April – May 2005 | Star For All Seasons

I set my alarm at 3am. I’ve read in the papers that San Sebastian Cathedral in Lipa City will be celebrating its 400 Anniversary on April 30. The concelebrated mass is at 10am, so I made plans with Cesar, a fellow Vilmanian, to meet at the bus station at 5am. We have to get out of Manila before 6am, so that we can get to Lipa at least an hour before the mass starts. Dapat maaga para maganda ang lugar naming sa simbahan! Cesar, for a change was early, I was late. Anyways, we left the bus station at 6am and arrived at Lipa at 8:30am. Ang aga naming, ano? We decided to take breakfast first, but while walking for the food chain, a black van stopped beside us. Niloko ko pa si Cesar, “Andito na pala si Ate Vi” pointing at the van, dahil kamukha ng van ni ate Vi. Pero matalas ang mata ni Cesar. Nakita at nakilala niya ang driver ng van si Fermin! Si Fermin nga na driver ni ate Vi for the longest time! Bumukas ang pinto sa harap at bumaba ang isa sa mga security escort ni ate Vi, na si Piolo (kamukha kasi siya ni Piolo), tapos ang isang pinto naman ang bumukas at bumaba si ate Emelyn kasunod si ate Vi! Caught unguarded!

Ang dalawang camera na dala ko parehong nasa bag ko pa! Hindi ko alam kung ano ang uunahin ko ang tignan ng walang sawa ang ganda ni ate Vi at batiin siya o ang kunin ang camera sa bag ko at umpisahan na ang pagkuha ng pictures? I must admit, I’ve seen her several times, pero kahit ilan beses ko siyang makita, palagi pa rin akong natutulala! Syempre naman, nasa harap ko yata ang “best actress and most important actress of the country!” At isang future national artist at Ramon Magsaysay awardee, ayon naman kay garmar! After several minutes, I finally got my camera out of my bag. Nagtig-isa kami ng hawak na camera ni Cesar and we started clicking. Ang ganda talaga ni ate Vi, lalo na sa suot niyang Filipina dress na gawa ng kanyang favorite na si JC Buendia. Very tasteful and elegant din ang suot niyang jewelry, south sea pearl earring and pearl choker. Very feminine din ang bulaklak sa buhok niya. She positioned herself, together with Mr. Danny Dolor and other Lipa bigwigs sa may pintuan ng simbahan to greet the visitors.

The Concelebrated Mass started exactly at 10am. Si Lipa Archibishop Ramon Arguelles ang main celebrant together with 5 bishops and more than 30 priests of the province. Si Cardinal Vidal of Cebu sana ang magdeliver ng homily, pero dahil hindi pa siya nakabalik mula sa Rome, si Arch. Arguelles na rin ang nagbigay ng homily. (A little trivia lang, si Cardinal Vidal ay dating Archibishop ng Lipa; ang pumalit kay Cardinal Sin as Archbishop of Manila na si Arch. Rosales ay galing din sa Lipa). The mass is celebrated in Latin – lahat pati ang mga dasal at kanta. Sana andoon si Fr. J para mag-translate. The mass was over at 11:30 at nagkaroon ng konting picture taking with ate Vi, Lipa City officials, Arch. Arguelles and the other celebrants. Filipiniana ang motif ng okasyon at talaga namang nakuha ni ate Vi ang cooperation ng mga taga Lipa. They really came with the best filipiniana attire! Kahit pa nga super init sa loob ng simbahan dahil sa dami ng tao, talaga namang naka saya sila at terno! Napakagandang tignan lalo na iyong mga matatanda na, na halos ay inaakay na pero umattend pa rin sa misa at naka filipiniana rin.

Siguro mga 90% ng dumalo ang naka filipiniana. Sa offertory, ang nag-offer ay tatlong nakasakay sa hammock – isang bata, isang teen-ager, isang magulang at isang matandang lola – to signify the four centuries of the cathedral. Syanga pala, ang tawag ni Arch. Arguelles kay ate Vi ay “Mayor Ate Vi.” Nagulat kami ni Cesar dahil akala naming sanay na ang mga taga-Lipa na makita si Ate Vi, pero talaga namang pinagkaguluhan pa rin siya! This will explain kung bakit ang ibang pictures na kuha ko ay out of focus o kaya naman ay may ulo na nakuhanan. Meron ngang isang lola na talagang gusto niyang magpakuha ng picture kay ate Vi kaya lang wala naman siyang dalang camera. I ended up taking their picture. Sa maigsing pakikipagusap naming kay ate Vi, nabanggit niya na hindi siya makaka-attend sa Cannes dahil papunta siya ng China for a convention together with Sen. Ralph, VP Noli de Castro and other Senators. Nasabi rin niya na may tatlong shooting days pa siya for MMK, hindi lang niya binanggit kung saan ang location.

Very apologetic siya dahil hindi raw niya kami nakausap ng matagal, ang dami kasi ng tao at talagang pinagkakaguluhan na siya. Anyways, sapat na sa amin ang sandaling pakikiharap niya sa amin at ang makita naming kung gaano pa rin siya kamahal ng mga taga-Lipa at maging ng mga pari ng Batangas. Sa bus pabalik ng Manila, napag-usapan naming ni Cesar na hindi naming akalain na magiging Mayor si Ate Vi. Sabi nga si Cesar, tinawag siya para sa trabahong ito at hindi niya pinili. Malay natin baka ilan panahon pa aa Malacanang na ako nakikipagsiksikan at kumukuha ng litrato. – Eric Nadurata, V Magazine, April – May 2005 (READ MORE)

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When all is said and done, the best actress race contest for 2004 is between forever arch rivals, in alphabetical order, Nora Aunor (Naglalayag) and Vilma Santos (Mano Po III-My Love). Junior actress Judy Ann Santos was a surprise spoiler when she beats the veteran actresses at the 2nd. EnPress awards for best dramatic actress. She won for Sabel. At the 2004 Manila Film Festival where Sabel was an entry versus Naglalayag. Judy Ann lost to Nora Aunor for best actress. It was a sweet double victory for Judy Ann, beating the two fierce rivals, but more of a vengeance for her versus Nora, than Vilma, for clobbering the superstar at Enpress for the same movies they appeared in the 2004 MFF. This is Judy Ann’s first best actress win. She is also expected to win at the FAMAS where Nora and Vilma, both Hall of Famers, are not in the running. But because of Judy Ann’s double nominations, Sabel and Aishite for best actress, she might just be eclipsed by dark horse Claudine Barreto for her more internalized and powerful performance in Milan.

So far, Nora, minus the YCC, where she almost won as best performer, has garnered these awards for Naglalayag: Manila Film Festival, Brussels Intl. Film Fest, First YHC (Young Hearts Club), First BALATCA, Tanglaw (tie with Vilma Santos), PASADO. Vilma Santos has won the following so far for Mano Po III: Metro Manila Film Festival, First Gawad Suri, Tanglaw (tie with Nora Aunor), PMPC Star. Based on the above trend, Nora and Vilma have the lion’s share of awards. With the FAP and the Urian (Both Judy Ann will win this last two – RV) waiting in the wings to crown their choices, it looks like there is no potential grand slam winner. Vilma holds the most number of grand slams, four in all to Nora’s one. Technically even if Nora wins in the FAP and Urian, Vilma still holds the record of the actress with the most acting trophies won ever since she won as best a child actress at the FAMAS in 1963. But Nora will have an uphill climb at the FAP and Urian as Vilma’s riveting and intense performance in MPIII matches if not eclipses her marvelous performance in Naglalayag.

It also doesn’t help that she was arrested at the LA airport for shabu and glass pipe possession which may turn off FAP voters. As in the Oscars where “peer to peer” endearments factor helps win votes, that “dark episode” in Nora’s troubled life may turn in her favor, because of sympathy votes. You know how Filipinos are suckers for sob stories. As far as the Urian is concerned, which is looked up to in the industry as the most credible award-giving body, my prediction is that it is a toss up, or a tie, as the group is notorious for having the most “tie” wins in award-giving business. But if Urian should know better, Vilma Santos should win solo as she has given a better performance than Nora. Not only does she hold the movie together but is given more situations to show her range as an actress, From Nestor Torre’s review: “We liked the way Vilma Santos’ character was written, as a former activist who became a crusader against crime and corruption. It was also good that the movie’s central conflict revolved around her, so Vilma was given every opportunity to display her acting prowess.” That said, I predict a FAP and Urian sweep for Vilma Santos, not because I am a Vilmanian, but because Ms. Santos – performance is the best last year. – Mar Garces, V Magazine, April – May 2005 (READ MORE)