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Pablo S. Gomez and Vilma Santos

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Golden Age – “…Pablo is the last of the great komiks-writers from the Golden Age of Philippine Komiks, an era when komiks writing reached its pinnacle because of Gomez’ and his contemporaries (Clodualdo del Mundo, Francisco Coching, Mars Ravelo, and Tony Velasquez)writings. Gomez’ more famous komiks-nobelas were Kurdapya, Eva Fonda, Pitong Gatang, MN, Kamay ni Hilda, Recuerdo, Susanang Daldal, Taong Buwaya, Batang Bangkusay, Pagbabalik ng Lawin, and of course, Kampanerang Kuba. “I was writing for as long as I can remember it”, he smiles. “Komiks writing comes naturally for me, its just like a normal thing to do everyday, just like eating” In 1963, when Ace Publications closed down due to labor strike, Gomez started his own publications company, the PSG Publications. It published such titles as United Komiks, Continental Komiks, Universal Komiks, Kidlat Komiks, and Planet Komiks. His publications company started the careers of many great komiks artists and writers like Alex Nino and Carlo J. Caparas, to name a few. For a time, PSG became the biggest rival of GASI, until Pablo was forced to close the company due to the slump in the komiks business because of Martial Law. Yet, he never stopped writing. He has hundreds of stories and scripts still unpublished to this day, all of them he kept stored in his steel file cabinet, or on top of his table, or under his oval bed (which was a gift by his friend Ms. Susan Roces). Up to now, Pablo never gets tired of writing, and everytime I visit him in his home, I usually find him in front of his vintage typewriter creating new stories and plots for the younger generation of komiks readers. One can only wonder at the sheer force of his imagination and the vastness of his knowledge. Indeed, like his craft, Pablo is ageless, and like his greatest works, he is immortal…” – Dennis Villegas, PilipinoKomiks, 07 December 2005 (READ MORE)

Proofreader – “…Gomez started as a radio announcer over DZRH in 1946. Later, he became a stage impressario, touring the entire archipelago. In 1949, he entered an utterly new and altered world: the world of letters. The publication of a prose story started him off, “Ang Baliw sa Libingang Luma”, followed later by a komiks short story, “Putol na Kamay”. The reading public then had interesting glimpses of superb examples of the craft of Pablo S. Gomez. Nevertheless, these were not stories that catapulted him to prominence. But these were enough to land him a job with the Ace Publications as proofreader. After a year, he moved on to become editor of Hiwaga Komiks, at the same time writing for Pilipino Komiks, Tagalog Klasiks and Espesyal Komiks. “Apat na Taga”, his first komiks novel, was such an instant hit that Sampaguita Pictures turned it into a movie. Mars Ravelo was the leading innovator of the era that everyone – including Gomez himself – was haunted by the former’s success. “MN”, “Recuerdo”, “Kurdapya” and “Susanang Daldal” were all calculated to give Ravelo a run for his money…” – Komiklopedia The Philippine Komiks Encyclopedia (READ MORE)

Action Writer – “…Gomez also headed PSG Publishing House, which published titles like United Komiks, Universal Komiks, Kidlat Komiks, Continental Komiks, and Planet Komiks in the 1960s and ‘70s. He was also screenwriter for a number of films starring the late King of Philippine Cinema, Fernando Poe Jr., including Eseng ng Tondo, Probinsyano, Kahit Konting Pagtingin, Sta. Quiteria, Kalibre 45 and Mahal San Ka Nanggaling Kagabi? “I became an action writer for FPJ,” Gomez wrote back in 2004, in an article which appeared in the Film Academy of the Philippines website. “I wrote more than a hundred movies for him.” Gomez was also known for helming the ABS-CBN fantasy television series Wansapanataym and Kampanerang Kuba. In one of his last interviews, Gomez pointed out the irony that komiks were “enjoying a revival on television, the same medium that killed it.” These include some of his own works, such as Petrang Kabayo which is currently on its third movie version, and Juanita Banana which ABS-CBN is producing as a TV show. ABS-CBN is also set to bring Gomez’s Mutya to TV later in 2011…” – Fidelis Angela Tan, The POC, 03 January 2011 (READ MORE)

Best Friend – “…Ever since she started acting and appearing in movies made by Sampaguita Studios, Susan Roces hasn’t changed her style since this was stipulated in the contract she signed that she maintain her pageboy hairstyle. Suan and I became the best of friends and eventhough she got married to FPJ, we still have kept in touch and have been friends ever since. When Susan and ronnie got married, she gave all her personal belongings to me. She gave me her round bed, cabinert, dresser and other things. Many of Susan’s friends were offering to buy these from her while others were asking for them, but she chose to give all of them to me. “I know that you are my friend and you always take good care of the things I give to you, ” Susan told me. Every year when I celebrate my birthday, Susan would visit my home, look in my room and see if the things she gave me years ago are still there. I told her “I will never have them replaced, the things you gave me.” She replied that she was thankful that she didn’t go wrong in choosing me to take care of her treasured possessions.” Susan also loves to eat food and she would join us whenever we would invite her to go out to Muntinlupa, attend a stage show or partake of the delicious food offered to us at a fiesta. Both of us would take the jeepney whenever we would go shopping at Divisoria and people there would not even recognize her. Once you become Susan’s friend, she never forget you because for her, a friend is always a friend. She is always there when you need her help and she never forgets to greet you a happy birthday during your special day. Whe you get sick or hospitalized because of an accident, Susan is always the first by your side, ready to give you help when you need something…” – Pablo S. Gomez, Philippine Free Press, 03 January 2004 (READ MORE)

Pablo S. Gomez and Vilma Santos

  • Mga Batang Bangketa (1970) – Directed by Armando De Guzman and from the original story and screenplay of Pablo S. Gomez, Mga Batang Bangketa was one of the early films of teen stars Vilma Santos and Edgar Mortiz.
  • Ding Dong (1970) – Tirso Cruz III played the title role while Vi was his leading lady. The film was directed by Mar S. Torres from the original story and screenplay of Pablo S. Gomez.
  • Kamay na Gumagapang (1974) – Directed by Tony Cayado and Mauro Bautista adapted screenplay from Pablo S. Gomez original story. Kamay na Gumagapang was first serialized in Pilipino Komiks, a Filipino local comic-magazine. The film featured Vilma Santos with 70s’ singing star, Romeo Miranda as her leaing man.
  • Kampanerang na Kuba (1974) – From the original comic story of Pablo S. Gomez, Kampanerang Kuba was similar to Hunchback of Notre Damme but the gender. The film was directed by Nilo Saez who also credited as one of the scriptwriter who adapted the comic material of Gomez. The other one was Jose Flores Sibal. Vi was in the title role opposite Edgar Mortiz. Celia Rodriguez and Dindo Fernando played supporting roles.
  • Asawa Ko Huwag Mong Agawin (1987) – Pablo S. Gomez’ original novel titled “Paano Ba Sasabihing Paalam Na” was adapted by Jose Javier Reyes and Jake Cocadiz and directed by Emmanuel H. Borlaza. The film featured Vilma Santos and Amalia Fuentez.
  • Ikaw ang mahal ko (1996) – Fernando Poe Jr. and Vilma Santos last film together before his untimely demise in 2004. Gomez wrote the script.

Pablo S. Gomez is one of the top komiks writers in the Philippines. He is also a movie scriptwriter and director. His most popular works include Kurdapya, Petrang Kabayo, among others. Born in Sampaloc, Manila on 25 January 1931, he is the son of Olimpio Gomez and Pacita Salonga. He studied at Legarda Elementary School, Jose Abad Santos High School, National Teachers’ College and Ateneo de Manila University…It was in the 50th FAMAS Awards in 2001 that he was given the Dr. Jose Perez Memorial Award for Journalism. On 26 December 2010, Gomez died due to cardiac and pulmonary arrest. He was 79 years old. – Wikipedia (READ MORE)

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1977 MMFF

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The 3rd Metro Manila Film Festival was held in the year 1977. Previously known as Metropolitan Film Festival, it was changed to Metro Manila Film Festival. Burlesk Queen grabbed most of the awards. – Wikipedia (READ MORE)

Controversial Awards Night – “…In 1977, it was apparent that the actress in Vilma Santos fully emerged when she won the MMFF Best Actress award for the controversial Celso Ad Castillo period drama Burlesk Queen. Unfortunately, her winning was marred by nasty talks (na kesyo binawi ang mga napanalunan ng pelikula, including Vi’s trophy or medallion.) It seems nakaapekto ‘yun sa awarding na pambuong taon: at the FAMAS, Vilma lost to Susan Roces (for Maligno, also by Castillo); and, at the Gawad Urian, to Daria Ramirez (for Eddie Romero’s Sino ’ng Kapiling, Sino’ng Kasiping?). As for Nora Aunor, matapos ang grand entrance niya sa big league bilang major award-winning actress (with a double victory, unmatched at the time), isang actionromance- drama ang kanyang nagging panlaban: Augusto Buenaventura’s Bakya Mo Neneng, which paired her off with Tirso Cruz III and Joseph Estrada. The film won as Best Picture sa FAMAS. Nora’s and Vilma’s starrers were big moneymakers at the 1977 MMFF…” – William Reyes (READ MORE)

“…Look ninyo kung paanong nag-away at nag-gantihan ang dalawang maka-Nora at maka-Vilma! In 1977, pinakyaw ng Burlesk Queen ni Vilma Santos ang halos lahat ng awards. May tumutol, nag-ingay at nag-away-away (Hello, Lolit! Ang Scam!) kaya nag-utos si Madam Imelda na bawiin ang mga award! Wala namang kumuha uli nu’ng mga tropeo. Parang Vangie Pascual na tumangging bumalik sa Miss World contest to claim her crown bilang pamalit sa nanalong “Miss World” na may anak na pala! Snob?…And so, pinakyaw nga ng Burlesk Queen (1977) ang mga award. Gumanti ng sumunod na taon ang Noranians! Para lang matalbugan at mas mataasan ang napakyaw na awards ni Vilma Santos at ng Burlesk Queen, only a single acting award was given the following year; Best Performer award for Nora Aunor in Atsay! Walang Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress. Wala. Sabi nang isang award lang ang ibinigay na para bang encompassing ang performance ni Ate Guy more than Ate Vi. Galing?!…” – Alfie Lorenzo, Abante Tonite (READ MORE)

“…Naalaala namin ang “gulo” rin noong 1977 na open ang awayan ni Lino Brocka na director ng Inay at ni Rolando Tinio na isang juror. Muntik pa silang magsuntukan after the awards. Ang dahilan: Nanalo ang Burlesk Queen ni Celso Ad Castillo ng lahat ng awards except three (art direction at cinematography na punta sa Mga Bilanggong Birhen nina Tita Midz at best technical film ni Mike de Leon, Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising). May favoritism daw. Hate daw ng ilang jurors si Brocka. Dahil sa ingay ng print media, winidraw ng MMDA (si Mrs. Imelda Marcos ang big boss) ang mga tropeo. Ewan kung naisauli nina Celso, Vilma Santos, Rollie Quizon, Joonee Gamboa, Rosemarie Gil at producer Romy Ching ang mga tropeo nila na ‘binale-wala’ ng MMFF 1977 committee. Mabilis ang desisyon. Walang umangal…” – Billy Balbastro, Abante Tonite (READ MORE)

“…On its third year in 1977, the awards – won mostly by Burlesque Queen, were recalled by the organizer, then called the Metro Manila Commission, over some minor furor. I wouldn’t want to elaborate on this scandal anymore because most of the personages involved in the issue have long passed on to the other world. It’s not even clear to this day, in fact, if that recall was official because no trophies were returned and the festival’s annual souvenir program (at least the last time I saw one) still carries Burlesque Queen in its honor roll…” – The Philippine Star (READ MORE)

Award Winners:

Time Magazine – “…The Philippines: Let Them See Films. When politics became pretty much a one-man show in the Philippines, the people lost a prime source of entetainment. Part of the gap has been filled by a burhome-grown film industry, which displayed nine of its new productions at the Manila Film Festival last month. Some 2 million moviegoers saw the films. Some of the movies were historical dramas pointing up the search for a Filipino identity during the long years of Spanish rule. But the most acclaimed were contemporary stories with a heavy populist touch. The festival’s smash hit was Burlesk Queen, starring Filipino Superstar Vilma Santos. It tells the syrupy tale of a poor girl who turns to burlesque dancing to support a crippled father. She falls in love with the son of a politician, elopes with him, and then tragically loses him back to his possessive mother. The treacle is supplemented with some gritty argument about the rights and wrongs of burlesque, with a lefthanded dig at censors. Huffs the burlesque impresario at one point: “Who are they to dictate what the people should see?…” – Time Magazine, Feb. 13, 1978 Vol. 111 No. 7 (READ MORE)

Vi on Burlesk Queen – “…Yes, I will never forget that seven-minute dance in the movie. I postponed the shoot of the scene five times. I was so afraid. I performed the dance in front of a real burlesk show audience. I remember the controversy about the Metro Manila Film Festival Awards and the squabble between Rolando Tinio and Lino Brocka. They wanted us to return the trophies. I didn’t return mine. I deserved it. I worked hard for that trophy…” – Boy Abunda, The Philippine Star, July 31, 2009 (READ MORE)

Foreign Festival – “…One of the first Filipino filmmakers to invade foreign film festivals abroad with such output as Burlesk Queen and Alamat ni Julian Makabayan (Berlin Film Festival and World Film Festival in Montreal) and Nympha (Venice Film Festival), among others, Celso The Kid returned to his hometown Siniloan, Laguna where he led a quiet life while working on his autobiography…His 1977 film, Burlesk Queen, won 10 out of the 11 awards of the 1977 Metro Manila Film Festival but the results were contested by Lino Brocka and defended by juror Rolando Tinio (now National Artists for Film and Theater), respectively. He reflected: “I wanted to vindicate myself as a filmmaker in this movie. The media referred to me as a reluctant artist and a filmmaker who has yet to arrive. Not only did the film run away with awards. It was also the top grosser. It broke the myth that quality films don’s make money in the box-office and commercial films don’t win awards…” – Pablo A. Tariman, The Philippine Star, 28 November 2012 (READ MORE)

Film Entries:

    • Bakya Mo Neneng – Direction: Augusto Buenaventura; Story & Screenplay: Augusto Buenaventura, Diego Cagahastian; Cast: Joseph Estrada, Nora Aunor, Tirso Cruz III, Gloria Sevilla, Angelo Castro Jr., Ramon D’Salva, Angelo Ventura, Romy Medalla, Ernie Zarate, Olivia Sanchez, Ernie Ortega, Boyet Arce, Francisco Cruz, Paquito Salcedo; Original Music: Ernani Cuenco; Cinematography: Fred Conde; Film Editing: Edgardo Vinarao; Production Design: Vicente Bonus; Sound: Gregorio Ella; Production Co: JE Productions
    • Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising – Direction: Mike De Leon; Story & Screenplay: Mike De Leon, Rey Santayana; Cast: Christopher De Leon, Hilda Koronel, Laurice Guillen, Moody Diaz, Danny Javier, Boboy Garovillo, Bibeth Orteza, Briccio Santos, Oya de Leon, Archie Corteza, Erwin Kilip, Jayjay de los Santos, Bert Miranda, Don Escudero, Sally Santiago, Marietta Sta. Juana, Belen Perez, Wilma Gacayan, Tess Dumo, Carol Gamiao, Joseph Olfindo, Wilma Cunanan, Alfie Alonso, Jojo Nacion, Dorai Montemayor, Annie Lazaro, Rikki Jimenez, Guiller Magalindal, Francis Escaler, Aida Rabara, Carmen Gayman; Executive Producer: Manuel De Leon, Narcisa de Leon; Original Music: Jun Latonio; Cinematography: Mike De Leon, Francis Escaler; Film Editing: Ike Jarlego Jr.; Production Design: Mel Chionglo; Music: Nonong Buencamino; Production Co: LVN Pictures
    • Inay – Direction: Lino Brocka; Story & Screenplay: Jose Dalisay Jr.; Cast: Alicia Vergel, Dindo Fernando, Chanda Romero, Orestes Ojeda, Laurice Guillen, Ace Vergel, Dexter Doria, Fred Montilla; Original Music: Ernani Cuenco; Cinematography: Joe Batac; Film Editing: Augusto Salvador; Production Design: Fiel Zabat; Production Co: Lotus Films
    • Banta ng Kahapon – Direction: Eddie Romero; Story & Screenplay: Eddie Romero; Cast: Vic Vargas, Bembol Roco, Roland Dantes, Chanda Romero, Lito Legaspi, Roderick Paulate, Ruben Rustia, Karim Kiram, Romeo Rivera, Henry Salcedo, Olivia O’Hara, Celita DeCastro; Executive Producer: Antonio Co, Dennis Juban, Jun C. Tavera, Beth Verzosa; Original Music: Vic Santiago, Berg Villapando, Marilyn Villapando; Cinematography: Justo Paulino; Film Editing: Ben Barcelon; Production Design: Gay Dolorfino; Sound: Angel Avellana; Production Co: Hemisphere Pictures
    • Babae… Ngayon at Kailanman – Direction: Joey Gosiengfiao; Story & Screenplay: Amado Daguio, Alberto Florentino, Nick Joaquin, Jose F. Lacaba, Wilfrido Nolledo; Cast: Charito Solis, Gloria Diaz, Chanda Romero, Vivian Velez, Dindo Fernando, Ronaldo Valdez, Tommy Abuel; Original Music: Lutgardo Labad; Cinematography: Jose Austria; Film Editing: Ike Jarlego Jr.; Production Design: Betty Gosiengfiao; Production Co: Melros Productions
    • Walang Katapusang Tag-araw – Direction: Ishmael Bernal; Story & Screenplay: Ishmael Bernal, Oscar Miranda; Cast: Charito Solis, Eddie Garcia, Mat Ranillo III, Liza Lorena, Ruel Vernal, Ingrid Salas, Veronica Palileo, Rustica Carpio, Catherine Santos, Ernie Zarate; Original Music: Willy Cruz; Cinematography: Jun Rasca; Film Editing: Nonoy Santillan; Production Design: Mel Chionglo; Production Co: Lea Productions
    • Sa Piling ng mga Sugapa – Direction: Gil Portes; Story and Screenplay: Clodualdo Del Mundo Jr.; Cast: Mat Ranillo III, Bembol Roco, Chanda Romero, Julie Ann Fortich, Paul Lacanilao, Mely Tagasa, Bongchi Miraflor, Mart Martel, Cris Vertido, Peng Olaguera, Ral Arando, Fred Param, Telly Babasa, Tommy Yap; Original Music: Ramon Santos; Cinematography: Arnold Alvaro; Film Editing: Ben Barcelon; Production Design: Dez Bautista; Production Co: Silangan Films International
    • Mga Bilanggong Birhen (Captive Virgins) – Direction: Mario O’Hara, Romy Suzara; Story and Screenplay: Mario O’Hara; Cast: Alma Moreno; Trixia Gomez; Rez Cortez; Armida Siguion-Reyna; Mario Montenegro; Barbara Luna; Ruffy Mendoza; Leroy Salvador; Monang Carvajal; Rodel Naval; Panggoy Francisco; Ronnie Lazaro; Producer: Armida Siguion-Reyna; Original Music: Ryan Cayabyab; Cinematography: Romeo Vitug; Film Editing: Ike Jarlego Jr.; Production Design: Laida Lim-Perez; Production Co: Pera Films
    • Burlesk Queen – Direction: Celso Ad Castillo; Story: Mauro Gia Samonte, Celso Ad Castillo; Screenplay: Mauro Gia Samonte; Cast: Vilma Santos, Rolly Quizon, Rosemarie Gil, Leopoldo Salcedo, Roldan Aquino, Chito Ponce Enrile, Dexter Doria, Yolanda Luna, Joonee Gamboa; Original Music: George Canseco; Cinematography: Benjamin L. Lobo; Film Editing: Abelardo Hulleza, Joe Mendoza; Production Design: Jose Tamayo Cruz; Sound: Gregorio Ella; Production Co: Ian Films

The Metro Manila Film Festival-Philippines (MMFF-P) is the annual film festival held in Manila. The festival, which runs from the 25th of December to the first week of January, focuses on locally-produced films. The MMFF was established in the year 1975, during which Diligin Mo ng Hamog ang Uhaw na Lupa (Water the Thirsty Earth with Dew) by Augusto Buenaventura won the best film award. During the course of the festival, no foreign movies are shown across the Philippines (except for 3D theaters and IMAX theaters). Moreover, only films approved by the jurors of the MMFF will be shown. One of the festival highlights is the parade of floats during the opening of the festival. The floats, each one representing a movie entry for the festival, parade down Roxas Boulevard, while the stars for films ride on them. On the awards night, the Best Float award is also announced, together with the major acting awards. – Wikipedia (READ MORE)

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Remembering Carmen Rosales

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The Dressmaker – “…From Tiya Dely’s account, we learned that the late movie queen was a dressmaker before she auditioned to become a radio singer. “She finished dressmaking at MAFFEI Fashion School,” Magpayo, 84, said. “She was so scared during her audition that she ran from the studio after her number.” Rosales was already a young housewife whe she was offered by an independent movie producer to star in “Mahiwagang Binibini,” based on the sarswela “Ang Kiri,” which zarswela queen and National Artist for Music and Arts Atang dela Rama originally starred in. After the success of her first starrer, Rosales became a contract star of Sampaguita Pictures, the company that made her the undisputed movie queen during the pre/post war era. “Arimunding Munding,” “Takipsilim” (her first team-up with Rogelio dela Rosa), “Senorita,” “Colegiala” and “Lambingan” are only a few of the movies she made before the war…Never before heard anecdotes about Rosales were likewise related by film industry leader and producer Marichu Vera Perez-Maceda. Maceda, quoting an old magazine article, explained how Rosales became a heroine during the war: “Carmen’s husband, Ramon Novales, was killed by the Japanese. So she joined the guerrilla movement and actually participated in encouters with the enemies. There was an incident when the actress, proving she was a sharpshooter, felled a makapili (traitor).” Maceda said the Japanese Imerial Army found it difficult to persuade Carmen to star in “Tatlong Maria.” She was told that all the people in a village in Pangasinan would be killed if she did not accept the offer. Of course, the actress gave in. This could be the reason two Pangasinan towns were named after her, Carmen and Rosales…” – Ernie Pecho, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Mar 13, 2005 (READ MORE)

La Rosales’ Temper – “…Her career spanned five generations of stars and superstars, in this wise: pre-war years – Rosa del Rosario, Rogelio de la Rosa, Leopoldo Salcedo, Jose Padilla, Jr., Fernando Poe, Sr., Angel Esmeralda, Ely Ramos, Corazon Noble, Mona Lisa, Rosario Moreno, Arsenia Francisco, Elsa Oria, Rudy Concepcion, Norma Blancaflor and Paraluman; second generation – Anita Linda, Lilia Dizon, Celia Flor, Lillian Leonardo, Alicia Vergel, Erlinda Cortes, Linda Estrella, Rebecca Gonzales; third generation – Gloria Romero, Nida Blanca, Delia Razon, Nestor de Villa, Tessie Quintana, Charito Solis, Edna Luna, Ric Rodrigo, Rita Gomez, Eddie Rodriguez, Ramon Revilla; fourth generation – Amalia Fuentes, Susan Roces, Marlene Dauden, Barbara Perez, Lita Gutierrez, Mina Aragon, Daisy Romualdez, Romeo Vasquez, Eddie Gutierrez, Jose Mari, Liberty Ilagan, Bernard Bonnin; fifth generation – Josephine Estrada, Rosemarie, Gina Pareño, Blanca Gomez, Loretta Marquez, and others. Carmen’s last movie was Gintong Recuerdo produced in early 1965. She co-starred with the then “Stars ‘66” of SPI. She was still billed above the title, ahead of her co-stars. But Mameng’s most memorable movies, today considered as classics of Philippine movies, in point of prestige and box-office records are Arimunding-munding, Señorita, Probinsiyana, Ang Guerrilyera, Takip-Silim, Debutante, Maalaala Mo Kaya, MN, Kamay Ng Diyos (directed by Eddie Romero), Hindi Kita Malimot, Sandra and Inspirasiyon. The last-mentioned movie won her a FAMAS Best Actress trophy in 1953. Like most artists any where in the world, La Rosales also had a “temper” on the set. “I hate co-stars who arrive late on the set. I arrive early or on time fully made-up,” she said. “I also hate scene-stealers. Kapag frame mo, kahit extra ka lang sa pelikula, e ibibigay ko. Pero kapag frame ko na, you better give what is due me!” But she is a natural scene-stealer. She can steal a scene with just a wink or movement of her eyes – this according to the late Doc Perez…” – Manny B. Fernandez, Pelikula, Atbp. (READ MORE)

The First Bona fide Movie Queen – “…She quit toward the mid-’60s because she wasn’t getting any younger and had to throw in the towel (she had been on top since the pre-war). However, she kept the public interested in her by being a recluse, a la Greta Garbo and everyone kept speculating about her (did she age gracefully or was she in dire straits?). She refused interviews for both print and television and that all the more added to her mystique. For about a quarter of a century, she kept everyone guessing how she looked by hiding (no photographs, please!) from public view. Oh, she would be seen in Uni-Mart from time to time, but it was only people of her generation who recognized her, or maybe they didn’t anymore. The last image moviegoers had of her was when she was still a glamorous movie queen, and she kept it that way. She agreed to a VTR shoot for the FAMAS in 1983, but on the condition that it was just going to be a silhouette shot. But before she passed away in December 1991, she allowed herself to be interviewed by German Moreno and Inday Badiday in 1987 and the curious finally saw how age had caught up with her (she looked like a glamorous grandmother). But the mystery that she allowed to envelop her lustrous Carmen Rosales: First bona fide local movie queenname worked to her favor for more than 25 years and to this day, she is still regarded as the first bona fide movie queen of the local big screen…” – Butch Francisco, The Star, 09 Oct 2010 (READ MORE)

Related to Vi and Chato – “…Si Mameng ay Carmen Keller sa tunay na buhay, bunso sa apat na magkakapatid. “Ang mother ko ay Constantino ang apelyido kaya’t kamag-anak ko sina Charito Solis at Vilma Santos. Constantino ang lola ni Vilma at gan’on din ang lola ni Charito. Kamag-anak ko rin ang direktor na si Felicing Constantino.” Sa ngayon ay masaya na raw siya sa takbo ng kanyang buhay. “Kinatutuwaan ko ngayon ang mag-alaga ng mga manok,” aniya. May mga limang manok nga kaming nakita sa paligid. Parang pets ang pagtingin niya sa mga ito. Ang isang puting tandang ay mabulas ang tindig at pinangalanan niya ng Peter. “Mabagsik ‘yan,” kuwento niya. “’Yan ang watchdog ko rito.” Nang dumating nga kami ay agad itong sumugod at akmang manunuka kundi pinigilan ng katulong. Busy rin si Mameng sa pagtatatag ng bible reading at charismatic movement sa pook nila. “Satisfied ako sa buhay ko at masaya ako sa paggawa ng mga gawaing bahay,” dagdag pa niya. Hindi na ba siya muling magka-comeback sa pelikula? “Last year, may offer sa ‘kin si Atty. Laxa ng Tagalog Ilang-Ilang. Pero tinaasan ko talaga ang presyo ko. Sabi naman niya sa ‘kin, “I cannot blame you, Mameng. You really deserve that much.” Pero ngayon, naisip kong ayoko na talagang bumalik pa sa pelikula. I retired while I was still on top at mataas pa ang rate ko. Gusto kong maging maganda ang alaala kong maiiwan sa publiko. Wala na naman akong dapat pang patunayan kahit kanino…” – Mario E. Bautista, Jingle Extra Hot Magazine (READ MORE)

The biography of Carmen Rosales – “…The Second Lady, Dra. Elenita Binay, and the queen of Philippine movies, Susan Roces, were the guests of honor at the launch March 1 of the biography of Carmen Rosales, “Carmen Rosales: Hindi Kita Malimot,” published by Danny Dolor and written by Manny Fernandez. The launch was held at the Silangan Restaurant of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, which gave guests a spectacular view of Manila Bay and sunset. CCP president delivered the opening remarks and was even prevailed upon to play on the piano two songs identified with Carmen. Rachelle Gerodias and Lemuel de la Cruz sang the themes of three Carmen movies, “Maalaala Mo Kaya,” “Hindi Kita Malimot,” and “Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig,” which is the title of the biography, a tribute to the pre-war and post-war movie queen. The book contains rare photos of Carmen and her films, many of them never before published, truly a collector’s copy, available at the CCP bookstore. Movie personalities, socialites, educators, mediamen, among many others attended the book launch. The author, Manny Fernandez, and his wife Aida, flew all the way from Louisiana to grace the event…” – Malaya (READ MORE)

Januaria Keller (1918–1991) was a noted pre-WWII Filipina actress better known as Carmen Rosales and Mameng and is noted for her skill in acting and sweet voice. A native of Pangasinan born to American father and Ilocana mother, Rosales’ film debut was in the 1938 movie Ang Kiri which she made a double to Atang dela Rama. When her friend brought her to Quisumbing the man rejected Rosales because the young woman did not have an aura of an actress. But she became the most famous Filipina actress of the 1940s and 1950s and rivaled Rosa del Rosario at the box-office. She is famous for her sweet voice and recorded numerous songs. Rosales made her first debut in Ang Kiri aka The Flirt under Diwata Pictures. She starred in her first leading role opposite Jose Padilla Jr in Arimunding-Munding 1939. She became the most bankable star in Sampaguita Pictures and the highest paid actress of the 1940s and 1950s. Her unforgettable roles as a martyr lover of Rogelio dela Rosa in Maalaala Mo Kaya 1954 and a club-singer in Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig. She got her first Famas Award in 1954 via Inspirasyon opposite Van de Leon and a strict auntie in 1960 movie Estela Mondragon. She garnered fame in a hacendera role in Pablo Gomez’s version of MN. Her last appearance was in Inday Badiday’s Eye to Eye. Arguably, she was the undisputed and lone reigning Queen of Philippine Movies in the 40s. Her films, topbilled by her, were once vehicles that ushered the emerging popularity of Gloria Romero, Amalia Fuentes and Susan Roces, who all later became movie queens themselves decades after. Her royalty has been immortalized by naming a barrio in Rosales, Pangasinan after her, now currently divided into two barangays, Carmen East and Carmen West. – Wikipedia (READ MORE)

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Nana Rosa Henson

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ARTICLES - Rosa Henson

Nana Rosa – “…After Rizal and Muro-Ami, I thought you were going to do Larawan (Nick Joaquin’s Portrait of the Artist as Filipino). What happened? “Well, the negotiations (for Larawan) fell through even before the showing of Muro-Ami. After doing Muro-Ami, I thought I was going to die of exhaustion. I was suffering from hypothermia (a condition of abnormally low body temperature); I was pasmado because of all the diving I did during the filming of Muro-Ami (in Bohol). I wanted to go on a sabbatical. Malou (Santos, Star Cinema managing director) asked me what I liked to do for Star Cinema but I begged off because I didn’t feel na kaya ko mag-trabaho in the next two years. What happened was that, naka-sabbatical nga ako, kaya lang sa giyera.” What about the Nana Rosa (the Comfort Woman) project (also for Star Cinema, which would have starred Vilma Santos in the title role)? “I still like the Nana Rosa project, I’m still interested in it, but that might have to come later…” – The Philippine Star, December 09, 2001 (READ MORE)

Comfort Women Slam Japan Apology – “…The Philippine President and Senate leaders hailed Japan’s apology for its actions during World War Two on Tuesday, but Filipinas who were used by Japanese soldiers as sex slaves called it an empty gesture. Senate President Eduardo Angara and Francisco Tatad, head of the Senate foreign relations committee, backed demands for compensation by Filipina “comfort women” who were used by Japanese soldiers as sex slaves in battlefield brothels. About 20 Filipina comfort women held a protest outside the Japanese embassy in Manila said they were not satisfied with Murayama’s apology. The group is demanding $200,000 compensation for each victim. “I’m angry. If he wants to ask for forgiveness but refuses to compensate us, then that’s nothing to us,” said Maria Rosa Luna Henson, spokeswoman for the comfort women. Nelia Sancho, leader of the Lila Filipina women’s group backing the women, estimated up to 20,000 Filipinas were used by Japanese troops as sex slaves during the war, but only 30 percent survived the war. Sancho hopes that the Japanese government will reconsider its position of not providing legal compensation, particularly to the comfort women…” – Reuter (READ MORE)

Rescued by Huk Guerrillas – “…Her ordeal began when she was raped by Japanese soldiers while gathering firewood in what is now Fort Bonifacio. Fearful for her safety, her mother brought her to a village in Pampanga, where Lola Rosa joined the Hukbalahap guerrillas, gathering food and medicine for them, and acting as a courier for messages. While transporting a cartload of guns, she was stopped by a Japanese sentry who forcibly took her to a hospital in Angeles City which had been turned into a garrison. There, at the age of 14, her life as a comfort woman began. For nine months until her rescue by Huk guerrillas, scores of Japanese soldiers raped her everyday. Lola Rosa told no one but her mother of what had been done to her. Not even the man she later married knew; her children found out only after she had come out into the open in 1992. Abandoned by her husband, she raised three children on her own, working as a laundrywoman, and later as a sweeper in a cigarette factory. She did not go mad only through faith and the sheer effort of will, she said. She also vowed to remember. To her dying day, Lola Rosa had a prodigious memory for dates and events. She once said that for her, remembering was the best revenge….” – Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (READ MORE)

Ipinamana Kay Rory – “…Sa kanyang paghahanda sa “kaganapan” ng kanyang buhay, nakakalungkot mang isipin, ay may mga projects na sana ay gagawin ni Direk Marilou, pero hindi na niya nagawa. “Ikaw Ang Pag-Ibig is my last film. It’s my swan song,” aniya. Binanggit din ni Direk Marilou ang mga bagong project na katuwang na lamang siya sa pagre-reseach at pagsulat ng screenplay. “I wish Olive [Lamasan] would directed John Lloyd Cruz in Juan Luna, which I’m researching on and co-writing with Ricky Lee. “O yung Nana Rosa, ipinamana ko yun kay Rory Quintos. Ang Nana Rosa, base sa totoong kuwento ni Nana Rosa Henson, na naging “comfort woman” noong Second World War sa Pilipinas, ay laan para kay Vilma Santos na ididirek sana ni Ishmael Bernal. Sabi ni Direk Marilou, “Hindi na si Ate Vi [ang gaganap]. Hahanap sila ng bagong artista for Nana Rosa…They wanted me to direct…ipinamamana ko na kina Olive at Rory…Next year, God willing, I was supposed to direct it, but nung nag-stage 4 ako, I told Ricky, ‘Isulat mo na, ako ang magre-research…Wag kang matakot…Tapos, sabi ko, ‘Olive, it’s time for you to do something like this. You do this…She’s ripe na, e,” sabi pa ni Direk Marilou. On her part, nakasulat na rin ng dalawang libro si Direk Marilou habang nasa kundisyong “unreliable” ang kanyang health condition. “The first one is Moonlit Seasons and then Reefs of Paradise. Both [about] underwater ‘yan,” banggit pa niya. Magku-collaborate din daw sila ni Ricky para sa isang “double memoir” na tala ng marami nilang pagsasama sa iba’t ibang proyekto at mga taong naging bahagi niyon…” – William R. Reyes, PEP (READ MORE)

Maria Rosa Luna Henson or “Lola Rosa” (Grandma Rosa) (1927- 1997) was the first Filipina to tell the world of her story as a comfort woman for the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. In 1992, when Henson was 65, she decided it was time to tell the world about her experience during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in World War II. Until 1992, only two people had known of her secret, her late mother and her dead husband. After coming out publicly with her story, Lola Rosa decided to write about her war-time experience. The result was the book, Comfort Woman: A Slave of Destiny. In Comfort Woman: A Slave of Destiny, Lola Rosa provided an achingly straightforward voice to the erstwhile silent and invisible existence of Filipino comfort women. Almost 200 Filipino women soon followed Rosa’s example as they decided to reveal themselves and their personal stories for the first time—not only to the world, but to their families as well. Other victims, including those from Korea and China, joined the Filipino women to file a class action lawsuit against the Japanese government. Together, they demanded justice in the form of a formal apology from the Japanese government; the inclusion of all the war-time atrocities committed by the Japanese into Japan’s school history books; and monetary reparations to compensate for all the abuses and violence committed against the women. However, the Japanese government denied legal responsibility and refused to pay the victims. Later, responding to the growing pressure of continued protests and appeals by the survivors and their supporters, Japan finally set up the Asian Women’s Fund (AWF) in 1995 to collect money from private Japanese citizens, and offered them to the victims as “atonement payments.” Henson died of a heart attack in 1997, a year after her autobiography was published, and after she decided to accept the money from the AWF. – Wikipedia (READ MORE)

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Remembering Danny Zialcita

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Danny’s Film Style – “…Sabi ni Danny, marami siyang naririnig na takot ang mga artista sa kanya dahil sa kakaiba raw niyang working habits. “Iba akong magpatakbo ng set. For those stars I haven’t handled yet, working with me will be like breaking old habits. It doesn’t necessarily mean na ours is the better habit. Iba lang.” Karaniwan, maraming hindi nakagamay sa style ni Danny na walang script. Kay Danny, the script should be just a guide for the sequence ng scenes. Sasabihin lang ni Danny ang situwasyon sa artista, bahala na ang artista sa interpretation at sa dialogue “I allow them to contribute to the interpretation of the story base on their everyday experience. Paglabas natural ang arte nila. Mahirap kung sunod lang nang sunod sa sinasabi ng isang papel,” paliwanag ni Danny. “Ang importante lang,” dagdag ni Danny, “ay alam ng direktor kung saan pupunta ang istorya.” Isa pang style ni Danny na hindi nakukuha ng maraming artista ay ang mabilis na pacing ng kanyang mga pelikula. “Pag sa akin, no long pauses in between dialogue. Brief and concise ang takbo ng ma linya.” Naniniwala si Danny na ang editing ang isa sa mga dahilan ng ikinagaganda ng kanyang mga pelikula. “I’m more of an editor than a director; more of a scriptwriter than a director,” sabi niya. Ang editing ay isang aspeto ng paggawa ng pelikula na talagang pinagaralan ni Danny. Ipinagmamalaki ni Danny na hindi siya aksayado sa film. “I already edit my film while still on the shooting. Nandoon ang concentration ko as director. I hardly expose film.” As a director, naniniwala si Danny na dapat, may malaki siyang papel sa pagpili ng final title ng pelikula. Binibigyan din niya ng importansiya ang music sa pelikual. “I love music, I give room for it in my films…” – Vivienne Rafael, Movie Flash Magazine, December 23, 1982 (READ MORE)

Man starts and God finishes – “…Perhaps, it was because we were his most recent contact from media if one could call five years recent. At that time, he agreed to an interview, asked that we see him at his home and spoke of a project for Gabby Concepcion, which we filed for The Philippine Star. At that time, we wrote: “Gabby’s father Rolly was on the phone talking with Danny and he hands us the phone. Apparently, Rolly has a story for Gabby he wants Danny to direct. Zialcita’s mind was not only as sharp as it was in the past; his excitement at reappearing once again on the scene was infectious. He told us of how God had been guiding his every move in the past. Man starts and God finishes, he stated. He felt this during the peak of his career when he was churning out movie after movie… Nine hits in a row? That couldn’t have been possible without Divine intervention,” he interjects. Upon his death Sunday, we were told his body was cremated and no wake was scheduled. It seemed to us that Danny had directed his final movie. And we remember “Man starts and God finishes…” – Bibsy M. Carballo, The Philippine Star, March 15, 2013 (READ MORE)

Beautiful Women and Cool Wife – “…Zialcita is a son of a banker whose wife took care of the kids and the home. If he had a knack for narrative, it must have come from his paternal grandmother who wrote short stories for Liwayway Magazine. Danny studied at the Ateneo de Manila up to high school before he was sent by his dad to the Sophia University in Japan to take up business management—and to cut the budding romance between his son and the actress Charito Solis. While he was indeed enrolled in a business course in the beginning, he was soon moonlighting in the film editing classes, and ended up just focusing on the latter. He wasn’t able to finish his studies and at 19, got married to Leonor Vergara, a favorite leading lady and then girlfriend of Fernando Poe Jr. Despite Danny’s reputation for being a playboy, the two have been married for 47 years now, and have three grown children. “Ask the girls,” says Mark Gil, with a knowing laugh when I ask him to comment on the director’s ladies’ man image. And Zialcita always had the most beautiful women on the set: Lyka Ugarte, Dang Cecilio, Pinky de Leon, Rio Locsin, Hilda Koronel, and Gloria, of course. “My favorite is still upstairs,” he tells me when asked who among the actresses was his favorite. “I believe in duty, responsibility and continuity…I have a way of hiding what is important.” And then he adds, “Mapagbigay ako.” “He loved women,” says Gloria. “He is very cariñoso, very touchy, laging nakasampay sa’yo. Even with the men.” But Danny never made a move on her. “How can he? We were always shooting in his house; his wife was upstairs.” The Zialcita movie atmosphere, they say, is always relaxed. Mostly because he is the producer of most of his films he can take his time, and he was usually shooting at home, in the old Zialcita mansion on Lee Street in Mandaluyong. “Basta may painting at may salamin, it was shot in Danny’s house,” Mark Gil says. “Kaya ‘yung mga walls namin puro butas,” says daughter Beth. He would just change the paintings and the look of the house for every film. They would also shoot in the house across owned by a relative. “Even while he was doing his bomba movies, he would do it here,” adds Beth. “I would come home from school and see people in the house na walang damit.” While he did collect many paintings, ivories and sculptures not only for his films but also as a personal hobby, Danny also collected still photographs of scantily clad women whose blown-up incarnations Beth would see posted in his private den. His wife Leonor, says Beth, never seemed to mind. “She is a very cool wife…” – Jerome Gomez for Metro Him, ABS-CBN News, 03/12/2013 (READ MORE)

Danny’s Vi and Guy – “…Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos told the Inquirer: “I learned a lot from him. He popularized crispy, witty dialogue that sounded very natural. He was intelligent and clannish. He liked working with the same set of actors. I felt privileged to be among his regulars.” Santos starred in Zialcita’s biggest 1980s hits: “Langis at Tubig,” “Karma,” “Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan” and “T-Bird at Ako.” The last one also top-billed Nora Aunor. Told about the news, Aunor said that, apart from “T-Bird at Ako,” she guested in a Zialcita movie that launched singer Kuh Ledesma in 1982, “Tinimbang ang Langit.” “We also have an unfinished movie ‘Sa Dulo ng Panahon’ (produced by Regal Films in 1988),” said Aunor. “Mahusay siyang direktor. Mabilis mag-isip at magaganda ang mga dialogue namin lagi. He was a great director, quick-witted. He always gave us beautiful lines to deliver…” – Bayani San Diego Jr., Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 14, 2013 (READ MORE)

Dear Sharon – “…None at all. My first single, Tawag ng Pagibig (by Rey Valera), didnít click. It was my second, Mr. Deejay (also by Valera), released six months later, which did. When I was 14, I rode on the float of the movie Langis at Tubig during the parade at the Cebu Film Festival. I sang the theme song of that movie (directed by Danny Zialcita). Ate Vi (Vilma Santos), one of the stars, was pregnant with Lucky so I kind of pinchhit for her. Direk Danny was very impressed by the public reaction. After the parade, he talked to my Mom about the movie Dear Heart. Hindi daw niya itutuloy if he couldnít get me to star in it…Direk Danny wanted my character in the movie to be close to my real self para daw hindi ako mahirapan. So in the movie, I had bodyguards and my father was strict and crazy over me; I even had a yaya who called me Miss Universe. Very real life, di ba? I had crushes and puppy loves even before I met Gabby. Before I joined showbiz, ang crush ko noon ay si Dondon Nakar. But before Dondon, there was Bruce Lee, and now Jet Li. I did have a crush on Albert (Martinez) but not on Gabby. I thought Gabby was mayabang; so among the Regal Babies, mas gusto ko sina Alfie Anido at Jimi Melendez (both dead). In fact, when they asked me who I wanted as my leading man in Dear Heart, I said, “Anybody but Gabby Concepcion.í I found out na mabait naman pala siya when we started shooting…” – Ricky Lo, The Philippine Star, August 11, 2002 (READ MORE)

Comatose – “…Atenean, Danny Zialcita, passed away Monday, March 11 after more than a year of being comatose. He was 73. Director, producer and writer, Zialcita was legendary. He was revered for his glossy movies that often showed middle-class characters delivering witty quips and kilometric dialogues that he often wrote and re-wrote on the set itself. “Lady Killer” was made in 1965 and he went on to make 52 movies, most of which he himself wrote. Among his most famous are “Bakit Manipis ang Ulap,” “Nang Masugatan ang Gabi (1984), “Nagalit ang Buwan sa Haba ng Gabi” (1983), “Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan?” (1982), “Langis at Tubig” “Hindi sa Iyo ang Mundo, Baby Porcuna,” “Ikaw at ang Gabi” (1979). He was credited for plucking the teen recording artist Sharon Cuneta and making her into a star via the teen romance “Dear Heart” (1981), which paired her with Gabby Concepcion. Zialcita and Cuneta would later reunite in 1983 for “To Love Again.” He was also the director of “T-Bird at Ako,” which has the two most awarded Filipina actresses Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos. He was married to former actress of Premiere Productions Leonor Vergara with whom he had a daughter…” – Malaya, March 17 2013 (READ MORE)

Danny Zialcita and Vilma Santos

  • Langis at Tubig (1980) – Zialcita’s first collaboration with Vi. She played the other wife of Dindo Fernando who was had a shotgun wedding to a provincial naivette, played by Amy Austria who he impregnated.
  • Karma (1981) – After the hit, Langis at Tubig, zialcita did Karma with Vi. The film was one of the top grosser in the December festival. It also earned Vi another best actress. Manny A. Valera, writer for Jingle Extra Hot Magazine wrote in December 28, 1981, Vi was so proud of this Zialcita’s directed film she explained: “…Masaya ako ngayon. Sa darating na Filmfest kasi, maganda ang panlaban kong pelikula. Kung nagustuhan ng mga manonood ang Langit at Tubig last year, mas magugustuhan nila ang Karma. Hindi kiyeme-kiyeme ang sinasabi ko. Nakita ko na kasi ang mga rushes, “I consider Danny as one of the best among our movie directors. Pulido siyang magtrabaho. Pari iyong mga bold scenes namin, talagang artistically done. All praises ako sa kanya. Nakasama ko na rin siya before and because of that, may inter-action kaming dalawa. Vibes na vibes kami. Sure ako, hindi ako mapapahiya sa filmfest entry ko. “Karma will be my Christmas gift to all my fans who, until now, have not stopped loving me. Ang pagtingin ko sa kanila ay extra special kaya naman, extra-special ang regalo ko…”
  • T-Bird at Ako (1982) – Aside from several guest appearances in all star cast films like Dugo at Pag-ibig sa Kapirason Lupa, Happy Days Are Here Again and other forgetable films, this is the fourth films that Vi and Guy did together. Zialcita masterfully directed the two and despite the unequal weight in terms of roles, Vi gamely faced Nora in several memorable confrontation scenes that include witty/crisp dialouges, slapping and a kissing scene (well, almost lips to lips, a kiss in a cheek). Art immitating life? We all know that Guy had a rumour gay wedding in the U.S. that she herself briefly discussed in an article years back. And she also candidly admitted several times, she’s also a Vilmanian. Zialcita was way ahead of his time, creating one of few Filipino films about a career minded and succesful lawyer who happens to be a lesbian. Seldom we see such characters in Filipino local films and he has done this several times in films like Mahinhin vs Mahinhn. Despite the dissappointing ending where lesbian Nora agreed to be with her patient suitor, played by Tommy Abuel, instead of Vi, the film has answeared what both Vi and Guy’s fans has been expecting since Bernal’s Ikaw Ay Akin, the typical battle confrontations. It may come probably too late as the film was not as successfull commercially.
  • Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan? (1982) – Zialcita and Vi’s last film together. Hilda was originally cast in Langis at Tubig in 1980 but he took out Hilda and cast Amy Austria instead. He then make-up for this decision by giving Hilda one of the lead in this drama that reminds local film buff of the Lolita-Eddie-Marlene troika in 60s. In an interview by Jerome Gomez, for Metro in 2008, “…From 1979 to 1986, Zialcita was on a roll, doing one film after another, pulling off nine hits in a row beginning with Gaano Kadalas in 1981 up to his sex comedies that include May Lamok Sa Loob ng Kulambo. He could demand anything from a producer and his wish would be granted. When Viva Films asked him to do Gaano Kadalas, he told Vic and Mina del Rosario that he will only do it if they get George Canseco to write the theme song (most of his popular films had songs by Canseco), and that Hilda Koronel would be one of the leads. Viva granted him both, even if it had to pay more for Hilda than for Vilma. “May utang ako kay Hilda eh, I took her out of Langis at Tubig…” Gaano Kadalas broke box office records set by another Vilma starrer, Sinasamba Kita released few months eartlier, it grossed 7.3 Million in its few days run in Metro Manila in 1982, equivalent to 17.4 millions to today’s money.

Danny Zialcita (November 24, 1939 – March 10, 2013) is a fun-loving gifted and colorful filmmaker who left his mark as one of the best in the stimulating era of the ’60s and ’70s. Then without any warning he left the industry. Stories of drug addiction, withdrawal from the world, and worse, loss of sanity dogged his absence until even his colleagues lost touch with him and didn’t know what to believe. Zialcita is a master of improvisation on the set, he also had the knack for casting the right actors, choosing the right material, and pleasing his producers. One of his favorite actors was Dindo Fernando whom he termed “the complete actor” and cast him in such movies as Langis at Tubig, Karma, Gaano Kadalas Ang Minsan, Mahinhin at Mahinhin, its sequel Malakas, si Maganda at si Mahinhin and Ikaw at ang Gabi which gave Dindo his first Urian Best Actor trophy. Other favorites were Vilma Santos cast in Karma, T-Bird at Ako, Langis at Tubig; Pinky de Leon; Laurice Guillen; Ronaldo Valdes; and Beth Bautista who won Best Actress award in Hindi sa Iyo ang Mundo Baby Porcuna. – Bibsy M. Carballo (READ MORE)

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Discography: Sing Vilma Sing

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Christmas special at discography ang tema ng V Magazine No. 13. Yaman din lamang at discography ang isa sa mga tema kaya eto ang aking munting contribution para sa Alam Nyo Ba? Part 46. Pamagatan natin itong Sing Vilma Sing. Aminado naman si Vi na hindi siya isang singer na katulad ng mga kasabayan niyang mga young stars noon na sina Nora Aunor, Tirso Cruz III, Edgar Mortiz, Perla Adea, Esperanza Fabon, Eddie Peregrina, Victor Wood, Eva Vivar, Rene Ordoñez, Darius Razon, Rhodora Silva, Geraldine, Neddie Decena, Sonny Cortez at marami pang iba subali’t ang boses na yun ay binabayaran. Noong Dekada ’70, ang mga young stars ay kailangang marunong kumanta dahil yun ang uso kaya naman nagtayo ng sariling recording company ang nasirang manager ni Vi na si William Leary dahil ayaw niyang pahuhuli sa uso ang kanyang alaga. Ilan sa mga naging recording artists ng Willears Records bukod kay Vi ay sina Edgar Mortiz, Ed Finlan, Sahlee Quizon, Hilda Koronel at Esperanza Fabon. According to Vi, kapag nagrerecord siya ng kanta ay nakatalikod siya sa dingding ng recording company at si Bobot ang umaalalay sa kanya. Ang Sixteen, na sinulat ni Danny Subido ang unang recording na ginawa ni Vi at ito ay flipsided by It’s So Wonderful To Be In Love. Ang Sixteen ay agad naging gold record at dahil dito ay gumawa ng pelikula ang Tagalog Ilang Ilang Productions, ang home studio ni Vi at ito ay ginawa nilang pamagat katambal si Edgar Mortiz. Hindi nyo naitatanong, muntik nang manalo si Vi bilang most promising singer sa Awit Awards noong early ’70s.

Dahil sa naging matagumpay ang awiting Sixteen kung kaya’t si Vi ay iginawa ng isang long playing album. Sixteen din ang title ng unang long playing album ni Vi na tinatampukan ng mga awiting (bukod sa Sixteen at It’s So Wonderful To Be In Love) Dry Your Eyes, Bring Back Your Love, Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head, When The Clock Strikes One, So With Me, Sometimes, Baby Baby Baby, Sealed With A Kiss, Then Along Came You Edgar at Love Love. Ang Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head ang ginamit na awitin sa kanyang commercial na GLAD raincoat. Ang awiting Then Along Came You Edgar naman ay tinapatan ni Edgar ng awiting Vilma. Samantala, nasundan ng isa pang long playing album ang Sixteen ni Vi at ito ay pinamagatang Sweet, Sweet Vilma. Ito naman ay naglalaman ng mga awiting katulad ng Don’t You Break My Heart, May The Good Lord Bless & Keep You, Mama, Our Day Will Come, Oh Lonesome Me, I’m The One For You, Sad Movies, Among My Souvenir, My Promise To You, Mama Don’t Cry at My Wedding, Drop A Line at A Wonderful Day. Natatandaan ko pa na sa morning program, from 6am to 7am, ni Eddie ‘Lat’ Ilagan sa D’WOW radio ay palaging kasama sa Top Ten Song Of The Day ang mga awiting Sad Movies at Oh Lonesome Me. Dahil sa tambalang subok na matibay at subok na matatag nina Vilma at Edgar kung kaya’t nagkaroon din sila ng long playing album na may pamagat na Sweethearts (pamagat din ito ng kanilang pelikula sa Tagalog Ilang Ilang Productions) na ini-release noong April 22, 1970. Ito naman ay naglalaman ng mga awiting I Love You Honey, I Believe, Green Green Grass of Home, Always With You, My Rosary, From the Bottom of my Heart, You Don’t Love Me Anymore, How I Wish I Were A Model, Do Re Mi Fa Sol I Love You, Better Than All, Your Kisses Are Losing Their Sweetness at My First Kiss. Ang I Love You Honey at From the Bottom of my Heart ay isinapelikula din ng Tagalog Ilang Ilang Productions na pinagtambalan din nina Vi at Bot.

Ang pangalawang long playing album nina Vilma at Edgar na ini-release noong January 21, 1971 ay pinamagatang The Sensation na hinango sa kanilang top rated tv show sa ABS CBN na later on ay isinapelikula din ng Tagalog Ilang Ilang Productions. Ito naman ay naglalaman ng mga awiting Good Morning Starshine, Spinning Wheel, To Love Again, A Love Unspoken, Anywhere I Wonder, I Wonder Why, Have A Goodtime, Yeahoo, I Have Dream, My Boy Lollipop, Dream at Always. Sa radio program ni Tony Santos, Jr. at ng nasirang Vic Pacia ay pulos duet nina Vi at Bot ang pinatutugtog. Si German Moreno ay meron ding Vi at Bot Portion sa kanyang radio program sa DZTR. Ang Have A Goodtime naman ay pinapatugtog sa Wowowee sa kanilang portion sa Pera o Bayong everytime na nabobokya ang mga kalahok sa game na ito. Hindi lang long playing album ang ginawa nina Vi at Bot, dahil nagkaroon din sila ng mga mini long playing albums entitled Christmas Tidings at Something Stupid. Ang Christmas Tidings ay naglalaman ng mga awiting Silver Bells, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town at Mary’s Boy Child at ang Something Stupid naman ay ang mga awiting Something Stupid, I Wonder Why, I Have Dream at Goodnight My Love. Ang Something Stupid ang naging theme song ng Vi & Bot loveteam. Ang titulo ng isa pang mini long playing album ni Vi ay hango sa kanyang pelikulang tinampukan din nina Bobot at Ed Finlan na BABY VI na nagtatampok ng mga awiting Baby Cakes, Sad Movies, Bobby Bobby Bobby at Seven Lonely Days.

Ang pangatlong long playing album nina Vi at Bot ay ang All I See Is You na ini-release noong August 30, 1971 (kaarawan ni Edgar Mortiz) na binubuo ng medley of songs na atin Cu Pung Singsing at Leron Leron Sinta, Baby Cakes, Little Brown Gal, Grown Up Like Me, Nine Little Teardrops, Jealous Heart, The Wonderful World of Music, El Condor Pasa, Hawaiian Wedding Song, I Understand, My Special Angel at Just Say You’ll Be Mine. Ang awiting Butsiki ni Yoyoy Villame ay hinango sa awiting Baby Cakes. Ang THE Wonderful World of Music ay ginawang titulo ng pelikula nina Vi at Bot na inilahok sa 1971 Manila Film Festival kung saan ito ang nakakuha ng Best Musical Film. Kasama nina Vi at Bot sa pelikulang ito ang noo’y batang bata pang si Snooky (Serna). Ang pang-apat na long playing album nina Vi at Bot ay pinamagatang Aloha My Love na ini-release noong February 1972 at naglalaman ng mga awiting Hawaiian Medley, Beyond The Reef, All Alone Am I, Why Don’t You Believe Me, Eternally, My World Is My World, Aloha Oe, Seven Lonely Days, Mandolins In The Moonlight, Daddy, Seventeen at Two People In Love. Ang Aloha My Love ay titulo din ng pelikulang ginawa nina Vi at Bot sa Hawaii. Ang Eternally ay isinapelikula din ng Tagalog Ilang Ilang Productions na tinampukan pa rin nina Vi at Bot. Napakasuwerte ni Vi dahil nagkaroon ulit siya ng pangatlong solo long playing album na may pamagat na Sing Vilma Sing. Ito ay binubuo ng mga awiting Da Doo Run Run, Abadaba Honeymoon, Tweedle Dee, Bo Weebel, A Kookie Little Paradise, Bobby Bobby Bobby, A Rick-Tick Song, It’s Been A Long Long Time, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, You Made Me Love You, The Birds & The Bees at He’s So Near (Yet So Far Away). Ang A Rick-Tick Song ang ginawang theme song ng radio program ni Ric Radam sa DZRH noong early ’70s.

Pag pinapatugtog naman ni Ike Lozada sa kanyang radio program na Dambuhalang DJ sa D’WOW radio ang awiting Bobby Bobby Bobby, sinasabi niyang ang title nito ay Bobot Bobot Bobot. Precious pa nga ang tawag ni Ike kay Vi. Nagkaroon din si Vilma ng mga Tagalog singles na awitin katulad ng Palung Palo Ako flipsided by Walang Umiibig, Isipin Mong Basta’t Mahal Kita flipsided by Mamang Kutsero at Tok Tok Palatok flipsided by Batya’t Palupalo. Ginawa ni Vilma at ng Chess Grandmaster champion na si Eugene Torre kasama si Coney Reyes ang isang pelikulang hango sa awitin ni Vi na Isipin Mong Basta’t Mahal Kita. Ang awiting Tok Tok Palatok ay ginawa ring pelikula ng Baby K. Jimenez Productions starring Vilma at Jojit Paredes. Ang Palung-Palo Ako ang pangalawang gold record ni Vilma at noong early ’70s sa Top 20 Songs of the Week sa DZRM, ito ay ilang linggo ring namayagpag at nangunguna sa airlanes. Ang awiting Palung-Palo pa rin ang tugtog na isinayaw ng mga Vilmanians noong 2006 sa birthday celebration ni Vi sa Lipa City. Isang long playing album na puro christmas songs ang ginawa ng mga recording artists ng Willears Records na may pamagat na Christmas Carols. Ito ay binubuo ng mga awiting Silver Bells, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, You’re All I Want For Christmas, Silent Night, Jingle Bell Rock, Rudolf The Red Nose Reindeer, O Holy Night, Jingle Bells, White Christmas, Donde Esta Santa Claus, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town at Mary’s Boy Child. Ang mga umawit naman bukod kay Vi ay sina Edgar Mortiz, Ed Finlan, Hilda Koronel, Sahlee Quizon at Esperanza Fabon.

Ang Vicor Records ay gumawa ng isang long playing album na pulos Tagalog ang mga awitin na may pamagat na Mabuhay at tinatampukan nina Perla Adea (Baka Lumimot Ka), Florence Aguilar (Tanging Ikaw Pa Rin), Zenaida Alcaraz (Pandanggo Sa Kabukiran), D’ Amarillo (Pamulinawen), The Ambivalent Crowd (Ako Ay May Singsing), ato ang bulag na piyanista (Kapantay Ay Langit), Babsie Chit & Louie (Minamahal Kita), Pilita Corrales (Landas Sa Pag-ibig), Tirso Cruz III (Sinungaling Ka), Neddie Decena (Bibilang Ako Ng Tatlo), Romeo Miranda (Pandora), Edgar Mortiz (Ang Kuwintas Mo Giliw), Carmen Pateña (Bagong Umaga), Victor Wood (Birheng Walang Dambana) at Vilma Santos (Palung-Palo Ako). Naging cover si Vi ng mga long playing soundtrucks na Disco Fever at Rock Baby Rock. Ang Disco Fever at Rock Baby Rock ay mga pelikula ni Vi, kung saan kasama ni Vi sa Disco Fever sina Christopher de Leon at Victor ‘Cocoy’ Laurel at sa Rock Baby Rock sina Junior at Leah Navarro. Ang mga pelikulang ito ay pawang mga certified box office hits. Ang Disco Fever soundtruck ay binubuo ng mga awiting Disco Fever (VST & Company), Hanggang Magdamag (Soul Jugglers), Suplado Ka (Halik), Let’s Boggie Now (Hang Men), Sumayaw, Makinig (Advisors), Sayawan (Sampaguita), Walang Sigla (Solid Band), Ngayon Lang Ako Umibig Ng Ganito (Soul Jugglers), Sexy Baby (Hang Men) at Awitin Mo (VST & Company).

Ang Rock Baby Rock soundtruck ay binubuo ng mga awiting Rock Baby Rock (VST & Company), Sexy Lady (Marvic), Huwag Mong Pigilan (Leah Navarro), Ikaw (Nailclippers), Yakap (Junior), May I Have This Dance (Marvic), I-swing Mo Ako (Sharon Cuneta), Kiss Kiss (VST & Company), Excuse Me (Junior) at Halik Lang (Smack). Sa 40th anniversary ng Vicor Records ay gumawa sila ng CDs ni Vi na pinamagatang Vilma. ito ay naglalaman ng 23 songs ni Vi katulad ng Sixteen, Da Doo Ron Ron, The Birds & The Bees, Tweedle Dee, The Rick-Tick Song, When The Clock Strikes One, Sealed With A Kiss, Sometimes, It’s Wonderful To Be In Love, Then Along Came You Edgar, It’s Been A Long Long Time, You Made Me Love You, Oh Lonesome Me, He’s So Near (Yet So Far Away), Mama Don’t Cry at My Wedding, Don’t You Break My Heart, Mama, Sad Movies Make Me Cry, Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head, Have A Goodtime, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, My Boy Lollipop at Bobby Bobby Bobby. Naging mabiling mabili ang nasabing CDs.
Hindi nga maituturing na singer si Vi subali’t nakapag-record siya ng mahigit sa limampung awitin. Maraming salamat nga pala kina Eric Nadurata at Nar Santander. – Alfonso Valencia (READ MORE)

Vilma Santos: The Star For All Seasons

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On November 3, 1953 in Trozo, Magdalena, Tondo Manila, a little girl was born, She was a lovely baby with rosy pink cheeks, full ever smiling lips, and a fair skin that nearly bordered on the whiteness of snow. Her name is Maria Rosa Vilma Tuazon Santos. Vilma’s father, Amado Santos, is a native of Bamban, Tarlac while her mother, Milagros Tuazon is from San Isidro, Nueva Ecija. She has four siblings namely: Ma. Michaela(Emelyn), Ma. Theresa (Marites), Ma. Norwina (Winnie) and Joel (Sonny Boy). When she was already of age, Vilma was sent to St. Mary’s Academy for her early schooling. She earned a highschool diploma later on through the private tutorial system. At a tender age of nine, Vilma became a title roler in VP Pictures’ (sister company of Sampaguita Pictures) “Trudis Liit” which was shown at Life Theater from February 21 to March 2, 1963. She won the First Famas Best Child Actress as a maltreated child in the said film. Vilma became a teen icon in the late 60’s until the early 70’s with box-office hits like “Lipad, Darna, Lipad“, “Dyesebal at ang Mahiwagang Kabibe“, “Kampanerang Kuba“, “Wonder Vi” among others. She won her First FAMAS Best Actress at the age of 19 for “Dama De Noche“.

On July 19, 1980, Vilma married Eduardo Luis Barrios Manzano in Las Vegas Nevada, USA. She gave birth to a bouncy bundle of joy named Luis Philippe Manzano on April 21, 1981 at the Cardinal Santos Memorial Hospital. Unfortunately, her marriage to Edu did not last long and was eventually annulled.

It was on December 11, 1992 when Vilma married Ralph Gonzales Recto (now a senator) in a fairytale-like wedding in San Sebastian Cathedral in Lipa City, Batangas. They now have a precocious six-year old son named Ryan Christian Recto who was born on March 29, 1996 at Makati Medical Center.

At present, Vilma is the highly respected and much-revered Mayor of Lipa City, Batangas on her second term (As of 2012, She is the Governor of the Province of Batangas and on her third and final term). She became the First female mayor on the said premier city of Batangas. The actress-politician immersed herself not only with her numerous movie commitments but also with her work on TV as a multi-awarded host/performer via her weekly top-rating musical-variety show VILMA on GMA-7. In the past, she also starred in a soap opera (Larawan ng Pag-ibig), drama anthology (Dalambuhay ni Rosa Vilma) and other musical-variety shows (Ayan eh, VS-Vilma Santos, Very Special).

Vilma Santos most significant films include “Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag Itim ng Tagak” ( Vilma produced this outstanding film directed by the celebrated director Celso Ad Castillo which won the Gawad Urian Best Picture Award), “Relasyon” (she scored the very FIRST GRANDSLAM win for BEST ACTRESS AWARD in the history of Philippine Cinema in this intelligent film directed by National Artist Ismael Bernal for her spellbinding performance in her memorable role as a mistress; she won the Best Actress Award from the Gawad Urian, the First Film Academy of the Philippines, the Catholic Mass Media Awards, and the FAMAS Award), “Burlesk Queen” (her stunning performance as a stripteaser in this Celso Ad Castillo film is considered a turning point in her legendary film career), “Sister Stella L.” (her remarkable portrayal of a radical nun in this acclaimed film directed by film genius Mike De Leon solidifies her status as the country’s premier actress winning her a Gawad Urian Best Actress Award), “Dahil Mahal Kita, The Dolzura Cortez Story” (directed by ace director Laurice Guillen, she scored her 2nd Grand Slam Best Actress win in this unforgettable film about persons with AIDS), “Bata, Bata, Paano ka Ginawa?” (based on the Palanca award-winning Novel by noted writer Lualhati Bautista, this landmark film by acclaimed director Chito Rono gave the legendary actress her 3rd Grandslam win for Best Actress Award and to top it all, an International Best Actress Award (21st INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF INDEPENDENT FILMS, BRUSSELS, BELGIUM), “Anak” (this film by Rory B. Quintos became the highest grossing Filipino Film of all time), her soon-to-be released political film “Dekada ’70” (based on the Palanca award winning novel of Lualhati Bautista set during the Martial Law era) is destined to be another critically-acclaimed and blockbuster hit film and is bound to be another modern Filipino film classic.

The acclaimed actress is also the country’s perennial Box-office Queen. No one can question her mass box-office charisma. Her string of record-breaking, blockbuster hit films through the years can attest to this fact. She’s the lead star os Star Cinema’s “Anak“, now considered as the highest grossing film in the history of Philippine Cinema. It can be noted that Vilma Santos is the first and only actress to win the prestigious Gawad Urian Best Actress Award for 3 consecutive years (1982-“Relasyon,” 1983-“Broken Marriage,” 1984-“Sister Stella L.“) she is also the first and only actress to score an unprecedented 3-time Grandslam win for Best Actress Award (1982”Relasyon,” 1993-“The Dolzura Cortez Story,” 1998-“Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa?“). Through her God-given, innate talent, sheer hardwork, unwavering dedication to her craft, extreme professionalism, and most importantly, her excellent discipline, Vilma was able to reap all her extraordinary achievements for which she has been praised, idolized, and emulated by her many friends and colleagues in the movie industry, by her ever-loyal and supportive Vilmanians, and most of all by the adoring general moviegoing public who put her to pedestal as their one and only “Star For All Seasons.”

Truly, Vilma Santos, the film icon, is the epitome of a real great filmstar. Her phenomenal career which spans four decades is certainly awe inspiring and exceptional. Thus, her legendary supremacy as the LONGEST REIGNING MOVIE QUEEN will be immortaly etched in the archives of Philippine Cinema History. So, a toast to Miss Vilma Santos brilliant past and more good fortune to the future… – Eric Nadurata (READ MORE)

17th and 18th Birthday Celebrations of Vilma Santos

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The year was 1971, when ate Vi celebrated her debut. Ang tagal na pala. Parang kailan lang when I cut these photos sa isang newspaper. I was still in grade school then, at wala pang pambili ng mga magazines. So, I content myself sa newspaper naming sa bahay. As far as I can remember, isang bonggang birthday celebration iyon. Nagkaroon ng isang asalto on the eve of her birthday. Meron din fans party na ginanap sa Mehan garden, pero ang talagang coming-out party niya ay ginanap sa The Plaza restaurant. Wala na itong restaurant na ito ngayon, but it was very popular ng mga panahon na iyon. The restaurant, which was, located sa Makati, ay siya ring naging venue ng reception ng wedding nina FPJ at Susan Roces. Ang asalto, fans party sa Mehan garden at ang debut party ay added attraction sa movie nina ate Vi at Edgar na “Eternally.” Ang gown ni ate Vi was made by Ben Farrales. Sa isang write-up interview kay Danilo Franco, na siyang gumawa ng wedding gown ni ate Vi, nabanggit nito that he was working for Mang Ben during that time.

The white gown bore hand-painted pink roses, which were made by Danilo Franco. Star-studded ang party ni ate Vi. Halos lahat ng young stars of the era ay dumating. Ang mga kasamahan niya sa TV show na The Sensations ang siyang mga kasali sa cotillion. Dumalo rin ang big stars of the era like sina Rosemarie at Ricky Belmonte, at doon nila inannounce na magpapakasal sila the following month. Special guest din si Mr. Manda Elizalde of Panamin, na tinulungan noon nina ate Vi at Edgar para ikampanya para sa Senado. Dumalo rin ang super big action star noon na si Tony Ferrer kasama ang kanyang misis na si Mutya Ng Pilipinas winner, Alice Crisostomo. Naroon rin ang mga producers ni Ate Vi at ang mga press people. It’s now 2005, 34 years na ang nakakaraan, pero andito pa rin si Ate Vi at siyang nangungunang Reyna ng pelikulang Pilipino. Nawala na ang mga kasabayan niya at maging ang mga sumunod sa kanya, pero nanatiling nag-iisa ang tunay na Reyna ng Pelikulang Pilipino sa lahat ng panahon. – Eric Nadurata (READ MORE)

1984 Birthday Celebration of Vilma Santos

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November 3, 1984, it was red letter day for Vilma Santos. She was turning 31 years old. “Gurang na, ano?” she laughingly told us earlier. “Di bale, hindi naman halata, di ba? O, i-deny mo, i-deny mo.” At nagtawa siya ng malakas of the press got an invitation for her birthday celebration. It says “you’re invited! VIP – Special Birthday Edition, November 3, Saturday, A Birthday Celebration, Televised Live at the Celebrity Sports Plaza, VIP Time – 8P.M.” The whole place was jampacked as early as 4:30PM. The televised program started on time, with a taped production number showing Vilma singing Irene Cara’s Out Here on MY Own. She was pensively looking at the serene Taalk Lake and Volcano, which she used as background for her song. In between, she inserted some instrospective musing about her past life and career. It was indeed a very fruitful one. Vi had several costumed changes during the show. She was very regal in a silk calf-length gown, so at ease in snazzy pantsuit, so with-it in a simple blouse and slacks which she wore after the show proper. But the guests stayed on long after the show. Among those who rendered special numbers for Vi were Christopher de Leon, Phillip Salvador, Ace Vergel, Maricel Soriano, Roderick “Charot” Paulate, Kristina Paner with mom Daisy Romualdez, Tina Revilla with hubby Serge Valencia, “Sister Stell L.” director Mike de Leon and producer Lily Monteverde (who had to rush back to Valencia for the preview of Virgin Forest), Rico J. Puno, Tirso Cruz III, the entire cast of Bagets 2 and a host of other luminaries. Vi was looking radiant as she posed in front of her giant birthday cake specially baked for the occassion. She was really happy and vibrant taht evening, with husband Edu Manzano by her side and everything looking all’s well with the world. A few days later, she would be sporting another face. Alas, such is the twist of fate in our lives. Papa Santos passed away and we see another face of Vilma, this time, in grief. – Tony Tantay, Jr., Movie Flash Magazine, 22 November 1984 (READ MORE)

More News Clippings 2/2

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1973 FAMAS – “…Halos mangilid ang luha sa kanyang mga mata nang tanggapin niya ang kanyang FAMAS Awards. Sa wakas ay nagtamo rin ng karangalan at pagkilala ang kanyang pagsisikap at kakayahan. Baguhan pa lamang si Nick Romano sa pelikula at iyon ay ang una niyang nomination at nakamit din niya ang kanranagalan best bilang supporting actor nang gabing iyon. Kung naruwa man si Joseph Estrada sa inaning karangalan ng kapatid niya nang gabing iyon ay ganoon din si Tony Ferrer sa kapatid niyang si Nick Romano. Most applauded si Marrissa Delgado nang gabing iyon dahilan sa noong nakaraang taon ay siya ang nagkamit ng FAMAS award for best supporting actress at ngayon ay siya na naman na nagpapatunay lamang na talaganag karapatdapat siya sa karangalang natamo niya last year. Hindi mailarawan ang kagalakan niya ng gabing iyon. Umiiyak siya’t naliligayahan nang siya mismo ang tumanggap ng tangan niyang trophy na ang buong akala niya’y ibibigay niya sa bagong awardee. Dalawa ang best Actress ng gabing iyon. Nangangahulugang kapuwa mabigat ang labanan at walang itulak kabigin kina Boots Anson Roa at Vilma Santos kaya minabuti ng inampalan na bigyan kapwa ng best actress award sina Boots at Vilma…” – WikipediaAruy Tapusan Komiks Magasin, No. 32, 19 Hunyo 1973

“Nagwala” na rin si Vi! – “…Wll now, everybody clap your hands! “Nagwala na rin si Vilma Santos, something we never expected from her, and something that never happened to her in the 15 years she’s been in show business. The reigning box office queen has always been criticized for being the perfect movie queen: cool, poised, well-behaved, aloof, mysterious. Never did she ever forget this, and how many times did we see her smile even when she was in pain, how many times did she look happy even when she was broken-hearted. It was only when the door to her room is shut down she take off this mask. Its only when the rest of the world is kept out by that door that she allows herself to breathe, act and live like a preson. People said she came straight our of a plastic factory, for no matter how many needles were stuck into her, she still came out a well-posed, well-mannered young miss. Someone who does not even say “aray.” Well, not anymore. Sometimes last week, Vil lost her cool. Napilitan na ring magmura, napilitan na ring mambato ng baso. Tao rin pala si Vi. The occassion was Vi’s discovery that her favorite director Celso Ad Castillo was shooting another films, Ang Dalagang Pinagtaksilang ng Panahon right in Majayjay, Laguna where Pagputi ng Uwak, Pagitim ng Tagak has been shooting on ang off since Nov. ’76. It seems that Vi was not aware of the other picture. It was only when Vi with Cleo Cruz and a couple of friends dropped by the house where they were shooting did she find out that a completely different set of unit and crew were shooting another movie under the same director. Siyempre pa, away! Vi’s been a bit peeved over the fact that Celso can’t seem to finish Pagputi ng Uwak, Pagitim ng Tagak. This particular project begun exactly 14 months ago at that time, the one who caused all the trouble was Vilma herself. How many times did Celso wait for his leading lady to arrive, only to be told later on that she couldn’t come? Bembol Roco, Vi’s leading man in Pagputi ng Uwak… on the other hand, has this dissenchantment with Celso…” – Douglas C. Quijano, Klassiks Romantic Magasin, 07 April 1978

“Pag di gumawa ng retraksyon si Vilma, hindi ko tatapusin ang Pagputi ng Uwak!” – Celso Ad Castillo – “…Isang kalmadong Celso Ad. Castillo ang nakausap namin nang gabing iyon sa kanyang opisina. Kagagaling niya sa Majayjay , Laguna kung saan kinukunan ang Pagputi ng Uwak, Pagitim ng Tagak ng VS Films. Ang dahilan kaya lumuwas si Direk ay dahil sa isang lathalaing lumabas sa isang malaganap na pahayagan na binibintangan siya na diumano’y nagsisiyuting siya ng ibang pelikula ng ginagamit niya ang unit, ang mga tauhan, ang caterer at ang oras ng VS Films. “I don’t mind controversies. I don’t mind ciriticims but I do mind very much kung sasabihin nilang I am free-loading sa pelikula nila.” ito ang may kapaitang wika ni Direk Celso Ad Castillo. Kailan ba sinimulan ni Direk Celso Ad Castillo ang Pagputi ng Uwak, Pagitim ng Tagak at bakit natigil ito? “Oktubre 1976 nang umpisahan ko ang pelikulang iyan,” simual ni Direk Castillo. “Natigil ang pagsisiyuting noon dahil hindi sumisipot sa set si Vilma Santos. “Pagkatapos ng Burlesk Queen ay sinabi ko na sa sarili ko na I’m trough with her (Vilma’s) prima donna attitude. Pero pinakiusapan niya akong ipagpatuloy namin ang Pagputi… at ginarantuhan niya akong siguradong darating siya sa set. “So I resumed shooting ng Pagputi…noong Jan 26 nang taong ito despite many offers na dumating sa akin. Tulad ng pelikula kina Armida Siguion-Reyna at Alona Alegre. I assumed that everything would be alright. That Vilma Santos would apprear on the set sa Majayjay, Laguna nga. “Pero dalawang linggo na akong nagsisiyuting, wala pang Vilma akong nakikita. Sa Kalahatian ng ikalawang linggo ay dumating siya, pero dadalawang araw ang itinigil niya roon at nagbalik siya sa Maynila upang mag-guest sa programa ni Joe Quirino sa telebisyon. “Si Bembol, na siyang leading man dito, ay laging naroon. Gayunman ay hindi siya makukunan pagka’t ang natitirang mga eksena ay kailangan si Vilma. Tapos na ang ibang eksenang hindi kailangan ang presence ni Vilma. Dumating uli si Vilma at bigla namang nawala si Bembol Roco without my knowledge. At nanng mabalki si Bembol nagulat ako nang makita kong ahit na ahit ang kanyang ulo. Nagpakalbo siya nang si ako kinonsulta o pinasabihan kaya! Paano ang gagawin ko sa continuity…” – O. B. Pangilinan, Klassiks Romantic Magasin, 07 April 1978

Mga Hirap ni Vi – “…Nang ginagawa ni Vilma ang “Lipad, Darna, Lipad” nasabi niyang marahil iyon na ang pinakamahirap at challenging pic niyang nagawa. Kasi, dito’y nabilad siya nang husto sa init ng araw. Nalubog pa sa Putik. Alam naman ninyo ang balat ng top superstar…manipis, maputi, at sensitive. Tinubuan siya tuloy ng skin rashes. Sa Lipad, muntik na ring magkaroon ng nervous collapse si Vi. Dahil sa pakikipaglaban niya sa maliit na sawa. Heaven knows na gaano na lang ang takot ni Vi sa tulad nito and other slimy, crawling things. And so, akala nga ni Vi ay ang Lipad na ang pinakamahirap niyang pic na nagawa. But she was wrong, pagka’t sa Dyesebel ay lalong nabilad siya rito sa init ng araw, nababad pa siya nang todo sa tubig. Ang God, ang difficulties niya sa paglipat-lipat sa sets. Paano siya makakakilos e naka-buntot siya? At matatandaan pa ba niyo na ilang ulit naospital ang top superstar pagka’t nanganib na mapulmonya? Kaya, minsan pa’y nasabi ni Vi na ang Dyesebel na ang pinakamahirap na pic niyang nagawa. Ngunit sa paggawa niya ng Anak ng Asuwang para sa Roma Films, tambak na hirap na naman ang inabot niya. Masasasabi hindi naman gaano marahil. Pagka’t dito’y hindi naman naka-costume ang superstar di tulad sa Lipad at Dyesebel…” – Cleo Cruz, Bulaklak, No. 94, 03 Sep 1974

Anong Sey N’yo sa Vi & Bot Part III? – “…Na-shocked ang mga interviewers. Halos hindi makapaniwala sa kanilang napanood that evening sa “Ayan Eh” over TeleNINE. Edgar Mortiz guesting sa programa ni Vilma Santos! Sa panahong supposedly ay “they separate one from the other”? O baka naman daw isang replay lang ito of an old “Ayan Eh?” Pero NO! Kasi nga there’s the “Let’s Do The Salsa” bits of Lea Productions. It’s TRUE then, na muling nagkaroon ng buhay ang “pinakamatatag” (?) na Vi and Bot, Ah, Love? Nagkaroon na naman “pupunasan ng pawis, paayosayosan ng buhok” ni Bobot kay Vi sa kanilang pagduduweto. If Vi was but acting, ewan namin Maniwala ba si Bobot na muling umaaligid…with all those pakita ni Vi? Acting lang naman ;yon eh, and for the sake of our fans!…well…the poser ay itong supposedly ay may kaugnayan sa pelikulang “Lets Do The Salsa” ni Vi ang said presentation. Yep na naman nga ang young ones na ma-involved sa said movie, but nasaan naman sina Ronnie Henares, Walter Navarro at Rolly Quizon? Nag-iisnaban ba kasi’y naroroon ang original an king sa puso ni Vilma! Well, putting more strenght sa paniniwala namaing muling magkakaroon ng buhay ang Vi and Bot tandem, instant guest for that certain program nina Tony Santos Sr., at Eddie Ilagan. Kumpleto ang tropa, ika nga…huwag lang mabubulilyaso! Nakita ba n’yo kung papaano niyakap ni Direk Santos si Vi? Very apparent ang kasiyahan ni Direk and that wide smile on Eddie’s face? Iisa ang banta…Vi and Bot, Part III! And to top it all, sa closing portion ng show, may reminder pa si Vi na siya’y gaganti na naman sa “People” ni Bot. Tit-for-tat, tat-for-tit extendedly could only mean one thing…na pagkahabahaba man ng prosisyon, kung masiksik, matalima…este, saan ba ako nabunggo? Akala ko’y sa simbahan, ay mali!…” – Tito Nards, Kislap, No. 393, 25 Mar 1976

Nagbunga Ang Pagsisikap: Pang-apat sa survey ang show nina Vilma-Edgar – “…Masayang-masaya ang buong cast ng Vi & Bot TV Show sa ika-pitong regular taping nila…Ang dahilan ay may lumabas buhat sa KBS na ang kanilang show ay pumang-apat na sa ginawang survey para sa TV show. Lilimang ulit pa lamang sumasahimpapawid ang Vi & Bot sa Channel 9 ay nag-rate kaagad ng maganda. Ang katuwaan ay higit kina Vilma Santos at Edgar Mortiz, gayundin si Director Tony Santos, na masugid ang hangarin na higit na mapaganda ang show na ito. Ang Vi & Bot ay mapapanood tuwing araw ng Martes mula ika-pito ng gabi hanggang ika-walo. Every week ay may iba-ibang episode ang kanilang ipinamamalas sa lahat ng mga televiewer, kasama na rito ang pinakatampok na sayaw ni Vilma. Everyweek din ay may special guest sila na kilalang showbiz personality. Laging maagang gumarating ang dalawa sa tuwing mayroong taping kapag araw ng biyernes. Hindi tumatanggi sina Vilma at Edgar sa anumang bagay na ipaganap sa kanila ni Director Santos, basta’t sa ikagaganda ng show. Maging ang mga crew ng KBS na kasama nila sa paglalamay sa taping ay napupuri ang dalawa sa pagka-propesyonal. At ngayong nasa pang-apat na ang Vi & Bot ay walang tanging hangarin ang mga nagsisiganap rito at si director Santos, kundi lalong mapagbuti ang bawat pagtatanghal nila…” – Berting C. Paz, Sixteen Magazine, No. 112, 29 Dec 1972

Vilma Santos “Young Star of 1972” – “…Batay sa dami ng pelikulang ginampanan sa buong taon, muli na namang nanguna si Vilma Santos. Si Vilma, kung inyong natatandaan, ay nanguna rin nuong 1970, batay sa dami ng pelikulang nagampanan. Siya’y may 25 pelikula sa naturang taon. Sa kabuuan, narito ang kumpletong talaan ng mga pelikulang ginampanan ng mga young stars nong 1972 – 1. Vilma Santos – 14 (na pelikula); 2. Eva Linda – 13; 3. Jay Ilagan – 9; Roderick Paulate – 9; Nora Aunor – 7; Tirso Cruz III – 7; Desiree Destreza – 7; Edgar Mortiz – 7; Florence Aguilar – 6; Frankie Navaja Jr. – 6; Robin Aristorenas – 6; Barbara Monteiro – 6; Nympha Bonifacio – 6. Ang mga pamagat ng mga pelikulang kani-kanilang ginampanan ay ang mga sumusunod: Vilma Santos: Aloha My Love; Don’t Ever Say Goodbye; Dulce Corazon; Inspirations; My Little Darling; Remembrance; Sweet Sweet Love; Ang Kundoktora; Vilma, Takbo, Dali; Dama de Noche; 3 Mukha ni Rosa Vilma; Dalagang Nayon; Hatinggabi na Vilma; at Leron Leron Sinta…” – Boy Alejandro Silverio, Pogi Magazine, No. 97, 08 Jan 1973

Vilma Tutulong Kay Nora sa NMH! – “Gusto kong makagaw ng mga bagay na makatuturan, Lalung-lalo na sa mga kilusang may magandang layunin at nauukol sa Charity. Love is giving and giving is love. Sa aking mga tagumpay ay nais kong pasalamatan ang lahat, sapagkat kung hindi sa ginagawa nilang pagtangkilik sa aking mga pelikula’y paano ko masasabing sarili ko ang tagumpay? Hindi tayo maaaring kumilos o magtagumpay nang nag-iisa. Siyempre, katulong natin ang ating mga kapwa tao. Walang sinumang nag-tagumpay o nakagawa ng magandang bagay na hindi kasama at katulong ang kanyang kapwa.” Ito ang pasimulang pahayag sa amin ni Vilma nang kapanayamin namin kamakailan. Noong Hulyo 27, matapos bumoto sa referendum, sinagot ni Vilma ang pagtulong sa isang kilusang may kinalaman sa Charity. Bukod dito, nagtatanghal din sina Vilma at Edgar bilang pagtulong sa National Mental Hospital. Tutulungan namin dito si Nora. At kahit sino pang artistang may project, tutulong kami, basta sa kapakanan ng kawang gawa.” Ayon pa rin kay Vilma hindi lamang siya ang dapat magkaroon ng ganitong adhikain kundi lahat din ng mga bituin sa pelikula. Kung maari ay makahati sila sa magandang simulaing ito. “Utang namin ang mga tagumpay na ito sa aming mga manonood. Kung hindi sa kanila, maaaring wala kami sa aming mga kinalalagyan ngayon, kaya tama lamang na kami’y makatulong din sa kanila…sa mga paraang alam naming kaya naming gampanan. At alam kong ito’y matutupad, pagkat ngayon pa’y nakikita ko na ang maraming artistang tumutulong sa kawanggawa. Sana’y magpatuloy ito at sana rin ay makatulong naman ang iba pang artista sa pelikula. Sa pagtatagumpay ng mga simulaing ito, ilan ang tiyak…maraming kulang-palad ang aming matutulungan, gayundin makatutulong ito sa pag-unlad ng ating pelikula at magkakaroon tayo ng magandang lipunan!” – Ric S. Aquino, Love Story Illustrated Weekly Magazine, No. 100, 24 Aug 1973

Superstar na si Vi – “…Tulad ng dati, humble pa rin si Vilma Santos. Hindi pa rin niya maamin na siya’y isa nang superstar. Sa katunayan kapag sinabi mo sa kanyang sikat na sikat na siya ay iiling lamang si Vi at magalang na magwiwikang “hindi ho naman.” Talagang superstar na si Vilma Santos pagkatapos patunayan ng kanyang mga pelikulang Dara, Lipad, Darna at Dyesebel. Biruin ninyo, nangitanghal ang Lipad Darna Lipad ay kasabay ng pelikula nina Joseph Estrada at Nora Aunor subalit mahigpit na pakikipagtunggali ang nasabing pelikula. Sa nakaraang Pista ng Pelikulang Tagalog, ang pelikula ni Vilma na Dyesebel ay sumunod naman sa lakas ng kita ng pelikula nina Fernando Poe, Jr at Joseph Estrada. Iyan ay pagpapatunay lamang na superstar na si Vilma Santos. Napakaraming pelikulang gagampanan ngayon si Vilma Santos. Isa na sa ginagawa niya ngayon ay ang Anak ng Asuwang para sa Roma Films. Sa pelikulang ito na pinamamahalaan ni Romy Susara, si Vilma ay gumaganap bilang anak ni Gloria Romero. Hindi batid ni Vi na ang kanyang ina ay isang vampira at asuwang. Kaya lamang niya natuklasan ang katotohanan ay nang mapatay ng mga tao ang kanyang ina datapuwa’t matapos iyong mailibing at masaksihan ng kanyang mga mata ay muli niyang nakita na kanyang inana buhay na buhay. Iyong pala, kampon ng kadiliman…” – Arnel Arcega, Movie Queen Magazine, No. 70

Ang Recording at si Vi – Basta’t araw ng Huwebes, makakapasa kayong nasa Cinema Audio si Vilma Santos at nagsasaplaka ng kanyang pinakabagong awitin para sa Vicor. Ito ang araw ng inilalaan niya sa recording upang sa gayon ay mapabilis ang pagtatapos ng kanyang unang plakang LP para sa Vicor, ang Sing Vilma Sing. Ilang mga awitin na lamang ang dapat niyang maisaplaka. Natutuwa naman si Vilma sapagka’t halos karamihan sa kanyang mga inaawit ay katugon ng kanyang panlasa. “Mahusay talagang pumili ng mga selection si Kuya Orly. Alam niya ang mga kantang babagay sa akin at iyong mga hindi. Isa lamang sa mga selection na kinalugdan ni Vilma ay ang “Tweedle Dee.” “Okay sa akin ito sapagka’t mabilis at madaling tandaan. Isa pa, paborito ko na ang awiting ito kahit noon pa man.” Kung hindi nagre-recording si Vilma, lubha siyang abala sa kanyang mga assignments sa pelikula. Marami siyang alok na tinatanggap at masusi niyang pinag-aaralan kung alin ang dapat tanggapin. Malapit ng matapos ang Wonder Vi at Anak ng Asuwang. Isusunod na niya ang pelikulang pagtatambalan nila ni Meng Fei. Anupa’t mapa-recording at mapa-pelikula, mawiwikang superstar ngang talaga si Vilma Santos.- Movie Queen Magazine, No. 70

Local Artists Score in Manila Listing – The July tabulations of the Philippine Record Dealers’ Association, listing the top artsts of the month in the point of sales, only lists two foreign artists, Elvis Presley and Petula Clark. Alpha artist, Nora Aunor, clinches the top spot. She holds the record of the only local artist who won the Awit Awards as best female singer in three consecutive years. Aunor is the highest-paid recording artst, film star, and also radio-tv-stage personality. The top ten artsts: Aunor (Alpha), Tirso Cruz III (Dyna), Presley, Sylvia La Torre (Villar), Victor Wood (Vicor), Clark, Ric Manrique (Villar), Eva Vivar (Alpha) and Mabuhay Singers (Villar). The association also released listings by categories, the top three in each local female (English) – Aunor, Vivar and Vilma Santos (Wilear’s); Local male singer (English) – Cruz, Wood and Darius Razon (Alpha); Groups = Mabuhay Singers, D’Big Sullivan (Alpha-Vicor) and Ambivalent Crowd (Vicor); Instrumental: Relly Coloma (Villar), Amormio Cillan, Jr (Dyna) and Eric Dimson (Vicor). – Billboard Magazine, International News Reports, 14 August 1971 (READ MORE)

Wilear’s Top Company in Philippine Awards – The third annual presentation of the Awit Awards was held at the Manila Hotel with Senator Doy Laurel of the Philippine Congress as guest of honor and principal speaker. The sponsoring group was the Philippine Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (PARAS). The event criticized in the local circle because of its unpopular results and deglamourized presentation, gave posthumous awards of merit to Frankie Martin, a juror last year, and Santiago Suarez, one of Filipino musical stalwarts. The founder of the Awit Awards, Billboard correspondent Oskar Salazar, was also honored. Wilear’s Records scored heavily in the awards this year. The foreign division was permanently scrapped. Two major companies, Villar Records and Dyna Products, Inc. did not submit nominations this year. The 1970 winners are: Female Singer (English) – Nora Aunor (Alpha); Male Singer (English) – Eddie Mesa (Grandeur); Female Singer (Vernacular) – Amapola (Lapulapu); Male Singer (Vernacular) – Armando Ramos (Wilear’s). Most Promising Female Singer – Eva Vivar (Alpha); Most Promising Male Singer (tie) – Boy Mondragon (Vicor) and Jonathan Potenciano (D’Swan); Record Company of the Year – Wilear’s Records; Song of the Year – “Forever Loving You” by Bert Dominic (Billboard); Best Single – “Sixteen” by Vilma Santos (Wilear’s); Vocal Group (Vernacular) – D’Big 3 Sullivans (Vicor); Vocal Group (English) – Reycard Duet (Alpha); Instrumental Recording – “Philippine Rondalla” by the Philippine Rondalla (Wilear’s); Original Movie Music Theme – Soundtrack of “Wanted: Perfect Mother” by Danny Subido (Neon); Special Recording – “Philippine Rondalla” (Wilear’s); Instrumental – Eric Dimson (Vicor); Instrumental Group – Pandacan Original Brass Band (Wilear’s); Musical Arranger – Doming Amarillo; Lyricist (Vernacular) – Philip Maninang; Lyricist (English) – Danny Subido; Composer (English) – Robert Dominic; Album Liner Notes (LP & Mini) – “Baby Vi” (Wilear’s); Album Cover (LP) – “I’m Sorry My Love” (Vicor); Mini-Album – “Something Stupid” by (Wilear’s); Album – “Phenomenal Nora Aunor” by Nora Aunor (Alpha). Other Awardees (receiving plaques): Best Recording Studio – Cinema-Audio, Inc.; Best Recording Engineers – Ric Santos (Cinema-Audio, Inc.) and Best Pressing Plant – Home Industries Dev. Corp. Given citations for their support were Tower Productions, stations DZTM and DZTR and Gloria Sevilla, a film producer. – Billboard Magazine, International News Reports, 14 August 1971 (READ MORE)

National Artist – “Recent headlines have been filled with news about different groups or personalities championing Comedy King Dolphy, Superstar Nora Aunor and Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos as National Artists for Film. All three are deserving candidates because they have enjoyed long and successful careers, achieved a remarkable body of work, contributed to popular culture and are much admired by their peers and the public, traits that define what a National Artist is…” – Stars Studio Magazine (READ MORE)

Ronnie, Vi team up for the first time – Two newly-proclaimed box office champions of Philippine movie star in FPJ Productions’ upcoming 13th anniversary presentations, “Batya’t Palu Palo,” a situation comedy about a rich heiress who disguises as a lowly washerwoman in order to find out for herself the true meaning of love. Delineating the lead roles are Fernando Poe, Jr. and Vilma Santos who star for the first together. Now being filmed among the lush greens of Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac, “Batya’t Palu Palo” hopes to make people forget the humdrum activities of this world. A wholesome family entertainment, the flick will have Ronnie step down from his throne as the country’s number one action star to the down-to-earth role of Berting, an hacienda hand who works in Vilma’s big landed estates, but who, nevertheless, catches the attention of the young, rich and quite spoiled Estella. Directed by ace megman Pablo Santiago, “Batya’t Palu Palo” is scripted by Fred Navarro, based on a story by Ronwaldo Reyes. – FPJ Da King (READ MORE)

Vilma Santos in June’s Metro – “This June, join us as Metro tags along with our cover girl, the legendary Vilma Santos, the star for all seasons, who has found a second calling as the mayor of Lipa City. Metro follows her from her City Hall Offices to the ABS-CBN studios for the press conference of her latest blockbuster film, “Anak…” – Philippine Daily Inquirer, 17 Oct 2004 (READ MORE)

Film Premiere Draws 28 Philippines Record Artists – Twenty-eight of the Philippines’ young recording artists singing in English presented one song at the gala premiere night of the locally produced film “Haydee” at the Rizal Theater in suburban Makati. The impressive convergence was a first in the Philippine entertainment history, local producers and artists gave all-out cooperation. Proceeds of the “Haydee” premiere were earmarked for the 1970 Awit Awards, the Philippine’s versions of the U.S. Grammys. Five record companies wre represented in the two-hour on-stage attraction, Alpha Recording System, D’Swan Recording System, Vicor Recording, Villar Records, and Wilear’s Records. The Alpha artists were Eve Vivar, Baby Alcaraz, Geraldine and Jay Ilagan. The D’Swan artsts were Ernie Garcia, Jonathan Potenciano, Linda Alcid, and Eddie Peregrina. Singer pianist Baby de Jesus guested under the label. The Vicor artists were Eric Dimson, Boy Mondragon, Freddie Esguerra, Sony Cortez, Millie Mercado, Victor Wood, Perla Adea, and Tirso Cruz III. Villar was represented by Roggie Nieto. The Wilear’s artists were Alice Cerrudo, Raul Aragon, Raquel Montessa, Elizabeth Ledesma, Romy Mallari, Esperanza Fabon, Vilma Santos, Edgar Mortiz and Ed Finlan. The back-up group was the Blinkers. – Oskar Salazar, Billboard, 06 June 1970 (READ MORE)

Burlesk Queen – “…Film critic Rafael Ma. Guerrero, in fact, picked out his best Tagalog films of all time from that era alone. “I have my own orientation in film criticism,” Guerrero clarifies. “Because we’re Third World, to me a film is, first of all, a social document, then an educational tool, and third, an aesthetic experience. If I have to name three important Tagalog movies of all time based on these criteria, they would have to be Brocka’s “Maynila sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag” – actually, I can name four – Castillo’s “Burlesk Queen,” Romero’s “Aguila,” Gallaga’s “Oro Plata Mata…” – Rafael Ma. Guerrero (READ MORE)

Vilma Santos stars in TV-Film Projects – When many of the country’s top dramatic stars started to act in the major networks’ TV soaps, people wondered when Vilma Santos would follow suit. After all, with the stellar likes of Nora Aunor, Eddie Garcia, Lorna Tolentino and Richard Gomez headlining them, local soap opera have become the biggest craze on weeknight television, upstaging even last season’s top favorites, the game and quiz shows. Ofcourse, Vilma didn’t have to jump onto the soaps’ bandwagon (bathtub on wheels?). After all, for the past few years, she has generally made herself scarce on the big and small screens to pay more attention to her work as mayor of Lipa City, and to her family, but her popularity hasn’t really suffered due to her lack of visibility. So, she could have stayed away from TV and just starred in a landmark film every two years, as has been her want for some entertainment seasons now. But when the acting bug bites, even veteran stars like Vilma feel the need to rackle new acting challenges. Especially since she was offered a TV soap of her own, with top talents also onboard to make sure that it would end up as the drama show to beat on the local TV screen. Trouble was, soaps take three days per week to shoot, and Vilma couldn’t get away from her duties for that long a stretch each week. So, she had to say no to the soap, but she’s agreed to do a weekly TV “dramedy” for ABS-CBN. This is still a very good deal for the veteran actress’ loyal followers. And, in a sense, it makes her comeback vehicle on TV different from Nora and Lorna’s, because she won’t be limited to just one basic situation, and can thus have more chances to show off different aspects of her thespic persona. We hope that Vilma’s new TV starrer will start telecasting before the end of the year, because it would complement her big year-ender movie, “Dekada ’70,” a shoo-in as an official entry in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival, which is set to unreel during the Christmas season. That one-two, TV-movie punch would generate maximum audience impact and excitement, and make even younger viewers want to see for themselves what this renewed fuss over Vilma Santos is all about. And, chances are, they’ll like what they see, Vilma may already be in her late 40s, but she’s kept herself looking, thinking and feeling relatively young, and is still quite optimistic and dynamic. She insn’t called the Star for All Seasons for nothing, alfter all. Especially in “Dekada ’70,” where she has scenes set two or three decades back, so she has to be credible as a woman in her 30s. But with the help of director Chito Rono’s topnotch production team, she should be able to pull it off. The end result of all this should be renewed popularity for Vilma, despite the fact that her acting career is no longer her top priority. If younger viewers end up discovering the actress’ stronger points, which her followers have known all along, 2002 could end up, quite unexpectedly, as one of Vilma’s best years yet. – Nestor U. Torre, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 02 Nov 2002 (READ MORE)

Nobo Bono Jr. – “…There is a scramble among record companies to sign “Tawag Ng Tanghalan” national champion Nobo Bono Jr. The singer is contracted with the Talent Center of ABS-CBN which acts as his agent and personal manager. Bono is appearing weekly with Wilear’s artists Edgar Mortiz and Vilma Santos in the new live TV series titled “The Young Ones” on Channel 2…” – Oskar Salazar, Billboard, 08 Aug 1970 (READ MORE)

Keeping and Maintaining an Image, Negotiating for Change – “…Creating an image is easier than keeping and maintaining it. For oftentimes and soon enough, the talent rebels. A love team required to display affection toward each other in public soon shows true sentiments:one of both are in love with (an)other partner(s). For instance, Angelu de Leon exchanged sweet nothings with Bobby Andrews on- and off-screen for public consumption; for personal conception, however, she chose Joko Diaz, a junior action star from her mother studio, Viva Filma, and who, like other action heroes, needed no regular love interest. With her premarital teen pregnancy, the sweet image her studio wanter her to project collapsed, as did her love team with Andrews and, nearly, their respective careers. Thereafter, to salvage her name from early anonymity, and since her Viva handlers believed that she was still their prized possession and best bet for stardom, Viva’s image-builder tried to reinvent de Leon rather frantically, as a sweet bold star-cum-dramatic actress, via Joel Lamangan’s “Bulaklak ng Maynila;” as well as a liberated young woman of the new millennium, via Jose Javier Reyes’s “Bukas na Lang Kita Mamahalin,” where she appeared with Diether Ocampo. De Leon’s chopsuey imaginary did not last long. After a second pregnancy that resulted from a similarly indiscreet liason with another man, her studio finally gave up and downgraded her to character support roles for younger upstarts and hopefuls, as in the early-evening soap, Gil Tejada, Jr.”s “Sana ay Ikaw na Nga,” on GMA 7. A handful of other scenarios have continued to unfold, most significant of which is the attempt to negotiate a change of image.

If ever a local star had successfully managed to alter her screen image, it was Vilma Santos. She started out as a child star and became a teen star in romantic musicals, the other half of the love team with Edgar Mortiz. A poor second to Nora Aunor for many years when the latter, who like Santos was initially the other half of another teenage love team with Tirso Cruz III, turned serious actor and started winning awards and critics’ recognition, Santos made a drastic, crucial decision to show more flesh onscreen when she agreed to tackle the title role in Celso Ad. Castillo’s “Burlesk Queen.” Fortunately, the public warmly accepted her new image and the critics took a second, hard look at her subsequent performances. From then on, she made a string of successful portrayals of variety of adult roles: mistress, prostitute, ex-convict, psycho killer -many of them kontrabida or antihero roles. In his article “Vilma Reads Her Fans,” Cesar D. Orsal, a local cinema observer and cultural studies scholar, analyzed the Vilma Santos exception in hindsight: “Feeling the cultural pulse of the society in the late 1970s, [Santos] took advantage of her growing liberalization of the Filipino audience. Her instincts proved her right. She made movies which she felt would not only cater to the expectations of her fans but to the changing community as well. In the early 1980s, different ideologies were affecting the Filipino audience, which redefined the image of role models. [Santos] for her part fostered the rise of career women, who, imbued with self-awareness, illustrate what Jackie Stacey observe: “The star gazes up the classical ideal of herself, becoming too, a spectator, examining herself represented through someone else’s imagination” (Star Gazing 34). She likewise took on the new representations of women, which she claims to have recognized in herself, and which, at the sme time, affected her female fans. (54-55)” Santos took a big risk, though, when she played the role of a politicized nun in Mike de Leon’s film of social realism, “Sister Stella L.” But then, for the “Star for All Seasons,” variety worked, something which not even Nora Aunor, her archrival to preeminence among the female actors in local cinema from the 1970s to the 90s, cold claim…” – Johven Velasco, Joel David, Huwaran/hulmahan Atbp: The Film Writings of Johven Velasco (READ MORE)

Makibaka, Huwag Matakot (fight and fear not) – “…Having ostensibly limited its agenda to censorship, the FTA rally was in fact supposed to be a party. Consider the following account of the lighthearted atmosphere at Liwasang Bonifacio: They were a sight to behold. [The aging acreen star] Anita Linda sat serenely on the pavement, unmindful of the two o’clock sun, [young actors] Philip Salvador and Bembol Roco keeping her handsome company. Peque Gallaga waved long locks and a tiny flag. No one remembered to get a rally permit, but someone remembered to bring the balloons…Then they saw that people at the far end had no idea what was going on up front. “Shouldn’t we use walkie-talkies and radios?” someone asked, but someone else shrieked: “But suppose the police answered on the other line?” There was so much democracy, it was a wonder anything monved…By the time Lino [Brocka’s] turn to speak came, the megaphone had lost its batteries. Did it matter? He simply shouted himself hoarse railing at the gods about the freedoms they promised to wrest back. Then [singer] Nonoy Zuniga sang about a bird struggling to be free, everybody joined in, and somebody finally remembered to release the balloons. At rally’s end, they were all 500 of them rather pleased with themselves. They had never done anything like this in show biz, and now that they’d pulled it off, nothing could dampen their spirits, not even the fact that moviedom’s current box office queen, Vilma Santos, came way after pack up.”

…resurrected, albeit haphazardly, the stubboleths of the first quarter storm. Protesters chanted “Makibaka, Huwag Matako (fight and fear not),” even singing the protest song that was associated with the people’s demonstration against the 1978 National Assembly elections. The upshot of the rally was that Marcos withdrew E.O. 868. An optimistic Brocka stated in an interview: “For me, that’s a start. Kahit papaano, nakikinig na rin; kahit papaano, may nagagawa (somehow, they’re finally listening; somehow, things can be done).” Emboldened by their first victory, the FTA movement expanded to become the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP), which would soon align itself with the wide-spread multi-sectoral opposition to the Marcos regime. Brocka was named chairman, with the celebrated journalist and screenwriter Jose F. Lacaba (Jaguar) as secretary-general. The fight against censorship, though still a cornerstone of the movement’s political platform, was now broadened to encompass the political, economic and social concerns portrayed by Brocka and his fellow filmmakers in their films…” – Talitha Espiritu, Revisiting the Marcos Regime: Dictatorship, the Media and the Cultural… (READ MORE)

Film censorship in the Philippines – “…One of the most controversial scenes in Philippine cinema that went under the Censor’s knife is Vilma Santos’ 17-minute dance of death in Celso Ad. Castillo’s 1977 MMFf entry, “Burlesk Queen.” The penultimate scene was finally reduced to about seven minutes, but that didn’t stand in the way of the film’s winning 11 of the 14 awards at stake aside from running away as the festival’s top grosser…” – Regulo J. Baritugo, Manila Standard, 25 Dec 1987 (READ MORE)

International Talent Directory – “…Vilma Santos (Vocalist), Wilear’s Records: The Sensations (LP); Sweet Sweet Vilma (LP). PA: Cebu City, Iloilo City, Olongapo City. TV: Edgar Loves Vilma, Oh My Love, The Sensations. Films: Angelica, Love Letters, My Pledge of Love, Our Love Affair, The Sensations, The Wonderful World of Music. Awards: Loveteam of the Year, Queen of Philippine Movies. PM: William C. Leary…” – Billboard Magazine, December 25, 1971 (READ MORE)

The Young Stars – Sweet na naman ngayon sa isa’t isa sina Vilma Santos at Edgar. Sinasabing nagkasundo ang dalawa nitong nakaraang pasko. – Mercy Lejarde, Love Story Illustrated Weekly Magazine, No. 174, 24 Jan 1975