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NOON AT NGAYON

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Siyam na taong gulang si Vilma Santos nang gawin niya ang kauna-unahang pelikula niya ang “Trudis Liit” ng VP Pictures na itinanghal noong Pebrero 21 – Marso 2, 1963. Naging abala siya pagkatapos sa linguhang taping ng TV series na “Larawan ng Pag-ibig” sa ABS (ang dating KBS sa Roxas Blvd. Noon) kung saan nakasama niya sina Zeny Zabala at Willie Sotelo. Noon pa man, kapuna-puna na madaling kumuha ng direksiyon si Vi, bukod pa sa mabilis itong magmemoya ng linya. Lubha rin siyang maingat sa kanyang pangkalahatang kaanyuhan bago humarap sa kamera. Kapag ang eksena ay sa loob ng tahanan, medyo guguluhin niya ang buhok, titiyakin na may kalumaan ang suot na simpleng damit, pati na ang tsinelas. Kapag sa labas naman ang eksena, pipili siya ng angkop na kasuotan, na para sa kanya ay komportable at simple. Dito sila madalas nagkakaiba ng panlasa ng kanyang ina. Pati na sa ayos ng buhok. Ang kay Vi, ang pananatili pa rin ng dating gawi. Ang sa kanyang mama, artista at kinakailangan nga naman ng kauting pagbabago sa panlabas na kaanyuan. Siyempre, ang kadalasang resulta, ang Mama niya ang nasusunod. After all, mother knows best, hindi ba? Bagay na hanggang nagdalaga si Vi ay muli at muli niyang napatunayan. Anyway, noon pa man, natural lang na mamalas kay Mama Santos ang understandeble pride sa anak, lalo pa’t madalas sabihin nina Zeny at Willie, “Artista talaga! Madali niyang masakyan ang prepesyong ito!” na matinding intriga at kontrobersiya.

Ipinanganak nga marahil si Ma. Rosa Vilma Tuazon Santos sa show business dahil sa pagitan ng taping ng “Larawan..” ay nagkasunod-sunod na ang kanyang mga pelikula: ”Anak, Ang Iyong Ina” ng Sampaguita Pictures (Abril 5 – 13, 1963), “King ang Queen For A Day” (Hulyo 4 – 13, 1963), “Duelo Sa Sapang Bato” ng Larry Santiago Productions (Hulyo 13 – 22, 1963), “Aninong Bakal” ng Vitri Films (Oktubre 9 – 28, 1963), “Ging” ng People’s Pictures (Enero 20 – 29, 1964), “Larawan Ng Pag-ibig” ng Vitri (base sa TV series, Pebrero 19 – 28, 1964), “Naligaw Na Anghel” ng LSP (Agosto 8 – 17, 1964), “Sa Bawa’t Pintig Ng Puso” ng LSP (Nobyemre 16 – 25, 1964), “Sa Baril Magtuos” ng Medallion Films (Abril 12 – 20, 1965), “Maria Cecilia” ng LSP (Mayo 15 – 24, 1965), “Morena Martir” ng VP (Hulyo 20 – Agosto 9, 1965), “Kay Tagal Ng Umaga” ng LSP (Agosto 23 – Setyembre 1, 1965), “Iginuhit Ng Tadhana” ng 777 Films (Setyembre 7 – 15, 1965), “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit” ng LSP (Enero 9 – 18, 1966), “Hampaslupang Maton” ng JBC (Mayo 5 – 12, 1966), “Ito Ang Dahilan” ng LSP (Agosto 1 – 8, 1966), “Batang Iwahig” ng LSP (Oktubre 21 – 28, 1966), “Ito Ang Pilipino” ng EMAR (Disyembre 30, 1966 – Enero 9, 1967), “The Longest Hundred Miles” ng VIP (Hunyo 18 – 27, 1967), “De Colores” ng Arco-Iris (Marso 30 – April 10, 1968), “Kasalanan Kaya” ng Virgo Films (Hunyo 16 – 28, 1968), “Sino Ang May Karapatan” ng Virgo (Nobyembre 16 – 25, 1968), “Pinagbukold Ng Langit” ng UBP (Agosto 7 – 28, 1969), “Pag-ibig, Masdan Ang Ginawa Mo” ng RVQ Films (Setyembre 7 – 13, 1969), “My Darling Eddie” ng JBC (Disyembre 16 – 23, 1969, “Mardy” ng JBC (Disyembre 31 – Enero 6, 1969) hanggang “Young Love” ng VP Enero 1 – 21, 1970) ng lumikha ng rekord sa takilya.

Ang tutoo niyan, ang pag-aartista ni Vi ay nag-ugat sa isang family reunion na usung-uso sa mga Santoses. Sa isa sa mga ganyang okasyon, nabanggit ng tiyuhin ni Vi, si G. Amaury Agra, (noo’y cameraman ng Sampaguita Pictures) na bakit hindi nito subukin ang pag-aartista. Katuwiran ng amain, lista naman ang pamangkin at napakalimit pa nitong mapasali sa school plays, siyempre, ayaw ng ina ang dating Milagros Tuazon na tubong Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. Pag-aaral muna, bago ano pa aman. Iba naman ang reaksiyon ng ama, si Amado Santos ng Bamban, Tarlac. Amused ito at siyempre, nandoon ang parental pride dahil batid niyang maganda, matalino at lista ang anak. Iba pa rin ang reaksiyon ng mag kapatid ni Vi, sina Ma. Michaela (Emelyn) at Ma. Theresa (Maritess). Tuwang-tuwa sila. Masarap nga namang pakinggan iyong may “artista” sa pamilya. Ang dalawang bunso, sina Ma. Norwena (Winnie) at Joel (Sonny Boy) ay mga paslit pa lamang upang maunawaan ang pinag=uusapan. Natapos ang family reunion. Nakalimutan ang suhestiyon.

Makalipas ang mga tatlong buwan, nakatanggap ng maikling sulat si Mama Santos muka lay G. Agra. Naghahanap ang Sampaguita Picutures ng batang babae na gaganap ng mahalagang papel sa “Anak, Ang Iyong Ina!” at isinali ng amain ang pangalan ni Vi. Hindi puwedeng lumiban si Papa Santos sa pinpasukang government office, at ayaw naman nilang mapahiya ang kamag-anak, kaya napilitan si Mama Santos na humingi ng day=off sa opisina (Aguinaldo’s). Pagdating sa studio, wala si G. Agra at nasa location shooting, ngunit totoong naroroon ang pangalan ni Vi, kaya’t pinapasok sila sa tanggapan. Napadaan sa harapan ni Mama Santos si Bella Flores na dala ang script ng “Trudis Liit.” Nagulumihanan si Mama Santos. Binasa niyang muli ang liham ni G. Agra. Mali yata ang napuntahan nila! Akma niyang tatawagin si Vi na noon ay nkikipaglaro sa iba pang mga bata upang yayain na itong umuwi, nang pumasok sina Mommy Vera, Dr. at Mrs. Perez, at Eddie Garcia. At doon nagsimula ang movie career ni Vi na magpahanggang ngayon ay batbat pa rin ng iba’t ibang panunuri, opinyon at konklusiyon.

Pagkatapos ni Vi ng “Young Love,” nagsimula naman ang napakalaking pagbabago sa buhay niya at career life. Ang trend noon ay musicals, kung kaya’t sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, umawit siya sa pelikula. Sa “My Darling Eddie” ng JBC, inawit niya ang “Devoted To You” ka-dweto si Edgar Mortiz. At dahil kararaos lamang ni Vi ng kanyang 16th birthday, sinulat ni Danny Subido ang awiting “Sixteen” na siyang naging unang plaka ni Vi sa Wilear’s Recording na ang likod ay “Wonderful To Be In Love.” Ang nasabing plaka ay agad naging number one sa loob lamang ng limang araw at tumagal ito sa gayong puwesto nang mahigit sa isang buwan. Noon, malaking rekord na ang gayon.

1970 rin nang magsimula ang professional rivalry nila ni Nora Aunor na lalong lumaganap at tumagal sa tulong ng mga publisidad, mga tagahanga at mga tao sa kani-kanilang paligid. Iisa ang pinagpatahian nila ng damit, ang Torino’s, halos iisa rin ang mga TV programs na dinadaluhan nial, gayon din ang mga movie companies na kanilang pinaglilingkuran, ngunit sa mata ng publiko, lalo na ng kanikanilang mga tagahanga, magkaiba sina Vilma at Nora. Iisa lamang ang dapat nakaupo sa trono ng katanyagan, iisa lamang ang dapat may hawak ng setro ng popularidad, iisa lamang ang puputungan ng korona ng superstardom.

1970 rin nang magsimulang i-ugnay si Vi kay Edgar, na siyang naging kauna-unahang nobyo niya sa tunay na buhay. Sunod-sunod ang kanilang pagtatambal: “Songs and Lovers” ng Tagalog Ilang Ilang Productions, “My Pledge Of Love” ng TIIP, “Love Is For the Two Of Us” ng AM, “From The Bottom of My Heart” ng TIIP at “Sixteen” ng Sampaguita, Ang naging mahigpit na “kalaban” ng kanilang tambalan ay ang love team nina Guy at Pip (Tirso Cruz III).

Dahil sa sunod-sunod na siyuting, hindi lang natigil sa pag-oopisina si Mama Santos, kung hindi nanganib din na matigil sa pag-aaral si Vi na nasa fourth year high school na. Minabuti nilang kumuha ng private tutor, na pinayagan naman ng pamunuan ng St. Mary’s Academy sa Trozo, Tondo, Maynila. Sa kanyang graduation, halata na mahal ng mga madre, guro at kamag-aral si Vi. Nagbalak siyang magpatuloy sa college, kahit na hindi kumpletong units bawa’t semester, ngunit iba pala ang balak ni Atty. Laxa ng TIIP.

1970 pa rin nang unang manibang bansa si Vi. Ginawa nila ni Edgar doon ang “Aloha, My Love” at “Never Say Goodbye.” Pagbalik niya rito, ginawa naman niya ang “Dingdong” ng Sampaguita ng siyang unang pinagtambalan nila ni Pip. Balik-tambalan sila ni Edgar sa “Sweethearts” at “Love Letters” bago niya sinimulan ang una nilang pagtatambal ni Jay Ilagan, ang “Inspirasyon” ng TIIP sa direksiyon ni Ishmael Bernal. Nasundan ito ng pagkakapanalo niya sa FAMAS (“Dama De Noche” ng TIIP) at nagpatuloy na niyang makasama ang iba pang mga batikan sa mga pelikulang tulad ng “Karugtong Ng Kahapon” (Eddie Rodriguez), “Mga Tigre Sa Sirra Cruz” (Charito Solis, direktor Augusto “Totoy” Buenaventura) at “Batya’t Palu-Palo” (Fernando Poe Jr.).

Anupa’t walang naging ibang daigdig ni Vi, mula 1963 kung hindi ang show business. Sabi ng niya sa isang interview: “…ibang-iba talaga. Para bang di man lamang ako dumaan sa pagkabata…heto akong naka-lollipop, and then bigla, ni wala man lamang transition, tumanda na akao, kayod na ako nang kayod, daig ko pa ang isang padre de familia. Noon, hindi ko pa na realiza na parang abnormal pala ang growing-up years ko. Paano, bising-bisi ako lagi sa trabaho. Besides, I was too young to understand about such things then, I ondly got to realiza about the things I’ve missed in life when I saw my younger sisters growing up. Ang saya-saya nila, they’re completely free to do anything they please, ang dami-dami nilang experiences na di mo man lamang naranasan. Somehow, in a way, inggit ako sa kanila. Pero all the same, ang mga nangyari’y nangyari na. Kahit ano pa ba ang gawin mo, di na na babalik ‘yung mga nakalipas na. And then, I’ve also learned it isn’t right to blame other people for what you’ve become. Kasi, ano e, talagang di tama. After all, if you don’t really want to do something, wala namang makakapilit sa’yo a. It’s not right for me to blame my Mama or my Papa dahil they never pushed me into becoming a movie personality. Ang aking pag-aartista’y kagustuhan ko. Lahat naman tayo, we all have to do what we feel we have to do. Everything in this world naman is dedicated by necessity. And yet, at the same time, di naman siguro ako masisisi for feeling cheated about some good things in life that somehow I feel I’ve missed..”

At nagpatuloy ang paggawa niya ng pelikula. Siya’y naging si “Dyesebel,” si “Darna,” si “Wonder Vi,” at ‘Bertang Kerengken” at ang “Kampanerang Kuba.” Nagpatuloy din ang pagsubaybay sa kanya ng publiko, bagama’t ibang aspeto sa buhay ni Vi ang nais laging malaman, ang kanyang love life. Naghiwalay sila ng landas ni Edgar at naging paboritong paksa ng hulaan ay kung sino ang susunod na aangkin sa pag-ibig ni Vi. Lahat halos nang nakatambal niya ay nasali sa “hulaan,” Jojit Paredes, Ronnie Henares, Dave Brodett, Jay Ilagan, Tirso Cruz III, Christopher De Leon, Mat Ranillo III, Bembol Roco, ABM Junior, Romeo Vasquez, Mark Gil at Lito Lapid. Maging sina Fernando Poe Jr., Dolphy at Eddie Rodriguez ay hindi nakaligtas. Ang hindi lamang yata nadawit kay ay sina Mayor Joseph Estrada (“The Sultan and I”), Victor Laurel (“Ophelia at Paris”), Jun Aristorenas (“Mahilig Ang Mister Ko”), Rudy Fernandez (“Makahiya’t Talahib”), Philip Salvador (“Rubia Servios”), Angelo Castro Jr at Ramil Rodriguez (“Modelong Tanso”) at Al Tantay (“Ang Galing Galign Mo Mrs Jones”). Wala isa mang nakakula na si Ronnie Henares ang naging mapalad na pangalawang kasintahan ni Vi.

1975 nang magsimulang magbago ng image si Vi. Pumayag siyang gumanap ng nagdadalang-tao sa “Mahilig…” at makipaghalikan ng lips to lips sa “Tag-ulan sa Tag-araw.” 1976 ay lalong napagtibay ang bold image ni Vi. Nag-prodyus siya at gumanap sa “Mga Rosa Sa Putikan” na sa pamagat lamang ay mahuhulaan kung anong uri ng karakter ang kanyang ginampanan. Ngunit sa kabila ng mga iyan, naroroon pa rin ang “hulaan” sa love life ng dalaga. Lalo pa nga at noong Marso 22, 1976 ay naging panauhin siya ng TV show ni Edgar na “People,” kapalit nung pagtungo nito sa TV show ni Vi, ang “Ayan Eh!” Natural, iisa ang konklusiyon ng karamihan. Magkakabalikan ang dating magkasintahan ng tatlong taon.

Nang sumunod ng taon, 1977, nakilala niya at nakatambal si Romeo Vasquez sa “Nagaapoy Na Damdamin.” Nang mga panahong iyon, nagpasiya na si Vi na bumukod ng tirahan. Ang tanging hangarin niya noon: matutong mamuhay nang mag-isa, magpasiya nang siya lamang ang mananagot sa anumang kahihinatnan, at matikman ang inaakala niyang kalayaan na ganap lamang niyang mapagsasawaan kung siya’y nakahiwalay sa mga magulang at kapatid. Naganap nga ang kanyang kagustuhan, ngunit hungkag pa rin ang kanyang buhay. Walang direksiyon. Ang naging publisidad nang hakbang na ito ni vi ay ang diumano’y pagsasabi niya na “I want to be liberated.” Marami ang nagtaas ng kilay. At lalo nang hindi nila maibaba ito nang mapabalita na si Bobby ay kasintahan na ni Vi. Lalong gumulo na ang iba’t ibang nasulat tungkol sa dalawa. Hanggang sa tuluyan nang maghiwalay sila ng landas.

Muli, pelikula na naman ang nagpaliit ng daigdig ni Vi. Bagama’t ang 1978 ay tinaguriang taon ng mga rosas para kay Vi (panay ang padala ng mga rosas nina Bobby, Christopher, Mar Ranillo, Rolly Quizon at isang nagngangalang Ricky), iyon din ang taong ng “Rubia Servios.” Sa awards night na ginanap noong Enero 3, 1979 sa CCP, marami ang humula na mananalo si Vi. Ngunit si Guy ang nanalo sa “Atsay.”

Ilang araw matapos ang awards night, nabalita na nagtangkang magpakamatay si Vi dahil sa sama ng loob. Paano at saan nagsimula ang balita? Mahirap tukuyin. Ang madali ay ang katotohanan. Pagkagaling sa CCP, nagkita-kita sina Vi at ang kanyang pamilya, Manay Ichu (Marichu Vera Perez), mga kapatid nitong sina Lilibeth at Chona, Cleo Cruz at ang manunulat na ito sa Palamigan Express. Pagkagaling doon, naganyaya si Vi sa kanyang tinutuluyan, sa Tuscanny sa Makati. Hindi sumama si Cleo. Pagdating doon nagpaalam na rin ang mga magulang at kapatid ni Vi. Naiwan ang mga Vera-Perezes, ang alalay noon ni Vi si Viring at ang ang inyong lindkod. Tahasang inamin ni Vi: “Hinangad ko ang manalo, dahil alam kong mahusay ang pagkakaganap ko sa tulong ni direk (Lino Brocka), Ipe (Philip) at Archie (Mat) at iba pang mga kasama. Pero hindi ako umasa. I hoped I’d win, but I did not expect naman. Of course, disappointed ako, masakit, pero kailangang tanggapin…” at iniba na ni Many Ichu ang usapan. Naglabas si Vi ng alak, naging topic ang mga off-the-record na love life at ilang personal na suliranin ni Vi at bago namin namalayan umaga na pala.

Duon, sa Tuscanny, muli naming napatunayan ang isa pang aspeto ng personalidad ni Vi. Ang kanyang pagiging masinop at pagiging systematic. Kung sabagay, noon pa mang nagsisimula pa lamang si Vi, agad mapapansin sa kanya ang breeding, sincerity at pagiging very gracious. Ang ganyang kaugalian ay nadala niya magpahanggang ngayon. Maging nang dumating ang panahon na nagkasabit-sabit ang kanyang mga schedule na naging dahilan nang pagiging unprofessional niya at times. Hindi pa rin nagbago ang kanyang basic and inherit traits.

Ngayon, nahaharap si Vi sa panibagong chapter in her life, ang pagiging isang ina. At sa halip na unawain siya ng iba, ngayon pa lamang hinuhusgahan na siya. May nanghihinayang. May kumukondena. Ngunit sa pagkakatanda namin, noon, ang tanong ay: ano ang pumipigil sa pag-aasawa ni Vi? Tipong inaapura nila ito noon at ngayong magpasiya ang aktres at bigyan daan ang sariling kaligayahan, iba naman ang naging reaksiyon.

Anu’t-anuman, sa paglingon ni Vi, taas-noo niyang masasabi na naibahagi niya sa kanyang publiko at tapat na mahabang pagbibigay-kasiyahan sa pamamagitan ng kanyang mga pelikula, plaka, TV shows at personal appearances. Altogether, she gave the best years of her life to her adoring public and it is but her right for her to now give herself the chance to live her life the way she wants it. – Ched P Gonzales, Modern Romances & True Confessions, 15 December 1980 (READ MORE)

Sister Courage

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TO CATCH UP WITH WOMEN’S Month and in celebration of a landmark movie’s 25th anniversary, the UP Film Institute (UPFI) mounted a screening of Mike de Leon’s “Sister Stella L.” Led by actors Vilma Santos and Laurice Guillen, producer Lily Monteverde and scriptwriter Jose F. Lacaba, cast, crew, critics and cineastes gathered at the Cine Adarna in UP Diliman on March 20. In her opening remarks, Prof. Anne de Guzman, UPFI director, said that the movie, which chronicles the political awakening of a cloistered nun (Santos) among striking factory workers, exemplified the virtue of “courage.” Prof. Ed Piano of UPFI agreed: “The film is as relevant and compelling today as it was 25 years ago. New generations of students should watch it to evoke a sense of history in them — for them to put in the right context the downfall of [President Ferdinand] Marcos and the victory of the so-called Edsa 1 or People Power Revolution.”

Nonoy Lauzon, UPFI cinema programmer, noted: “It is imperative to provide students the opportunity to watch real gems of RP movies.” Interestingly, the screening was organized by students taking up Film 280 (a course on the Philippine Film Industry), in partnership with a fan club, Vilma Santos Solid International, Inc.

According to Piano, the idea came from a priest and Vilmanian, Fr. Juancho de Leon of St. Valentine Parish in New Jersey. Also at the UP event was Sister Rosario Battung of Good Shepherd—one of the real-life activist-nuns, along with Sister Christine Tan, whom Lacaba interviewed before writing the screenplay with De Leon and Jose Almojuela.

“After 25 years, we are still facing the same problems: poverty and lack of education,” Santos told Inquirer Entertainment after the screening. On so many levels, the movie itself was an act of defiance, considering that this “non-formula” film was produced during the Marcos regime. Guillen, who also played an activist-nun in the film, asserted: “The challenge was to come up with a performance that had no signs of artifice and commercialism … to act as if you were a real nun in a documentary.” “I was known for portraying liberated, modern women,” she pointed out—most notably, her grand slam-winning role as mistress in Ishmael Bernal’s “Relasyon” in 1982. “For the first time in my career—and I had been acting since age 9—I was made to undergo a camera test.” Director De Leon wanted to see how she would look like in a habit and with little makeup, Santos explained. “[Also] I was told that I couldn’t walk with hips swaying—nuns don’t walk that way,” she said. Santos agreed: “The censors became more liberal then.” Still, government pressure bore down on them.

On her first day of work with De Leon, Santos arrived an hour late. “Although I heard that Mike could be strict and moody, he didn’t get mad,” Santos recalled. He just gave her long lines of dialogue to memorize—as punishment. “And I was supposed to deliver it in one take,” Santos said. She nailed it, though. “After the shoot, Mike whispered to me: ‘Next time, don’t be late.’” The director’s admonition, Santos clarified, was for “actors not to have to wait for a long time. On the sets of Mike’s movies, the staff would set up the night before. If an actor’s call time is 7 AM, he should be ready to shoot at 7 AM.” Shooting went smoothly, Santos said. The problems began when it was time to screen the movie.

The rallies protesting the assassination of Ninoy Aquino (in 1983) somehow worked in the film’s favor, commented filmmaker Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil, who worked as production staffer in the movie. “Banning the film would’ve incited more protests.”

Producer Monteverde of Regal Films recalled that she learned there was a warrant of arrest with her name on it. “The government wanted me to surrender the film. I hid the master negatives in my grand piano. The reels were so heavy, the piano’s three legs broke.” Music scorer Ding Achacoso recounted that fans got harassed in movie theaters. “Goons shouted at them, calling them subversives.” Achacoso also lost a luggage, filled with the film’s brochures and collaterals, when he left with director De Leon and production coordinator Amy Apiado for Venice, Italy, where it was in the main competition in 1984. “When we arrived in Europe, we learned that my luggage never left Customs in Manila,” Achacoso said. They also had to smuggle the film out of the country, Monteverde recounted. “We used another Regal movie’s title for the reels of film bound for Venice,” Achacoso said. “No, we didn’t use ‘Bomba Star,’” Monteverde added in jest.

In Venice, the film’s two screenings merited a standing ovation, Achacoso related. “We were surprised,” Apiado said. “Mike, Ding and I didn’t know how to react.” “When the foreigners left the [two] venues, they were humming the movie’s song ‘Aling Pag-Ibig Pa,’” Achacoso said. According to the music scorer, after the film was shown at the Cinémathèque Française (as part of a De Leon retrospective) in Paris, France, that same year, the institution’s president, Greek filmmaker Costa Gavras, requested for a copy of the movie for its archives. Achacoso said the foreigners found the ending “powerful,” an actual footage of a massive crowd gathered at the Quirino Grandstand, protesting the Aquino assassination.

Stiff competition -That shot, Achacoso noted, wasn’t included in the version shown in local movie houses. “That was one of the concessions for the film to get a commercial run.” But in its opening week, “Sister Stella L” was pitted against the Sharon Cuneta-starrer “Bukas Luluhod ang mga Tala” at the tills. “Ayun, on opening day, napaluhod kami (we were forced to our knees),” Santos said candidly. At the end of the first day, Santos found herself in Monteverde’s home. Santos reminisced: “We were both crying, asking ourselves: ‘Did we make the right move?’”

Two decades and a half later, Monteverde answered Santos’ question: “I have no regrets. This movie has brought honor to Regal. I consider myself lucky that I got to work with the country’s best filmmakers: Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal and Mike de Leon.” “I’m very proud of this movie,” Santos declared. “It has stood the test of time.” In an ironic twist, the subtitled copy of the movie that was shown in UP was borrowed from the library of the Philippine Information Agency — a Marcos-era office, said Roselle M. Teo, Monteverde’s daughter. “Regal just released a digitally restored DVD of ‘Sister Stella L.’” So where do they see “Sister Stella L” 25 years after? If a “Stella” sequel were to be produced, where would she be now?

Scriptwriter-actress Raquel Villavicencio, who played a meek nun in the movie, surmised: “Stella would be a member of the New People’s Army by now.”  Lacaba noted: “Stella would still be a nun, still pursuing the cause of Ka Dencio (the slain labor leader in the film).” As an afterthought, Lacaba added: “But she could be a governor, too.” Like the film’s star Santos or priest-turned-Pampanga Governor Eddie Panlilio? Santos found this amusing: “Sister Stella is now Batangas governor, doing her best to serve the people with sincerity, honesty and competence.” – Bayani San Diego Jr., Philippine Daily Inquirer, 03/30/2009

Dekada 70: A Book Review

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In the 70’s, the Republic of the Philippines was suffering under the midst of then- President Ferdinand Marcos’ reign as ruler. It was in September 21st, 1972, that he chained close whatever inkling of democracy the Filipinos had by declaring Martial Law. Unfortunately, it was a rule of a a twisted sort: the nation would be under the rule of the Armed Forces, but contrary to its definition, Marcos’ Martial Law kept himself in power. Dekada ’70 (Translated into English, the 70’s decade) is a bittersweet tale of love in the face of hate, hope in the face oppression, and new life in the midst of death. It is a novel of a mother, her examination of her oft-unappreciated role in modern society, and how she struggles to find for herself a sense of purpose and identity while suffering through the very pit of the nation’s disintegration. It is a novel of a mother and her family, how society around her affects her family. It is a tale of she becomes torn between the letter of the law or her responsibility as a mother.

Dekada ’70 tells of how under hate, greed and corruption, one normal person transcends beyond right and wrong: instead learns that it is freedom that entails survival. Set in the 70’s, urban Metro Manila, Amanda Bartolome is a middle-class mother of five young men. Amanda acts as a supposed symbolism of detachment. First of all, she was a mother, a housewife; such were not considered integral parts of society during those times. She was not the breadwinner; she did not experience the foremost effects of the decline of the Philippines economy back then. She was a member of the middle class; her family did not take money, like the rich, nor did her family suffer the worst of the financial crises, like the poor. The lives of Amanda’s children each went in different directions in the story, and each varied. Her eldest son was Jules. Jules grew up normally, similar to every other ideal family. His upbringing was that of what ideally conformed to normal standards and circumstances. Being the eldest, however, Jules lived, and more importantly, matured through the shock caused by the declaration of President Marcos’ martial law. Thus, Jules lived his adolescence exposed to rebellious reading material, and inevitably molded his mind into that of guerilla. Jules grew up to become a member of the communist New People’s Army, and his evolution came full circle.

Amanda and the father, Julian, had suspicions of their son’s inclination to become an anti-Government winger when they found copies of rebellious pamphlets lying around the house. It was when they confronted their son with it that he told them of his decision. At first, the conflict that had arisen was unbearable. But eventually, as parents, they grew to accept their son, and became proud of him. In fact, heir home became a constant place of recreation for Jules, and more often than not he would come by with a friend. The friend of Jules whom Amanda had become the fondest of was Doming. Doming stayed with their family for quite a while, because he was recuperating from an injury. The family became close to the young man because, among other things, he reminded them of their son Jules. But, it was all too late when they realized that Doming was an operative of the government all this time. He exposed Jules. His friendship was all a front. Jules was subsequently sent to prison. Possibly the most successful of the children was Isagani, their second child. With Jules becoming a rebel, they became more careful with how they handled Isagani, or Gani, as they fondly called him. Gani then grew up to become a sailor, and became the family’s cream of the crop.Gani, however, quickly became the goat of the family because he had made the simplest mistake of getting a girl, his girlfriend Evelyn, pregnant. Naturally, being a Catholic country, the parents insisted on marriage. Alas, their lives were nothing but hollow imitations of couples in love, without enough of the very essence that keeps two people together. Their separation was inevitable; Gani never lived the shame down.

Ironically, it was the third Bartolome offspring that provided himself with the most secure future. Emmanuel lived the same life as his elder brothers, but knew that the extreme left and the extreme right had no place in society. He called for peaceful evolution, change in the form of expression. He wanted to become a writer, a noble profession, one exceptionally crafted for someone of Emmanuel’s ability. His problem was, his father violently objected to his son’s decision, due to practical reasons. There is no good pay for a writer. Jason was Julian’s favorite among his children. He was also the opposite of Emmanuel. While Emmanuel was studious and hardworking, Jason was a typical teenager. He joined rallies to make noise, not express a message. He was a constant failure in school, albeit his problems were self-inflicted. He stole from his parents. He lied to them. However, in the midst of the first three brothers’ hardships, it was Jason’s happy-go-lucky demeanor that provided Amanda and Julian with a well-needed dose of happiness. Unfortunately, in the end, it was Jason’s felonious tendencies that caused hm his life; it wasn’t his fault, but he was out with his usual round of pecadillos that the police accidentally killed Jason. Sometime before he was sent to prison, Jules himself met a girl he wanted to marry. And unlike Gani, he truly loved this woman, Marah, and also got her pregnant. While in prison, he married Marah, and so there was the first addition to their family. The youngest son was Benjamin. After all had come to pass, he was in the middle of his teens. – library.thinkquest.org (READ MORE)

Mano Po Ate Vi!

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L ast but definitely not the least. The Mano Po series by Regal Films closes at the 2004 Metro Manila Film Festival with Mano Po 3: My Love, following Mano Po 1: My Family and Mano Po 2: My Home, again with Joel Lamangan at the helm (Mano Po 2 was megged by Erik Matti). And to celebrate the culmination of Local Movies’ only successful trilogy, sustained with a big cast and astronomical budget, Regal Matriarch moved heaven and earth to enlist Vilma Santos, The Star For All Seasons, as lead actress opposite Mano Po “veteran” Christopher “Boyet” de Leon, marking the loveteam’s 23rd movie together since 1975. Funfare/Conversation’s Toronto-based “international correspondent” Ferdinand Lapuz has listed down (chronologically) Vilma and Boyet’s starrers:

1975 – Tagulan sa Tagaraw (the first movie of Alma Moreno)

1977 – Masarap, Masakit ang Umibig (with Mat Ranillo III)

1978 – Ikaw ay Akin (with Nora Aunor); Nakawin Natin ang Bawat Sandali

1979 – Pinay American Style (with Bembol Roco and Cocoy Laurel); Disco Fever (first film of Rio Locsin); Magkaribal (with Alma Moreno)

1980 – Gusto Kita, Mahal Ko Siya (with Romeo Vasquez, shot in the US)

1981 – Pakawalan Mo Ako (with Anthony Castelo, with Vilma winning her second FAMAS Best Actress trophy); Karma (with Vilma winning as Best Actress at that year’s Metro Filmfest)

1982 – Sinasamba Kita (with Lorna Tolentino and Phillip Salvador); Relasyon (with Vilma scoring a Best Actress grand slam); Haplos (with Rio Locsin)

1983 – Paano Ba ang Mangarap?; Minsan Pa Nating Hagkan ang Nakaraan (with Eddie Garcia); Broken Marriage (with Vilma winning her second consecutive Urian trophy)

1989 – Imortal (with both Vilma and Boyet winning as Best Actress and Best Actor at that year’s Metro Filmfest)

1991 – Ipagpatawad Mo (with Vilma winning her fifth Urian trophy, after Relasyon, Broken Marriage, Sister Stella L. and Pahiram ng Isang Umaga)

1993 – Dahil Mahal Kita, The Dolzura Cortez Story (with Vilma winning as Best Actress at the Manila Filmfest and second Best Actress grand slam minus the FAMAS which elevated her to its Hall of Fame in 1988)

1994 – Nagiisang Bituin (with Aga Muhlach)

1997 – Hanggang Ngayon Ika’y Minamahal

2002 – Dekada ’70 (with Vilma winning her fourth grand slam; she scored her third with Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa? in 1998).

There. Twenty-three all in all (including Mano Po 3). Count ‘em.

From Oct. 4 to 8, Vilma and Boyet, together with the other stars of Mano Po 3 led by Mother Lily, were in Beijing for a photo shoot (both for the press releases and the movie’s MTV) with Raymund Isaac. The STAR’s contributing celebrity photographer Richard Chen was a member of 50-strong entourage.

Two days after they came back, Vilma sat down for a free-wheeling Conversation.

Why Mano Po 3 of all the offers? “Something new kasi, e. I want something that will make me look good naman for a change, ‘yung maayos naman ako. In my previous movies (Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa?; Anak; and Dekada ’70), I played a housewife forever wearing a duster. The public might get used to seeing me in duster, so I want a movie whose plot suits me and a role which requires me to wear nice clothes.”

You started shooting the other day. Have the “issues” been ironed out?  “There was really no issue except in the casting. But Mother (Lily) has the last say on that. Well, it’s already Sheryl (Cruz) in the final cast, so that’s it.”

What about your talent fee? Have you settled that (minor) issue?  “No problem. Mother knows how much I am worth.”

How long are you shooting for the movie?  “Supposedly 25 days. I can shoot three days a week, mostly on weekends.”

So you didn’t shoot any scene in Beijing?  “Mostly pictorials and some shots for the MTV.”

During your four days there, did you have a chance to see the sights?  “Not much, not many. In a way, yes, I was able to visit the scenic spots because we did our pictorials there, like the Summer Palace, Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall which are the places tourists go to.”

I heard that you walked in The Great Wall. You had such stamina, huh?  “Oh, yes, I did walk. I was in rubber shoes. But during the pictorial, I changed to high heels because I was wearing cheongsam(s). Since we moved from one spot to another, I would sometimes walk on high heels.”

Fit na fit ka, huh!  “Because I exercise regularly… at least twice a week, no matter how tired I am. I do the treadmill and Taebo as soon as I go home from work.”

And your diet?  “I eat anything but in moderation. I seldom eat rice.”

Which of the scenic spots in Beijing impressed you the most?  “Of course, The Great Wall. One of the wonders of the world, isn’t it? Correct me if I’m wrong but I learned from the tourist guide that it took many, many years – I’m just not sure how many years – to build The Great Wall. And they used clay to start building it!”

Is it true that you’re planning to build a Great Wall around Lipa City?  “Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!”

It’s good that you were able to go on tour.  “A bit. We were tired but we were happy. We were a good company; walang killjoy. Mother saw to it that we were comfortable. She booked us in a nice hotel; the food was, wow, talagang masarap! She really pampered us.”

It was your first time in Beijing. Don’t you have any plan of going back as a tourist, maybe with your family?  “I’ll go back – definitely! It will purely be a holiday, no work at all. The goods are very nice – the tablecloths, pillowcases, etc. But I hardly bought anything because we were busy with work. Besides, where would we put those things? We brought several suitcases, all right, but they were packed with our costumes, most of them bulky. Next time, I’ll go there to relax and enjoy.”

Did you study Chinese for your role?  “I did. Every member of the cast was taught how to speak Fookien by a tutor. Two days before we flew to Beijing, hayun, I could already speak some Chinese, such as ni hao ma? (Are you okay?), shi-shi (Thank you) and chay hui (Goodbye).”

Did you and the other members of the cast have time to bond?  “Oh, yes, we did. Actually, our Beijing trip was the start of our bonding. During the presscon last month, not all of us knew one another very well, especially the bagets (new faces) in the cast. Nag-bonding talaga kami doon. Everybody was professional. We enjoyed each other’s company.”

How many times have you worked with Boots?  “Tita Boots… let me see. A few times but the last time was years ago. I think I was very young then.”

Eddie Garcia?  “Oh, several times already! He even directed me in some pictures. Our last project together was Imortal.”

Jay Manalo?  “My first time with him and my first time, too with direk Joel and Sheryl (Cruz).”

Let’s make it clear. Sheryl is playing not your daughter but your sister-in-law (Bernadette).  “That’s right. In the story, Bernadette is the one member of the clan who’s always with me. Later on, we clash. Sheryl and I have confrontation scenes. Sheryl’s character is close to me but when she learns that I’m seeing the character of Boyet, she fights with me. Bernadette, the sister of Jay’s character, is a stickler for Chinese customs and tradition and when she realizes that I’m breaking some, she really fights with me.”

Bernadette is the same role originally intended for Judy Ann Santos, right?  “Or so I heard.”

Either Sheryl or Judy Ann would have been okay with you?  “Okay lang kahit sino sa kanila. I’d rather not comment anymore about it.”

Among the bagets cast, you’ve worked with only Carlo Aquino (in Bata, Bata, Paano ka Ginawa? which won a few awards for him) and Angelica Panganiban (in Lipa Masssacre). Of course, the other bagets must be “intimidated” to be working with the Vilma Santos.  “I hope they are not.”

How do you reassure them?  “It’s also my first time to work with Karylle, Dennis (Trillo), Angel (Locsin), Patrick (Garcia) and John (Prats). When we met, they greeted me, all right, but I noticed that they were somewhat shy. So I embraced them and asked, ‘Kumusta na?’ Dennis is the most quiet of them all, so I told him, ‘Why are you so quiet?’ I touched his face and asked him to join in the fun. By and by, they were relaxed na and comfortable with me.”

You really have a way with the young ones, like Piolo Pascual, Marvin Agustin, Carlos Agassi and Danilo Barrios who worked with you in Dekada ’70.  “Until now, they get in touch; they call. I call them anak and they call me Mommy. They call me regularly. We talk about their work and their problems. With them, I’m just Vilma Santos, their friend, and not Vilma Santos the actress or the Mayor. Ordinaryo lang ako sa kanila.”

Of course, you and Boyet have worked on 22 movies already (with Mano Po 3 as the 23rd).  “I think Boyet and I are the longest-running loveteam in Philippine movie history.”

Amazing, ‘no, considering that there’s no love angle between you in real life.  “Ibang klase ang chemistry namin.”

Has Boyet ever tried to court you (when you were still both single)?  “A, basta. Platonic kami. Whether kami o hindi, what’s important is that the public loves us and believes in us.”

In Mano Po 3, you don’t play husband and wife…  “…No, we don’t. Jay plays my husband but Boyet is my first love. We did have a relationship when we were young (played by Carlo and Angelica), pero di kami nagkatuluyan because of the Chinese custom which paired me off with Jay. Then, Boyet and I meet again when we already have respective families.”

As lolo and lola?  (Knocking on wood) “Not yet. Not now!”

Of the 22 movies you’ve done with Boyet, which three would you consider most memorable?  “Relasyon, definitely (The movie, directed by Ishmael Bernal, won a Best Actress grand slam for Vilma. – RFL). Tagulan sa Tagaraw because it was our first (in 1975, directed by Celso Ad. Castillo). Ang dami! All of them are memorable – Broken Marriage, Ipagpatawad Mo, Dolzura Cortez Story, Dekada ’70, all of them!”

If you and Boyet were a real-life couple, who would you be?  “Who do you think? Which couple ba is interesting and colorful?”

You and Ralph.  (Laughs and laughs) “Not yet. Marami pang sequels at subplots ang buhay namin. Many things can still happen.”

Twenty years from now, what’s the ideal film for you and Boyet?  “Something like On Golden Pond (starring Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn). Ang ganda! When we are old and grey and we’re still a loveteam, Boyet and I should do a movie like that.”

You’re turning, well, 51 on Nov. 3. What are your thoughts on growing, ehem, wiser?  “Ano, e…First, I’m not scared of growing old, especially if you learn many things as you mature. I still don’t feel that I’m 50-plus; feeling ko I’m only 38.”

How do you preserve your looks?  “Attitude. I’m a very positive person. I don’t store up negative feelings. It’s unhealthy, di ba? I take good care of myself by exercising regularly and eating the right food.”

Aside from Eskinol, what do you apply on your face?  “As much as possible, I don’t apply anything on my face. I have a sensitive face kasi; maa-allergy lang ako. What’s important is not to sleep with make-up on. I put hot compress before I sleep para bumukas ang pores ko and cold compress before I put on make-up para sumara ang pores ko. Besides that, I don’t apply anything else.”

Haven’t you ever thought of any “enhancing” surgery?  “Like lipo? Thank God, I don’t need it yet. I’m not against it. Maybe someday, why not? But not now.”

So every part of you is natural.  “I don’t need that kind of thing yet, not even Botox. Maybe someday…but not yet, not now. All of us grow old and nobody can stop it. What’s important is to grow old gracefully…and still be pleasant to be with and pleasing to look at.”

What’s the best thing about being a Golden Girl?  “That you’ve learned a lot, you’ve learned your lessons and you have a purpose in life. That’s the most important thing. Now that I’ve matured, I begin to realize that, in your later years when you look back, what really matters is what good things you’ve done and what kind of legacy you’re leaving behind and not how much money you’re leaving behind.”

How would you sum up your present state of being?  “Heaven!” – Source: “RICKY LO CONVERSATIONS: MANO PO, ATE VI!” by Ricky Lo, Philippine Star, Oct. 24, 2004

RELATED READINGS:  Christorpher De Leon – Vilma Santos screen Tandem
Wikipedia’s Christopher De Leon    Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon reunites but not in film

Bienvenido Lumbera’s Review of Pag-Puti Ng Uwak, Pag-Itim ng Tagak

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Skeptics disappointed by the clumsiness of craft and the excess of theatrics of Burlesk Queen will have to revise their prejudices against director Celso Ad Castillo. Admirers of the wildly poetic, though erratic and often hysterical, works of the director of Nympha, Ang Alamat, Daluyong at Hagabat have reason to rejoice. Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak, Castillo’s newest film, securely established its director in the ranks of Bernal and Brocka as filmmakers who have something to say and possess the craft and art to say it cinematically.  Castillo’s Pagputi ng Uwak is a movie that is truly impressive this year or any other year. The title, Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak is a traditional metaphorical way of saying “Never.” It is the first statement of the tragic theme of this tale about a class-divided (not “star-crossed”) Romeo and Juliet in a small Southern Tagalog town called Santa Ines in the mid 1950s. The screenplay is focused on the young music student Julie Monserrat (Vilma Santos), who has had to grow up without a father, in the care of two domineering old maid aunts (Adul de Leon and Angie Fierro).

As a young woman born in a tradition-bound town but raised in the modernizing atmosphere of Manila, Julie gropes towards maturity without benefit of guidance from understanding elders. Home for the traditional town fiesta, she meets the poor boy next-door, Dido Ventura (played by Bembol Rocco) whose passion and impulsiveness rush her into an elopement But Dido’s family has a long-standing grievance against the Monserrats who, through fraudulence in the past, had grabbed the Ventura property. When the young lovers ask for permission to marry, Julie’s snooty aunts make her choose between her present status as a rich single Monserrat, and an uncertain future as housewife of Dido. In a moment of indecisiveness, Julie gives up Dido and goes back to her music studies.

At the university, Julie is visited by the elderly violinist from her hometown whom she idolizes. Maestro Juan Roque (Jonee Gamboa) has learned she is pregnant, and he has come to tell Julie that he is her father and then walks out on him. When she gives birth, against the wishes of her aunts, Julie decides to keep the baby and give the baby to its father. By this time, it has become impossible for the baby to have its father. Dido has joined the band of Huks headed by Kumander Salome (Lito Anzures). Driven by the desire to help his daughter out, Maestro Juan Roque goes to the Huk hide-out to effect a reconciliation between Dido and Julie. A quick night visit for Dido is arranged, and the lovers rediscover each other. Too late, for government agents have learned of the presence of the Huks, and a bloody shoot-out affirms the nihilism of the film’s title.

The screenplay sets the rather conventional plot against a vividly characterized locale and times, using religious festivals to mark the periods of the year and key characters to show feudal society under stress from the challenge of new social forces. It weaves a tragic tapestry around the lovers by juxtaposing social and economic inequity, the pursuit of art, small town police brutality and revolutionary ferment. The result is a reading of the Romeo-and-Juliet story as filtered by a sensibility attuned to the social and historical pressures that mold human relationships in a Philippine town in the 1950s. This is where the writers (Ruben Arthur Nicdao, Lando Perez Jacob and Ishko Lopez) with whom Castillo worked, go beyond other screenplays which had worked on the same plot.  The writers have located their characters against a backdrop of social realities which allows the viewer new insights into the ragged twists and turns of a tired plot. Julie and Dido’s fate is made ur concern because the lovers are figures of young Filipinos of the 1950s uprooted from a past they never made and reaching out for a future they are not allowed to make. The lovers are both without a father, and the only fathers in the story are a dedicated musician a staunch revolutionary and a revengeful town mayor, who is the only real family man of the three. This would seem to imply a social comment which is much to veiled to be coherently perceived.

Castillo-watchers who had to cringe at the amount of its acting that Castillo allowed or demanded from his actors and actresses, will be gratified at the quiet intensity of the performances in Pagputi ng Uwak. Although one is never convinced that Vilma Santos can indeed bow music out of violin, her characterization of Julie displays the maturing talent of an actress fast learning to explore and shape her emotional resources in creating a character. Bembol Roco is disadvantaged by the script’s focus on Julie, but he impressively communicates the change in Dido from reckless teenager to hardened rebel.  The acting highlights in the film, however, are provided by the three capable stage performers playing supporting roles. At long last Jonee Gamboa has been allowed to shed the irritatingly mannered caricatures he has been made to do in his previous films. As Maestro Juan Roque, he gives a serene portrait of a man who sublimates the turmoil of his inner life into the music he plays and composes in a performance memorable for its restraint and sincerity. Angie Ferro tends to be over-empphatic in places, but her portrayal of Miguela effectively keeps the role from degenerating into a contra vida stereotype by touching it up with humor that is broad yet never out of character. It is Adul de Leon, however, who emerges luminously as a character actress of the first magnitude. Her interpretation of Beatriz is a piece of complex character portraiture all the more admirable for having made a role of rather limited range so persuasively human.

Good performances are not unusual in Filipino movies. What is rare is that coming together of temperaments and skills that make film art possible. In Pagputi ng Uwak, Castillo’s work does not display anything that he has not already shown in his previous films. The fondness for story material that reeks of social overtones, the lyrical exuberance with which he invests starkly realistic situations, and the intensely theatrical confrontations among his characters – these have been qualities evident even in Castillo’s lesser works, where they are often pushed to absurd lengths. What has happened in Pagput ng Uwak is that the director has been able to bring to a focus his varied talents, and found fellow artists with temperaments congenial to his. With cinematographer Romy Vitug and musical director George Canseco, he seem to have found working partners who share his penchant for the poetic, and their collaboration has resulted in a film where narrative imagery and music fuse into a memorable whole.

Vitug’s cinematography, always marked by the same lyricism that distinguishes his still photography, adds considerably to the visual impact of Pagputi ng Uwak through lightning and framing that enhance the poetic nuances of Castillo’s direction. In Vitug, perhaps, Castillo has found the ideal cinematographer, one who can effectively translate into visual terms and lush the poetry of Castillo’s imagination. Canseco’s music for Pagputi ng Uwak redeems his execrable work in Isang Gabi sa Iyo, Isang Gabi sa Akin. Inspired by Castillo’s vision and Vitug’s imagery, he seems to have caught fire, and the music (principally, Classical violin music) with which he supports the scenes in Pagputi ng Uwak demonstrates sensitivity to the intentions of the director at the same time that it transports the moviegoers from one image to another, from one point in time to the next, and from poetry to reality or vice-versa. A skeptic turned admirer is perhaps prone to gloss over the flaws of Pagputi ng Uwak. To be sure, cynics will find fault with editing and the production design. Yes, the camera lingers too long at the religious festivals and no, a young woman in the 1950s will not be caught dead wearing a long dress at a fiesta. However, the already considerable amount of art and craftmanship in evidence in Pagputi ng Uwak ought to be ample justification for a more forgiving eye. It is enough that Celso Ad Castillo has demonstrated that he has what it takes to be a major director and most of all, he has come up with a movie that makes film year 1978 begin in July. – Bienvenido Lumbera, MPP, Who Magazine, July 29, 1978, Source: Pelikula Atbp (READ MORE)

“That Was Only The Beginning, Folks!”

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VILMA loyalists Maribeth Bichara, the choreographer, and Super Morales, the writer, reminisce on the dekada that followed the ‘70s – the decade of Vilma In Person. Vilma’s best point is her dedication to work. Example? Me sakit nuon si Lucky (Luis Manzano, her son by Edu Manzano, But we had a show in New York. When she assured that he’s well na, immediately she packed her things and we all proceeded to New York to attend to her commitment.

Minsan while performing nasabit ‘yong damit niya. But nobody noticed it at hindi naman nakita sa camera. Would you believe na ipinaulit pa ‘yong number niyang ‘yon despite our persistence na hindi naman nahalta sa screen ang nangyari? But she said, “I want it to do it again. I want a 100 percent performance na walang sabit-sabit kahit damit o anuman.” She insisted. That’s how concerned she is with her performance. Siya nga naman ang nakikita ng audience at hindi kami.

You don’t do things halfway with her. Ibang klase ‘yan. She is a perfectionist. In Vilma In Person, she got fitted every Monday. Thursday pag-isinuot na niya ‘yon, dapat walang kulubot, walang pin sa strap. Anything she noticed that she thinks wouldn’t be perfect in the eyes of the audience, hindi uubra sa kanya. If something happens, ayan tatakbo kami ng Rustans para ikuha ng eksaktong fitted na damit para sa kanya. She’ll never go onstage unprepared. She used to tell us, “Those people go out their way to see me. Some of them have traveled a long way so they could come.” She wanted to give her audience what they deserve to see.

She can be extremely conscious of her looks. When something worried her, she would tell us, “Huwag ilapit ang camera sa akin.” And we do that. But the moment she sees people, the audience, nag-iiba ang glow ng mukha niya. She forgets completely about whatever is troubling her and you can see how alive she is. The moment she is out of the lights, ayan uupo ‘yan, na parang rag doll sa isang silya and again nandidiyan na naman yong problema sa mukha niya.

She’ll never remove her bangs. Kahit na kapiraso dapat may nakalawit sa kanyang noo. During a shooting, ibina-brush ‘yung hair niya. Of course, makikita ‘yong kanyang forehead. We did it several times pero hindi talaga siya pumayag until somebody told me na it’s useless. She’ll never do that. There is not one person who can convince her to remove her bangs completely.

She loves telling stories. She is an insomniac so 12:00 midnight na buhay na buhay pa rin ‘yan. One time we listened to her kawento for five hours. May patayu-tayo pa ‘yan sa ibabaw ng bed, kuntodo with gestures pa. Just being with people make her happy. I think when you remove people around her, she’ll just die.

What’s the most memorable gift she has given you?

Maribeth Bichara: Her starting me off as a choreographer. Alam mo bang na noong mga panahon yaon sina Mel Feliciano, si Geleen Eugenio at si Al Quinn lamang ang mga kilala. I was practically a nobody. But a Vilma Santos trusted me.

What’s similar between you and Vi?

Maribeth Bichara: We are both perfectionists. There are times when she has her tamtrums and when I also have mine. Minsan while singing she wouldn’t want to do some dance steps kasi mahirap nga naman, but I usually insists that she has to do it. She gets irritated, she leaves but after sometime back na naman siya and we set a compromise. Kaya naman hanggang ngayon ang laki-laki ng respeto namin sa isa’t isa.

What the one thing people don’t know about Ate Vi?

Maribeth Bichara: Do you know that she can be very funny? Alam ninyo bang may pagkatsismosa din yan? Aah, always, curious ‘yan about what’s going on. Walang kaplastikan agn babaing ‘yan!

How is Ate Vi as a person?

Maribeth Bichara: And I have never seen such a person rolled into one: She is a very good sister, a good daughter and as a mother, she’s also tops.

The best advice she has given me?

Maribeth Bichara: That I should be happy and to look for somebody…

How did you handle her moods?

Maribeth Bichara: If she’s in a bad mood, I get challenged. I say to myself, O, sige maypai-star ka nga sa akin. What I like is she listens to me as much as I listen to her.

How did you react when VIP has to fold?

Maribeth Bichara: VIP has to axed when Vilma got pregnant with Ryan. O, how we cried together. Ang dami-dami pa sana naming plano nuon!

How is she as a friend?

Maribeth Bichara: She can be a very good friend. But you have to be very truthful and honest with her. We keep the friendship because of this. She tells me that I don’t look good on TV. – Written by Super Morales, As told to Len Llanes, Starstudio Magazine Dec 2002

Body Talk with Vilma Santos

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If you want to spoil Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos’ day, enumerate to her the symptoms of an illness, any illness, and she’ll feel sick the whole day.  Yes, she’s hypochondriac.  Once, Perla Bautista (another hypochondriac) related to Vilma how her (Perla’s) friend suffered from an ailment and guess what Vilma did the next day — yes, she called in sick.

But discuss showbiz and politics with her and she perks up. Graduating from being Lipa City with a sterling record as the province’s governor, Vilma is now rumored to be the probable running mate of MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando in the 2010 presidential race.  Asked if she discussed that “possibility” when Fernando recently paid her a visit at the Batangas provincial capitol, Vilma insisted that he did not. “He just met with the department heads,” she said, adding, “but we didn’t talk about 2010. Hindi sa ayaw kong magsilbi sa iba but I know when I’m prepared.”

What she’s prepared for is her yet untitled movie (to be directed by Olivia Lamasan) for Star Cinema with John Lloyd Cruz for which they’re going to New York in November to start shooting (to catch the first snowfall). John Lloyd plays the lover of Vilma’s son (her own son, Luis/Lucky Manzano, is being eyed for the role but he might not be “ready” for love/kissing scenes with another guy).  “My son in the movie will die at kami ni John Lloyd ang mag-i-enkuwentro,” she said.  Gov. Vilma stands five-foot-flat, weighs 105 lbs., and wears medium/large shirts and size-6 shoes (her feet grew bigger after she gave birth to Ryan Christian).

You used to be insomniac, weren’t you?  “Yes. It was terrible! Hindi ako inaantok hangga’t hindi ako makakita ng araw, kahit konting liwanag lang. But while it was dark, I was awake.”

How long did you suffer from insomnia?  “It lasted while I was busy doing movies. Nag-iba lang ang body clock ko when I became a mayor. But before that, bago nabago ang sistema ng katawan ko, I was hospitalized for three weeks. My doctor said that my body had to adjust to my new schedule.”

So you sleep well now?  “When I go home from work, as early as 11:30 p.m., I go to bed na and then I wake up at 5 a.m. Six hours of sleep are good enough for me. More than that, I feel sluggish, para akong nilalagnat.”

What’s your favorite sleep wear?  “Loose shorts with a pajama top. The aircon has to be turned on full blast because I want to wrap myself in a thick blanket.”

What about Ralph?  “Naku, mahilig din sa very cold temperature, pati anak namin (Ryan Christian).”

Do you snore?  “According to Ralph, yes. When I’m tired daw, heavy ang breathing ko, may sound.”

Do you talk in your sleep?  “I don’t think so. I hope not! But when I’m too tired, kapag kinakausap daw ako habang natutulog, sagot ako nang sagot. They would ask me daw about my schedule the next day at tama naman daw ang sagot ko.”

Do you sleepwalk?  “No, I don’t.”

How many pillows do you sleep with?  “I’m fine with two pillows. Ganoon din si Luis (Lucky). One under my head and the other I hug.”

What about Ralph? Don’t you hug him?  “Ay, mahilig sa maraming unan, like Ryan. Unan ang yakap-yakap ni Ralph when he sleeps.”

Which side of the bed do you sleep on?  “Left side. I’m comfortable sa left side. Nasa right side si Ralph.”

Do you and Ralph talk about politics in bed?  “Yes. At least we can discuss a topic close to our hearts.”

Do you bring work to the bedroom?  “As much as possible, I don’t. I see to it that I finish the paper work in my office even if it means staying up late, so that when I go home all I have to do is read and relax with my family.”

What’s the last thing that you do before you go to sleep?  “I drink a glass of water and then I pray. But for me to fall asleep easily, kailangan i-massage ang paa ko, gentle lang. Basta gusto ko lang kina-caress ang mga paa ko.”

Who does the massaging, Ralph?  “No. ‘Yung maid namin.” 

First thing that you do when you wake up?  “I make the Sign of the Cross and then derecho ligo if it’s a working day. Kapag rest day, I take my time and read the newspapers and then I exercise.”

What kind of exercise do you do?  “I do taebo, I do the treadmill, and I dance. I do it at least one hour every day. I do it in a room with the aircon turned off para pawisan ako. And then nagsa-sauna ako.”

Aside from exercising, how else do you unwind?  “I just stay home, make kuwento with my children and watch TV, and eat the food that I like. That is, after exercising. Aside from the gentle massage every night, I have hard massage twice a week.”

What part of your body is most vulnerable?  “My stomach. Sakit ‘yan ng mga Scorpio. When I’m tense, sumasakit kaagad ang sikmura ko.”

How’s your sex life?  “Ay, highly-satisfactory. Hahahaha! Mas magana kami ni Ralph when we are abroad. No pressure. We take our time. Heaven!”

You used to be a hypochondriac, right?  “Up to now! Matapang ako, pero pagdating sa sakit duwag ako. That’s why I don’t want to go to hospitals because the moment nalaman ko ‘yung symptoms, parang nararamdaman kong mayroon ako.”

How often do you see your doctor?  “Ay, very rarely. The last check-up I had was two years ago. But I advise women to undergo a mammogram once a year. Ang daming may breast cancer ngayon, di ba?”

How’s your diet?  “I eat five to six small meals every day, but never busog na busog. I eat anything in moderation. I eat mostly fish and vegetables. But my favorite is Japanese food. My favorite fruit is banana, the latondan variety.”

Are you really a milk drinker?  “Oh yes, ever since I was young. Ask my mom. Palagi kong baon ay pandesal with cheese and milk or Choco Vim. I’ve been drinking Bear Brand from way, way back.”

How much water do you take per day?  “I should take eight glasses of water per day but the most I take is six glasses. But I also take lots of green tea. After eating, I take a glass of hot water or hot tea for digestion.” 

How do you take care of your skin? (She used to endorse Eskinol.)  “Wala akong masyadong beauty regimen. All I do is take off my make-up with cream. Before I sleep, I wash my face with warm water. And before I put on my make-up, I wash my face with cold water. Unless I appear on TV, hindi ako naglalagay ng makapal na make-up. Exercise helps. You sweat a lot and it’s good for the skin.”

Name three women you think have nice, healthy bodies. “Dawn Zulueta. Charlene Gonzalez. Lorna Tolentino. Mga mothers na pero marunong mag-alaga ng katawan.”

And three men… “Piolo Pascual. Ralph is fatherly sexy. And, of course, ang anak ko, si Luis.” – Ricardo F. Lo Aug 29, 2008

RP Cinema’s Best Actress of All Time

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One of the lingering showbiz debates concerns the choice for the greatest Pinay movie actress. The matter may now be settled with the Gawad Plaridel that the University of the Philippines bestows on outstanding Filipino mass media practitioners.

Established by the UP College of Mass Communication under Dean Nicanor G. Tiongson last year and derived from the nom de plume of Philippine hero and propagandist Marcelo H. del Pilar, Gawad Plaridel is a form of lifetime-achievement honor with the recipient coming from any of the various fields that encompass mass media such as journalism, broadcast arts and, of course, cinema.

The first Gawad Plaridel awardee, Eugenia Apostol, hails from print media. For this year, it has been decided by the Gawad Plaridel organizers to hand out the plum to a film artist. Many welcome the choice of Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos getting the Gawad Plaridel, and many more could not less agree.

With a screen career spanning five decades, Vilma outshines her peers. She has proven herself not only as a consummate actress but also more importantly, a role model and enduring inspiration. The Gawad Plaridel is just the latest in the string of lifetime achievement awards Vilma has received in the course of her stellar career. It was the Film Academy of the Philippines that first extended Vilma such great honor in the early 1990s followed by the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences later in the decade and then the Cinemanila International Film Festival a couple of years back.

On top of all these distinguished honors for lifetime contribution to motion-picture arts, Vilma has been proclaimed on various occasions as the country’s premier actress, sole screen diva (*Filipino cinematic diva* as Hollywood bible Variety Magazine exactly put it in 2003), most celebrated actress, best actress for all seasons and reasons, national actress, film actress par excellence, etc. – all in testament to the magnitude of the artistic legacy attributed to the actress-politician idolized by throngs of ardent admirers.

All in all, Vilma has amassed more than four dozen trophies for her sterling performance in a gamut of noteworthy films that automatically form part of the country’s cinematic heritage. She has worked with the best talents that Philippine cinema could boast of, and the Gawad Plaridel accorded to her is in itself an honor Vilma could share with these industry colleagues allied with her.

The Gawad Plaridel citation says it all. Part of it reads: “(The choice of Ms. Vilma Santos as this year’s Gawad Plaridel recipient was) among other reasons for building a brilliant career which saw her grow from popular icon to professional actor through self-discipline and tireless honing of her craft; for bravely using her popularity as an actress to choose roles which bring to the public attention as astounding range of female experiences, as well as an array of problems confronting women of different classes and sectors in contemporary Filipino society; and for bringing to life on screen characters whose stories have the effect of raising or transforming the consciousness of women, leading them a few steps closer to a deeper understanding of their situation vis-à-vis the patriarchy and to the ability to control their own lives and make empowered choices of their own.” – Source: RP Cinema’s Best Actress of All Time By Nonoy L. Lauzon, Reel Pinoy, RP Real Pinoy, The Best of the Philippines, Vol. 1 No. 4, July 2005, Page 40-41

Let it VI

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Mother. Wife. Actress. Public Servant. Etcetera. Not necessarily in that order. Does it take a superwoman to excel in those roles? Not really. All it takes is Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos to pull such a feat.  As she turns 55 today, Ate Vi (she’ll always be that to her fans, won’t she?) has 55 (actually, more) good reasons to celebrate, to wit:

1. She has Luis “Lucky” Manzano.

2. She has Ryan Christian.

3. She has Ralph Recto.

4. She has her mom, Milagros Santos, still around to guide her.

5. She has a province-ful of Batangueños who believe in her.

6. She has Girl Friday Aida Fandialan at her beck and call.

7. She has a beautiful house in Corinthian Gardens, Quezon City.

8. She has a beautiful resthouse in Batangas.

9. She has trusted employees.

10. She has true friends.

11. Her career is going great (even if she now rarely does movies, the latest being for Star Cinema, with John Lloyd Cruz, for which she’s going to New York end of January 2009 for a two-week shoot to catch the snow).

12. Her endorsements (for, among others, Ariel, Cheez Whiz, Eskinol, Smart, Bear Brand, Cherifer and Ponstan) are growing in number.

13. She has won so many awards that she has lost count.

14. She’s remembered for several classic films (to name a few: Sister Stella L., Aida Macaraig, Relasyon, Anak, Ipagpatawad Mo, Dolzura Cortez Story, Miss X, Tagos ng Dugo, Burlesk Queen, Dekada ‘70 and Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa?).

15. She had starred with all the great actors (among them: FPJ, Joseph Estrada, Rudy Fernandez, Eddie Rodriguez, Christopher de Leon, Dindo Fernando, Richard Gomez, Aga Muhlach, Dolphy, Phillip Salvador, Cesar Montano and Gabby Concepcion.).

16. She has been directed by great directors (Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, Celso Ad. Castillo, Carlo J. Caparas, Mike de Leon, Laurice Guillen, Maryo J. delos Reyes, Leroy Salvador, etc.).

17. She has survived turbulent romances (you know the men she has loved before, don’t you?).

18. She has remained a good friend with her “exes” (guess how many).

19. She has hurdled the hardest blows of life (she bounced back from being bankrupt, remember?).

20. She tried producing movies (Mga Rosas sa Putikan and Pagputi ng Uwak, Pagitim ng Tagak).

21. She has graced the covers of all magazines.

22. She has hosted a variety TV show (V.I.P. in which she wore a sexy outfit in her opening numbers and she popularized the parting shot “I love you, Lucky!”).

23. She has loyal Vilmanians all over the world. (Hello, Alan Trambulo of New York!)

24. She is idolized by her colleagues (Sharon Cuneta and Kris Aquino are avid Vilmanians, or have you forgotten?).

25. She has released an album (remember Sweet Sixteen, etc.?).

26. She’s contented to be five-feet-flat tall (small but terrible!).

27. She has conquered insomnia.

28. She’s hypochondriac but she’s dealing with it very well.

29. She was given a clean bill of health during her last executive check-up.

30. She has been conferred a Doctor of Humanities degree, honoris causa, by the Lipa City Public College.

31. She took up a special course in Public Administration in UP Diliman.

32. She has her ubiquitous hanky.

33. She has successfully crossed over from showbiz to politics.

34. She has maintained her youthfulness.

35. She’s the only child star who metamorphosed into an enduring superstar.

36. She’s a Star For All Seasons.

37. She has a “highly-satisfactory” sex life.

38. She starred in two classic kiddie films, Trudis Liit and Ging.

39. She did things her way (as the song goes, “I faced it all and I stood tall and…”).

40. She’s comfortable being 105-pound heavy.

41. She sleeps soundly in loose shorts with a pajama top, usually from 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m.

42. She did well as mayor of Lipa City and is doing just as well as governor of Batangas.

43. She doesn’t smoke.

44. She doesn’t drink anything harder than “two glasses of milk” per day.

45. She doesn’t harbor ill feelings (bad for the health…ask your doctor).

46. She has peace of mind.

47. She has passed the tests of time and trends with flying colors.

48. Very, very few (if there are) actors of this generation can hold a candle to her.

49. She has remained “flawless.” (“No big-deal beauty regimen; before I sleep, I just wash my face with cold water and, before I put on my make-up, with warm water.”)

50. She doesn’t owe anybody anything (only perhaps some debt of gratitude).

51. She has her future and that of her loved ones beautifully tucked up.

52. She is Vilma Santos and not anybody else.

53. She has no plans (just yet?) of doing a Sarah Palin in 2010.

54. She has remained at the top. And, last but not the least…

55. “I haven’t resorted…yet…to cosmetic surgery.” – Ricky Lo, Phil. Star, Nov. 3, 2008

Vilma Santos-Recto: Breaking the Mold

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The people of Batangas knew exactly who they wanted for governor – and they made this perfectly clear when they gave Vilma Santos-Recto a landslide victory at the polls last May, giving her a 130,000 margin over her closest rival, then incumbent governor Arman Sanchez. Nothing really phenomenal about that, one may argue, considering that in this day and age, women leaders are no longer an “aberration” or “anomaly.”

But unlike other women whose educational credentials could make other men squirm in embarrassment and insecurity, the new Batangas governor has no college degree to speak of. And what makes her victory even more special is the fact that Santos-Recto, a female, won in a province known as “barako country” – where men are expected to dominate. Two, she is an actress. And like it or not, other showbiz denizens who have thrown their hat into the political arena did not exactly give stellar performances as public servants. In fact, majority of showbiz celebrities who ran for office last May were clobbered at the polls, with some people even snickering at the news of these actors’ defeat.

But not Vilma Santos-Recto. But then again, Santos-Recto, or “Gov. Vi” to her constituents, did not exactly get to the position of governor empty-handed. On the contrary, she had already set a record of sorts when she became the first female mayor of Lipa City in 1998.

“I must admit that initially, my being an actress was a plus factor, and it was a definite edge when I first ran for mayor of Lipa,” she admits. “But during my first term, some people also underestimated me especially since I was not from Lipa (she is from Pampanga and Nueva Ecija), I was from show business and I was a small woman. Of course it’s different if you have the height,” she laughs, recalling those days when the men would merely give a slight nod of acknowledgement, at times grudgingly, in response to her greetings.

But the multi-awarded actress soon proved that she was not just acting out a role as local chief executive; rather, she meant business, and she was in it for real. During her watch, the economy of Lipa City boomed, with infrastructure improvements that put the city on the radar of big time developers and investors that steadily increased government revenues year after year. “I eventually earned their respect because they discovered that lalaki akong kausap (I am also a man to talk to) and second, I am straight. If there’s an immediate solution at hand, then let’s not wait for tomorrow or next week to do it. People are tired of waiting and of lip service, so let’s get them what they need if we already can. But if there’s nothing I can do about something at this time, then I tell the people so they will not also keep on hoping,” she discloses.

“If there’s one thing that people appreciated from my administration, it’s the fact that I did not politicize my position. Even the barangay captains who did not support my candidacy were not deprived of the services their constituencies needed. Whether these leaders were political allies or not does not matter – I will give them what they need because it is the people who will benefit.

“Perhaps it’s because I am a woman and a mother. A mother’s heart is different; a woman’s pulse is different,” she adds. Which is probably the reason why one of her priorities is to uplift the quality of education in her province. She recalls a time when, during her tenure as mayor, she was “frustrated when grade school students took this exam and 70 percent did not pass. You know what I did? I gave a big allocation to have the day-care centers upgraded to Montessori level. We cooperated with the school of Mrs. (Precious) Soliven of OB Montessori and had the day-care teachers trained by them. Even the educational materials, we upgraded.

“I know how important education is because I am also a mother. I have an 11-year-old son (Ryan Christian) and he is number two in class (at De La Salle Zobel in Alabang) so I know that if you don’t start early by giving children the right foundation during their formative years, they will have a difficult time coping and competing later.”

Livelihood and other income-generating opportunities are also at the top of her agenda, putting up cooperatives and micro-financing institutions that would give loans at minimal interest to get people started with small business enterprises. “We started with very small amounts like P50,000 to these cooperatives, and before my (third) term as mayor ended, we were giving as much as P500,000. You know why? Because the people paid their loans religiously. I told them that if they did not, then they would be depriving the next person of the opportunity to get a loan as well. Pag ibinitin ninyo ang bayad, ibinibitin niyo rin ang iba. Which is not good.”

She is a “hands-on” type of executive, she admits, and some people even call her makulit (pushy). “That’s because I take note of everything they tell me. I write these down during meetings. If they tell me they can finish a project in two weeks, then I expect them to deliver within that time. I follow up on their commitments because I also base my commitments on what they tell me.”

Before she decided to throw her hat into the political arena, it was her husband former Sen. Ralph Recto who gave it to her straight: Her showbiz career would be affected one way or another, there would be danger not only from political rivals but from drug pushers and all sorts of people who will resent efforts to rid Lipa (and now Batangas) of criminality. In fact, during her first term as mayor, Vilma almost gave up, unnerved by the threats she got. But Ralph reminded her: “I told you this was all a part of being a public servant.”

The neophyte politician could not understand why she would become a target. “I was not doing anything wrong, I was just serving the people. I wasn’t part of a syndicate. So Ralph made me go on a two-week leave and I prayed and prayed. Of course I was afraid, I have children, I am a mother, and I felt that it was not even worth it to sacrifice my family. But then I also realized that the people who voted for me – I also won by a landslide – gave me their trust. They believed in me and were counting on me, so it would not be right to disappoint them, so I went back to work albeit with enhanced security,” says the governor, who admits that yes, she knows how to use a gun and in fact practices at the shooting range in her Lipa home.

Asked if she misses making movies, the 53-year-old actress gives a big smile. “I miss acting, I miss my showbiz career. In fact, I already have an offer, but I will have to ask the people of Batangas first like what I used to do in Lipa. Lipeños used to ask me ‘Mayor, why aren’t you making any more movies? We miss seeing you act!’ And I would tell them, ‘You want me to make movies and then you will hit me with rumors that I wasn’t going to work?’ But then during flag ceremonies I would ask them, “Please allow me to make a movie, that’s my racket. I earn a lot there. If you don’t, then I’d steal from you’!” she says in jest.

“Definitely it’s not easy,” she says, admitting that she was rather alarmed that “Luis (Manzano, her son by Optical Media Board chairman Edu Manzano) now pays more taxes than me. I told myself, this is not a good sign anymore, I have no more income! I had so many offers in the past that I could not accept because my priority was my work as mayor since it was already my last term and I wanted to do everything to get a passing grade, so I made sure that all my projects were finished by the time my term ended.”

For someone who started working at the age of nine and has been a virtual public property since her teenage years, the life of Vilma Santos-Recto is an open book. She is a “survivor for all seasons,” as STAR entertainment editor Ricky Lo called her. She was at the height of her career in the ’80s when she found herself bankrupt and facing a possible lawsuit from the Bureau of Internal Revenue, her properties mortgaged. “I was so trusting. I would just sign checks and anything they put before me. So there I was, pregnant with Lucky and I owed Php9 million without knowing why!” Edu, who was then a budding actor, was very supportive and wanted to help her get out of her predicament. It took her four years to pay off her obligations (“When I saw the last billing statement of P50,000, you could not imagine the joy and relief I felt!”) – but it cost her her marriage to Edu Manzano.

But the sad experience taught the actress to be smart with her finances. “Ngayon wala akong utang (I don’t have any debts to this day),” she proudly declares. And it naturally helped that she has her beloved Ralph by her side. While it pains her that her husband lost in his re-election bid as senator, she takes it as a blessing in disguise. “Perhaps the purpose was for him to help me, since this is already the whole of Batangas we are talking about. Hindi na biro ito (This is no joke). They say politics and showbiz are the same, but no way, malayo. Show business is more manageable even with all the intrigues. Politics is more tough. If you are not strong, you would buckle under the pressure. The attacks here are more personal, and the system is really different,” she reflects.

Despite the frustrations that go with the job – the governor says she derives her strength from her family. “I get my adrenaline, my energy, my inspiration from my family because I know they are proud of me. They support me and they believe in me, that’s why I always strive to do my best. I know nothing is perfect, but if we can make it almost perfect, then why not?” – Source: Bing Parel-Salud, Philippine Star, September 22, 2007