego. Their story is one of quiet strength — a reminder that true power lies not in titles or applause, but in a marriage that continues to endure, inspire and grow with grace…” – Jefferson Fernando, Daily Tribune, 15 Feb 2026

The Essence is Clear – “…One of the biggest box-office hits of 1978 was Magkaribal. In the film, Vilma Santos and Alma Moreno were rivals for the affection of Christopher de Leon. During filming, Vilma and Alma indeed became rivals — not for De Leon’s affection, but for star magnitude. Vima Santos-Recto. Batangas vlogger asked her reaction to bashers criticizing her, her husband — Executive Secretary Ralph Recto — and their son, Ryan Christian. After the content was uploaded, some mean soul re-edited the interview to make her look pompous. In my recent communication with Vilma, she did not deny issuing the controversial statement. Her fault? A “wrong choice of words,” which she readily admitted. Lyka Manalo, the Batangas vlogger who originally uploaded the interview in full, later posted on Facebook a complete transcription of Vilma’s chat with local media. It is tedious reading, having been transcribed from video, but the essence is clear: Vilma was referring to her family’s bashers — not the rest of humanity — in that conversation with the Batangas press. Vilma will surely get over this hump in time. Still, one can only imagine the kind of Christmas she endured during what is supposed to be a season of joy…” – Butch Francisco,Daily Tribune, 09 Jan 2026

Longest-reigning Movie Queen – “Since I started writing 500 years ago — people think I’m that old, anyway — it has been my tradition to write New Year’s wishes for the incoming year. My wishes have always revolved around show business. This year, however, my list straddles both showbiz and politics, especially since some personalities implicated in the flood control program scandal also happen to be entertainers. So here are my wishes for 2026…For Vilma Santos’ stature in showbiz not to collapse completely because of the controversy hounding her at the moment. This is the one where she supposedly said they were being criticized because they were “up there” and the rest were “down there.” Clearly, she did not say that. An old interview, pertaining to a different topic, was re-edited to ruin her reputation. With her archrival Nora Aunor gone, Vilma is now the longest-reigning movie queen. She has accomplished so much in entertainment, and it would be a shame for her career to end in scandal…” – Butch Francisco, Daily Tribune, 02 Jan 2026

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