Vilma Santos-Recto is a popular multi-awarded actress and politician in the Republic of the Philippines. *** She is known as "Queen of Philippine Movies," "Queenstar," "Grand Slam Queen," "Box Office Queen," and "Star for All Seasons." *** This website is mostly about her iconic film career.
From an old article of Good Housekeeping Magazine, June 2000 issue. Here’s their interview to Ms. Vilma Santos during the press conference of her movie “Anak”
Good Housekeeping Magazine: What is your greatest fear as a Mother? Vilma Santos: Siguro yung time na malalayo na sila sa akin. Mga lalake ang anak ko eh, so sila yung aalis. Ang talagang takot ko eh baka pag may sariling pamilya na sila, they’ll already forget about me. That’s why I’m enjoying my time with them right now. I would say na maswerte ako especially with Luis. He’s a very good young man Liberated but with limitations. Yung Mama ko hinawakan ako dati sa leeg. Ngayon kailangan kang sumunod sa generation. Dati 2 o’clock uwian na ang mga bata. Ngayon kainitan pa lang nila yan. Inaabot sila ng umaga, mga 6 am kung umuwi. You have to adjust.
What’s your greatest joy?
Being a mother is my greatest joy.
How would you handle it if your kids were to rebel?
I think rebellion is part of growing up. Ginawa ko rin yan nung bata pa ako. Alam ninyo yan. But I think there will come a point when the child will get tired of it. So as a parent, you have to be understanding. Like my Mama! Mama ko hanggang ngayon magkasama pa rin kami.
They’re calling you the mother of Lipa. Has being a mother helped you in your functions as a mayor?
Yes, I think my being a mother is a plus factor. I run Lipa as I would run my household. Sa bahay, ang importante ayusin ang budget, yung edukasyon ng mga bata, at kung may pagkain syempre. Ganon din sa Lipa. First, I put the house in order, meaning City Hall. And my priorities are health and education.
Does being a movie star helped?
I guess, advantage din if you come from showbiz, kasi napapatawad ka nila. If you commit a little mistake, may allowance sila. Kasi they still see me as Vilma Santos the actress.
How would you differentiate the fulfillment you get from showbiz and politics?
It’s different. Sa showbiz, spoiled ka dito. There’s a lot of adulation but in politics, you get respect. Ibang kind of fulfillment. But I don’t have a political agenda. Bahala na ang partido diyan. That’s why I’m not comfortable with these politicians. They still have a year and a half left but they’re already preparing for the next election. They can still do so much more.
They say that your kumare Nora Aunor is planning to run. What do you think of this?
Anybody can run. Pero hindi madali. Madaling tumulong pero iba yung nasa gobyerno ka. When I was starting out, I had to learn everything. These politicians, they always talk in acronyms. I had to learn that. The procedures, the budget, the legislations. Ralph used to give me these tutorials. We would talk every night. Finally, I just said, “Ralph, enough! My brain is full!”
How do you balance your political career with your home life?
My first priority is still my family. My constituents know this. When Christian was hospitalized, I stayed by his bedside the whole week. It did’nt matter if all the paper works had to be brought to Manila everyday as long as I could be there when my son needs me.
How do you spend special time with Luis and Christian?
Sunday is really for the family. Yan yung tipong walang liguan. Kung ano ang hitsura mo sa umaga, ganoon ka pa rin sa hapon. We go swimming, we eat out, watch TV or just play around the house. My sons are both in their formative years. Christian is four, Luis is 19. That’s why it’s very important that I’m there when they need me.
Would you mind if we talk about Luis?
I don’t have the right to talk about his life. Oh, he goes out with girls and he tells me, but I’d rather not say anything. Buhay niya yan eh.
How would you react to news, for example that Luis gone to bed with this or that girl? What makes you think that he hasn’t yet?
Please naman, my son is already 19.
How would you characterize your relationship with Luis?
Every other Saturday, I would have one-on-one talks with Luis. I think that now, our relationship is more like friends than mother and son. I ask him kung anong gimik niya. Minsan, nag-aaway din kami. Sometimes, he would say, “Mommy, you’re not listening to me.” So, I keep quiet. He has a radio but I’m not the type who would call him every now and then and ask, “O nasaan ka na?” I trust my son, the radio is for emergencies. There are rules. He can’t go out on school days. And no overnight with friends, pero sila, pwedeng matulog sa bahay.
How about Edu?
Edu still takes care of Luis’s education, and they always talk. If he feels that he can’t tell something to Edu, he’ll go to Ralph. Hay naku, mas mataas na si Luis kaysa kay Edu, malapit nang abutan si Ralph. Edung-Edu siya pati pag-joke, yung mga mannerisms, mga actions, pero mas maputi si Luis kay Edu.
What about Christian?
I think siya ang artista. Yung bully. Haharap yan sa salamin, mag-e-emote. Sabi nga ni Mama parang ako daw nung bata. Mahilig sa picture taking. Siya pa nga ang tatawag sa iyo. Luis was never like that.
With that, I packed my bags, and said a quick thank you to give way the tons of other reporters milling around the studio. But Ate Vi was not going to let me leave in a hurry. She looked me straight in the eye, waved goodbye, gave one of her easy smiles and said, “I’ll see you! I’ll see you!” And I believed.
Vilma Santos’ triumph as Best Actress – for Mano Po 3 (My Love) – at the Metro Manila Film Festival in December 2004 parallels her greatest rival Nora Aunor’s similar feat at the Manila Film Festival last June, where Nora won for Naglalayag. So it goes without saying Nora and Vilma will once again be major contenders for the top acting honors in this year’s awards season. Nora, for the Maryo J. delos Reyes opus in which she portrayed a lady judge who fell in love with a man half her age; while Vilma, for Joel Lamangan’s romance-drama about a Chinese anti-crime crusader torn between her family and a past love. Nora versus Vilma. Their acting duel is never ending. All these years, their fight for the Best Actress plum in practically all the local award-giving bodies has been much anticipated since.
1972 – 1975 – At the 1972 Quezon City Film Festival, then held every October, Nora’s entry was Sampaguita Pictures’ And God Smiled At Me (directed by Tony Cayado and Danny Holmsen); while Vilma’s banner vehicle was Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions’ Dama de Noche (directed by Emmanuel H. Borlaza). And the winner was Nora! May die-hard Vilmanian kaming kaklase sa elementary, ang sabi: ‘Luto ‘yun, dahil malapit si Nora kay QC Mayor Norberto Amoranto!” Such loose talks were never confirmed to be true. Or as Tempo’s veteran movie columnist Ronald K. Constantino avers, ‘Nora never figured in any awards scam!”
1973 – Sa annual Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards Night, it was the Vilmanians’ turn to rejoice. Vi was ad-judged Best Actress for Dama de Noche, ka-tie ni Boots Anson-Roa (for JE Productions’ Augusto Buenaventura megger Tatay Na Si Erap). Nora wasn’t nominated for her award-winning starrer at the QC filmfest, but for The Gift of Love kung saan siya gumanap ng dual role: bilang isang cancer-stricken patient at ang kakambal na eventually ay napunta kay Tirso Cruz III. Dama de Noche, which paired Vi with Edgar Mortiz, also had her doing two parts: a baliw and a sane sister.
1974 – 1975 – In the succeeding years, nagkatunggali sina Nora at Vilma, mainly for box-office supremacy. May point na parehong box-office hit ang mga pelikula nina Nora (her own NV Productions’ Banaue) at Vilma (Nakakahiya? for Virgo Films), at nagkalaban sila for Best Actress sa Bacolod City Film Festival in 1975. Si Vilma ang nanalo para sa dinirek ni Eddie Rodriguez (a.k.a. Luis Enriquez), but Nora’s entry – helmed by Gerry de Leon – won as Best Picture. In 1974, Nora did a major dramatic trilogy for Premiere Productions: Fe, Esperanza, Caridad, which was handled by Cirio Santiago, Lamberto V. Avellana and Gerry de Leon. (Avellana and de Leon were to be honored as National Artists for Film in the years to come.) Nora won a FAMAS Best Actress nomination for Fe, Esperanza, Caridad; tulad sa ibang pelikula na nagpamalas siya ng potential bilang mahusay na aktres early on, such as George Rowe’s Paruparong Itim in 1973. Nora, as a deaf-mute blind woman, was beaten by Gloria Sevilla (for Gimingaw Ako, a Visayan movie). Ang notable performances ni Vilma Santos that time were in TIIP films: Biktima and Karugtong Ang Kahapon (by Borlaza), na entries sa MFF in 1974 and the 1st Metro Manila Film Festival in September 1975.
At the first MMFF, Nora’s entry, NV Productions’ Batu-Bato sa Langit (directed by Luciano B. Carlos), was a blockbuster and won as 3rd Best Picture. Kapwa na-hone ang acting potentials nina Guy at Vi (sa tulong din ng kanilang TV drama anthologies – Ang Makulay na Daigdig ni Norang RPN 9 at Dulambuhay ni Rosa Vilma ng BBC 2 – pero sige pa rin ang paggawa nila ng mga pelikulang komersyal dahil sila ang mga reyna ng takilya noon.
1976 -1977 – Nagkakalaban pa rin sina Nora at Vilma sa FAMAS, pero kapwa sila talunan. Especially Vilma, who didn’t win another FAMAS Best Actress trophy until 1982 (with Elwood Perez’s 1981 megger Pakawalan Mo Ako). In 1976, Nora Aunor’s “landmark performance ” in Mario O’Hara’s Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos won nods from the FAMAS voters as well as from the Gawad Urian critic-jurors bilang Best Actress. Hindi si Vilma ang naging mahigpit na kalaban ni Nora, kundi si Hilda Koronel (for Lino Brocka’s Insiang). Sa MMFF in December 1976, si Hilda ang Best Actress, but Nora’s performance in Lupita Kashiwahara’s Minsa’y Isang Gamugamo was equally acclaimed by the critics. (Minsa’y…won as FAMAS Best Picture in 1977.) It was the first year of the Gawad Urian (organized by film critics collectively known as the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino), at si Nora ang nag-buena-mano as Best Actress. Henceforth, hindi na lamang ang FAMAS ang kinilalang tagapagbigay-parangal sa industriya ng pelikulang lokal. Sa mga sumunod na taon, dumami ang award-giving body sa movie industry. Bukod dito, ang mga filmfest sa iba’t ibang siyudad outside Metro Manila; like in Davao City, where Nora Aunor once won as Best Actress for Tito Sanchez’s Ibilanggo si Neneng Magtanggol.
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.
1978, Sa dinami-dami ng natamong karangalan nina Vilma Santos at Nora Aunor, interesting point of discussion pa rin among their followers ang nangyaring acting duel nila in the 1978 MMFF. Vilma was handled for the first time by Lino Brocka in Rubia Servios, produced by Sampaguita-VP Pictures. Vi enacted a rape victim na naghiganti sa kanyang rapist (Phillip Salvador) at napawalang-sala. On the other hand, Nora had Eddie Garcia for her director in Atsay, a serious look on housemaids, as written by the award-winning Edgardo M. Reyes and lensed by ace cinematographer Romeo Vitug. Sa MMFF that year, walang ibang acting category na mapapagwagian maliban sa Best Performer award, na si Nora ang nagwagi. “The triumph of restrained acting!” ayon sa sumunod na ulat matapos ang Gabi ng Parangal. All the while, perhaps almost everyone thought it would be Vilma Santos who’d get the award, dahil si Brocka na ang director niya. May talk show (the late Inday Badiday’s Would You Believe?) na sadyang iniangat ang pag-asa at pag-asam ni Vi na siya ang mananalo. At the awards night, papasok pa lang daw si Vi sa CCP Main Theater (venue ng rites), nilapitan agad siya ni Marichu “Manay Ichu” Perez-Maceda (her producer, na kabilang sa MMFF committee) and whispered: “I’m sorry, Vi, it’s not for you …” Nag-stay si Vi hanggang matapos ang ceremonies; nakipalakpak siya when her rival was declared winner. Katabi niya sa upuan si Christopher de Leon (Garrotte: Jai Alai King), who also lost. Ayon sa grapevine, naglasing si Vilma sa tindi ng siphayo. “Ang sakit, Manay!” Vi reportedly told Ichu, who also produced many of Nora’s earlier movies which made millions of pesos. In the Gawad Urian and FAMAS, naparangalan naman si Vilma, bilang producer ng Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-Itim ng Tagak which won as Best Picture. That year, mayroong pinagsamahang movie since Nora at Vilma, TIIP’s Ikaw Ay Akin na dinirek ni Ishmael Bernal, for which they were both Best Actress nominees at the Urian, but lost to Beth Bautista (for Danny Zialcita’s Hindi sa Iyo ang Mundo, Babyb Porcuna). Sa FAMAS, hindi rin para kina Vi (Pagputi) at Nora (Atsay) ang Best Actress statuette, kundi kay Susan Roces (for Brocka’s gothic drama Gumising Ka … Maruja!). Fair enough?
1979 – 81 In 1979, 1980 and 1981, kapwa maningning ang mga pangalan nina Nora Aunor at Vilma Santos bilang box-office stars at awardwinning actresses. Pero hindi kahigpitan ang labanan nila sa iba’t ibang parangal. May panahong nananalo si Nora na ibang aktres ang mahigpit na kalaban; ganu’n din si Vilma. Nang ma-handle si Nora ni Brocka (in 1979’s Ina Ka ng Anak Mo, produced by Premiere Productions and written by Jose Dalisay Jr.), she was pitted with the formidable Lolita Rodriguez and it was to Nora’s credit na pumantay siya sa parangal – bilang MMFF Best Actress.
Sa 1979 FAMAS, Nora bested Lolita, who, with her performance in Brocka’s Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang, beat Aunor in 1974. Ang “katapat” ng Nora-Lolita duo ay ang acting tandem nina Vilma Santos at Charito Solis in Bancom Audiovision’s Modelong Tanso, directed by Cirio Santiago. Sa 1979 Gawad Urian, it was neither Nora nor Lolita as Best Actress; the award instead went to Charito Solis for Brocka’s Ina, Kapatid, Anak.
In 1980, tatlong pelikula ni Nora Aunor ang maituturing na panlaban: two by Brocka (Nakaw na Pag-ibig and Bona) and the other by Laurice Guillen, Lea Productions’ Kung Ako’y Iiwan Mo. She won the Gawad Urian for Bona. Ang panlaban ni Vilma was Zialcita’s Langis at Tubig. Hindi taon ni Vilma ang 1980, which saw the emergence of other young and talented actresses like Gina Alajar (Brutal), naka-tie ni Nora sa Urian, and Amy Austria, na tumalo kay Aunor sa Metro Manila Film Festival. In the 1980 MMFF, Amy won with a lone entry – Brutal – while Nora got nominated for Bona and Kung Ako’y Iiwan Mo. (A case of split votes.) Sa 1980 Gawad Urian, nominated sina Nora, Gina (eventual winners) at Amy, samantalang si Vilma was “snubbed by the critics.” In 1981, nanalong MMFF Best Actress si Vilma for Zialcita’s Karma, besting Nora’s multi-character portrayal in Maryo J. delos Reyes’ musical-drama Rock ‘N Roll. Vi, however, failed to win any other nomination for that starrer, while Nora went on to win a trophy (Catholic Mass Media Awards) and Best Actress nomination (Gawad Urian) for Mario O’Hara’s Bakit Bughaw ang Langit?
1982, Nauso ang so-called Grand Slam Best Actress in 1983, nang manalo si Vilma Santos for Ishmael Bernal’s Relasyon. That 1982 film was a small, low-budget drama of a husband and his mistress. Nag-hit ang tandem nina Vi at Christopher de Leon, starting in 1978, with Sampaguita Pictures’ Masarap … Masakit ang Umibig and Nakawin Natin ang Bawat Sandali (both by Elwood Perez), after their first pair-up in Celso Ad Castillo’s 1975 romance-drama Tag-Ulan sa Tag-Araw. For Relasyon, Vilma won as Best Actress sa CMMA, Gawad Urian, FAMAS and the debuting Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) Awards. Maging sa “minor” parangal, like the TV show Let’s Talk Movies ng RPN 9 (hosted by Armida Siguion Reyna, Behn Cervantes and Mario Bautista), si Vilma rin ang Best Actress for the Regal Films drama. With Nora Aunor as Vilma’s main competitor, it was an interesting, but utterly disappointing, acting duel. Sa FAMAS, Nora got nominated for Romy Suzara’s Mga Uod at Rosas – and lost. Sa ibang award-giving bodies, isang malaking pelikula at pagganap ni Nora – sa Himala, as the visionary Elsa – ang natalo kay Vilma. The Ishmael Bernal opus was produced by the Marcos government-established Experimental Cinema of the Philippines (ECP). Some were of the opinion na may bahagi ng pulitika sa pagkatalo ni Nora; marami raw sa movie industry ang anti-administration, kabilang ang sympathizers ng Free the Artists Movement na anti-censors. May malaking rally noon na hindi dinaluhan ni Nora, samantalang nakiisa sa protesta si Vilma. Gayon man, may parangal na natamo si Nora para sa Himala: the 1982 MMFF Best Actress, where it won 9 out of 13 awards, including Best Direction and Best Picture. Naging opening Film ang Himala sa 1983 Manila International Film Festival – organized by then First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos – at inilahok sa Berlin International Film Festival in February 1983. Ayon kay Bernal, Nora lost in Berlin to a Russian actress by a mere vote. Sa 7th Gawad Urian in 1983, nominated in almost all major and minor categories ang Himala but never won a single award. Ilang taon ang lumipas, sa tuwing titingnan ko ang Honor Roll ng Manunuri sa ipinamamahaging souvenir program, sadyang “walang Himala” na nagtamo ng parangal. But in 2002, sa 25th year ng Gawad Urian, kabilang ang Himala sa Pinakamahuhusay (Best Films of the past three decades) na naparangalan, with Nora Aunor personally receiving the overdue award para sa isang totoong klasikong pelikulang Pilipino. At bigla ngang naghimala ang Himala!
1983, Noong 1983 at 1984, nagkalaban uli sina Vilma at Nora, with Vi getting an edge. Bernal’s Broken Marriage won Vi her second Urian trophy, while Nora didn’t get a nomination (“Nora Out,” ayon sa introduction ng Highspeed column ni Ronald K. Constantino tungkol sa pagkaka-release ng Urian nominees for that year.) May drama starrer si Nora in 1983: Maryo J. delos Reyes’ Minsan, May Isang Ina, for which she got nominated sa FAMAS, where Charito Solis (Don’t Cry for Me, Papa) won and got elevated sa Hall of Fame. Taong 1983 nang makamit ni Nora Aunor ang TOWNS (The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service) award for her contributions in media arts. Hindi man siya naka-Grand Slam as Best Actress, ang parangal ay natatangi at ipinagkakaloob hanggang ngayon sa outstanding women achievers in different socio-civic fields. Hindi dito natapos ang Nora-Vilma rivalry. Pero ang pagsasama ng dalawang aktres sa isang pelikula was not repeated after Danny Zialcita’s T-Bird at Ako (released in 1982). Their initial appearance together was in 1970’s Young Love; naulit in 1978, sa Ikaw Ay Akin ni Bernal; at mayroon silang tig-isang episode sa Dugo at Pag-Ibig sa Kapirasong Lupa in 1975 at Pinagbuklod ng Pag-Ibig, also released in early 1978.
At the height of the Nora-Vilma rivalry for acting supremacy, ang kanilang mga pelikula, magkahiwalay man sila o magkasama, ang may malaking kinikita for their producers. In 1982 and 1983, Vilma was Box-Office Queen and Urian Best Actress; while Nora did several blockbusters (like Beloved and Till We Meet Again). There was social unrest, following the Ninoy Aquino assassination on Aug. 21, 1983, pero masigla ang daigdig ng TV at pelikula. Sikat pa rin sina Nora at Vilma.
1984 – 85 – In 1984, Nora and Vilma each had three “pang-award” movies. Nora starred in ‘Merika by Gil Portes, Condemned and Bulaklak ng City Jail by Mario O’Hara. The latter was entry in the MMFF, winning Best Picture and Direction at nanalo ring Best Actress si Guy. Si Vilma was in Brocka’s Adultery: Aida Macaraeg, Mike de Leon’s Sister Stella L. and Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s Alyas Baby Tsina. Noong 1985 unang nagbigay ng Star Awards ang Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC). Para sa taong 1984 ang mga parangal na ipapamahagi, at sina Nora at Vilma lang ang nominated for Best Actress: Guy for all her three starrers, Vilma for Aida Macaraeg and Sister Stella L. Mainitan umano ang nagging deliberation para sa kategoryang Best Actress, which earlier that year was bagged by Vilma (for Sister Stella L. sa Gawad Urian; her third straight win!) and by Nora (for Bulaklak ng City Jail sa CMMA). Sa 1st Star Awards for Movies, it was Nora Aunor who won for ‘Merika. The late movie scribe Frank Mallo, a self-confessed Noranian, fought hard for Aunor to clinch the Best Actress plum, especially for ‘Merika. He even wrote a letter (published in Constantino’s Highspeed column) disputing the Manunuri’s earlier choice of Vilma Santos as Urian Best Actress. Sa taong ito rin ng Gawad Urian nagtamo ng double nomination si Nora – for ‘Merika and Bulaklak ng City Jail. Sa pagtatapos ng award-giving season, si Nora uli ang Best Actress sa FAMAS (her third win) for Bulaklak ng City Jail. Dito niya unang naka-tie si Sharon Cuneta (for Borlaza’s Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin?). Pero hanggang ngayon, nakahihinayang na walang napanalunang award si Nora for Condemned, kung saan she was cited by Tempo entertainment editor Nestor Cuartero for that single scene in which she acted out a “cry of sorrow like no other” upon the death of actor Dan Alvaro who played her brother in that film which was rated “A” by the Film Ratings Board.
1986-88 – Sa mga taong 1986, 1987 and 1988, walang mainitang tunggalian sa acting sina Nora at Vilma. It was the period following the EDSA Revolution in February 1986. Nanamlay ang movie career ni Nora, na noon ay regular na naghu-host ng long-running Superstar show sa RPN 9. Manaka-naka’y she had hit movie – I Love You, Mama/Papa and Sana Mahalin Mo Ako in 1986 and 1988, respectively – and produced Halimaw (dinirek nina Mario O’Hara at Christopher de Leon), na Best Picture sa 1986 Metro Manila Film Festival. Papasikat noon ang mga anak niyang sina Lotlot, Ian Kristoffer, at ang child wonder na si Matet de Leon. Si Vilma ay mas pinalad kesa kay Nora sa awards in 1987 (Best Actress, for Maryo J. delos Reyes’ Tagos Ng Dugo, sa Catholic Mass Media Awards at sa FAMAS). Twenty-fifth anniversary sa showbiz ni Vi that year, at may grand celebration siya sa Vilma! With Nora Aunor as one of her special guests. In 1987, Vilma starred in Viva Films’ Saan Nagtatago ang Pag-ibig? (penned by Armando Lao, megged by Eddie Garcia). The komiks melodrama won a string of Best Picture awards (Star, FAMAS, FAP) sa taon na hindi nagbigay-parangal ang mga Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (Gawad Urian) sa alinmang kategorya “for lack of deserving winners.” In contrast, hindi markado ang performance ni Nora in the 1987 Mario O’Hara megger Tatlong Ina, Isang Anak, another vehicle for Matet, which pitted Guy against Gina Alajar and Celeste Legaspi.
In 1988, Nora did a guest role in Takot Ako, Eh! (topbilling her popular kids) and produced under her NCV Films outfit the ill-fated Greatest Performance (co-starring her were Tirso Cruz III and Julio Diaz), which was rejected by the executive committee of the 1988 MMFF. Nora then would have debuted as movie director, but unfortunately her Greatest Performance never got shown.
1989, A series of unfortunate events seemed to hound Nora’s career up to this point. October 1, 1989 was to be the last airing date of the 22-year-old musical-variety show Superstar on RPN 9. A month later, it was revived on IBC 13 with a new title, The Legend … Superstar, but this was short-lived lasting only up to early 1990. Naging mas masuwerte si Vilma Santos sa hinu-host na Vilma! on GMA 7, which started in 1981 as VIP (Vilma in Person) ng lumang BBC 2 (naibalik sa Lopez owners ang ABS-CBN after the EDSA Revolution). Nagbida si Vilma sa isa sa mga pinakaimportanteng pelikula ng Dekada ‘80: Regal Films’ Pahiram Ng Isang Umaga (by Ishmael Bernal), na sinimulan in 1988 at ipinalabas in early 1989.
In December 1989, Vilma headlined a period romance-drama (Viva Films’ Imortal, megged by Eddie Garcia) at nanalo sila ng kaparehang si Christopher de Leon ng acting plums sa MMFF. Sa awardings for that year, si Vilma ang nanalong Best Actress sa Star Awards (for Pahiram), her first form the Philippine Movie Press Club. ‘Kumpletung-kumpleto na ang career ko!” nasabi ni Vilma as she accepted her trophy. Later, it was Nora’s turn to get a Best Actress trophy for the first time from the Film Academy of the Philippines, for Elwood Perez’s three-year-in-the-making Bilangin Ang Bituin Sa Langit. ‘Kumpletung-kumpleto na ang career ko!” sabi rin niya in her acceptance speech.
Na-elevate si Vilma sa FAMAS Hall of Fame, for having bagged five Best Actress statuettes: Dama de Noche, Pakawalan Mo Ako, Relasyon, Tagos ng Dugo, and Elwood Perez’s Ibulong Mo Sa Diyos. Nora won her fourth Best Actress plum sa FAMAS, also for Bilangin. Walang itulak-kabigin sa dalawa, kaya marapat lang na mag-tie sila for Best Actress, as in the 1990 Gawad Urian, na ‘pantay na parangal ”ang ipinagkaloob ng Manunuri kina Nora (for Bilangin Ang Bituin Sa Langit) at Vilma (for Pahiram Ng Isang Umaga).
1990, Dalawang malalaking pelikula ang tinampukan ni Vilma: Lino Brocka’s Hahamakin Lahat and Laurice Guillen’s Kapag Langit ang Humatol. Si Nora ay nakahabol sa MMFF with the low-budget social-realist drama Andrea, Paano Ba Ang Maging Isang Ina?, which she co-produced with an independent outfit, MRN Films, and was directed by Gil Portes based on a Ricardo Lee screenplay. Sa mga parangal para sa taong ito, si Nora Aunor ang nagwaging Best Actress sa ‘Movie Magazine” awards (ng GMA 7), Star Awards, FAMAS, FAP at Gawad Urian, making her a Grand Slam honoree. On May 22, 1991, Brocka’s sudden death in a vehiclar accident shocked the movie industry. Nora dedicated her FAP Best Actress award kay Brocka, na siyang dahilan upang maitanghal ang Bona sa Directors Fortnight ng Cannes Film Festival in 1981. May nagsasabing ‘hindi Grand Slam” ang pananalo ni Guy for Andrea dahil, sa CMMA, her costar Gina Alajar was declared Best Actress (with Nora as runner-up). But the CMMA was considered a minor award-giving body, at ‘yung apat na major ang ginagawang batayan for a Grand Slam win. Kaugnay rito, nagsimulang magbigay ng parangal ang UP-Young Critics Circle (YCC-Film Desk) at si Nora ang lone winner for Best Performance, also for Andrea. Hindi na nagbigay ng acting awards ang CMMA the following year, habang aktibo hanggang ngayon ang five major award-giving bodies, na nadagdagan ng iba’t ibang grupo. Nagkaloob ng Gawad Pandekada ang Manunuri – for achievements in acting – at sina Nora, Vilma, Vic Silayan, Phillip Salvador at Gina Alajar ang mga nagging karapat-dapat sa parangal (Nora having won Urian Best Actress trophies for Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos, Bona, Bilangin Ang Bituin Sa Langit and Andrea; Vilma for Relasyon, Broken Marriage, Sister Stella L. and Pahiram ng Isang Umaga).
1991 – 92 – Exciting uli ang labanang Vilma at Nora, para sa masusugid nilang tagahanga, noong 1991. Viva Films’ Ipagpatawad Mo starring Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon was chosen as 1991 Gawad Urian Best Picture, with Vilma winning as Best Actress. Muli, nagproduce si Nora ng low-budget drama for MRN Films, Elwood Perez’s Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M., na entry sa 1991 Metro Manila Film Festival. Its awards included Best Picture, Best Direction, and Best Actress for Nora Aunor.
In the award-giving season in early 1992, Nora won the Best Actress honors sa Star Awards and FAP, as well as the Best Performance award from the YCC-Film Desk’s 2nd Annual Circle Citations (with co-winner, Aga Muhlach, for Maryo J. delos Reyes’ Joeyboy Munti). Ang Pacita M. ay nanalo rin ng Best Picture and Best Direction among other awards as 1991 FAMAS. Nora scored three consecutive Best Actress triumphs sa FAP Awards: 1989 (Bilangin), 1990 (Andrea) and 1991 (Pacita M.). Ito bale ang katapat ng three straight victories ni Vilma sa Gawad Urian. Nora was elevated sa FAMAS Hall of Fame in 1991 for having copped five Best Actress statuettes: Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos, Ina Ka Ng Anak Mo, Bulaklak Ng City Jail, Bilangin Ang Bituin Sa Langit and Andrea, Paano Ba Ang Maging Isang Ina? Later, nagtamo siya ng Circle of Excellence awards sa FAMAS apara sa mahusay niyang pagganap sa Pacita M. in 1991 at sa The Flor Contemplacion Story in 1995.
To mark her 25th anniversary in show business, Nora starred in PETA’s Minsa’y Isang Gamugamo sa una niyang pagganap sa entablado. The play, an adaptation of Lupita Kashiwahara’s film based on a screenplay by Marina Feleo-Gonzales, was directed by Soxy Topacio mula sa script nina Ricky Lee at Boni Ilagan. It had a successful run at the Tanghalang Raja Sulayman in Fort Santiago in February-March 1991. Nora further acquitted herself in theater in December 1992 (DH by Topacio-Lee) and in the mid-1990s (Trojan Women, na dinirek ng isang Griyego and was staged at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife). At tulad ng mga stage play na tinampukan, nagging malaking tagumpay ang unang major concert ni Nora (Handog ni Guy) sa Araneta Coliseum noong May 18, 1991.
1993, Hindi nagtapos ang labanang Nora-Vilma for Best Actress sa pagkaka-elevate nila sa FAMAS Hall of Fame. Dahil sa dumaming award-giving body since the mid-1980s, hindi nakuntento ang respective groups of fans nina Nora at Vilma sa pag-asam na patuloy silang gumawa ng magagandang pelikula na pagtatamuhan nila ng trophies. Sadly, dumating din sila sa punto ng kasalatan, careerwise.
In 1992, wala ni isang pelikulang tinampukan si Nora, samantalang si Vilma starred in only one: Maryo J. delos Reyes’ Sinungaling Mong Puso, na hindi niya pinagtamuhan ng anumang major Best Actress award. In 1993, gumawa si Vilma ng pelikula na ang kuwento’y base sa unang Pilipinang nag-reveal ng pagkakaroon niya ng AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), si Dolzura Cortez. Directed by Laurice Guillen for Octoarts Films, Dahil Mahal Kita (The Dolzura Cortez Story) won Vilma the Best Actress honors at the 1993 Manila Film Festival, Star, Gawad Urian and FAP. Si Nora ay gumawa ng Inay for Melanie Marquez’s MM Productions, by veteran megman Artemio Marquez (may-likha ng maraming box-office hit ni
Guy sa Tower Productions in the early 1970s). Natalo si Nora sa MMFF at ibang major awardings ng taon, but she won the Best Performance award, again from the UP-Young Critics Circle (YCC-Film Desk’s 4th Annual Circle Citations), with Aga Muhlach (for Jose Javier Reyes’ Hindi Kita Malilimutan) as co-winner.
1994, Mula 1994 hanggang 2003 ay hindi na nagkatunggali sa Best Actress award sina Nora at Vilma. Early 1994 nang huling magkasabay as contenders for the acting plum sina Nora (Inay) at Vilma (Dahil Mahal Kita). For the whole year, Nora didn’t topbill any movie. She hosted Modern Romance sa Telebisyon on GMA 7 and the monthly special Superstar Beyond Time on RPN 9, and appeared on several telesines and a successful two-night concert at the Mandarin Hotel Ballroom. Naulit ang pangyayari noong 1992 na walang pelikula si Nora (she only appeared in her second stage play, DH, na nag-world-tour in 1993) and this will be repeated 10 years later, when she did the ABS-CBN 2 drama series Bituin that aired from September 2002 to May 2003 and several concerts. Vilma notched two films: Regal’s Nag-iisang Bituin (by Joey Reyes) and Golden Lions’ Lipa Massacre (by Carlo J. Caparas), which won as Best Picture sa FAMAS.
1995 – 97 – Sa mga sumunod an taon, parehong nag-achieve sina Nora at Vilma in local award-giving groups and international film festivals. Nauna si Nora, in 1995, for The Flor Contemplacion Story, kuwento ng Pilipina na nasentensiyahang mamatay by hanging sa Singapore. Late 1995 nang maiulat na si Nora ang nagwaging Best Actress sa Cairo International Film Festival sa Egypt for her performance in the Joel Lamangan megger, which also won as Best Picture. Nanalo si Nora sa YCC-Film Desk’s 6th Annual Circle Citations (Best Performer) at sa Star Awards, FAP at Gawad Urian (Pinakamahusay na Pagganap – Pangunahing Aktres; with co-winner Helen Gamboa for Tikoy Aguiluz’s Bagong Bayani, another Flor Contemplacion filmbio). Top box-office hit ang The Flor Contemplacion Story, for which the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation, Inc. (GMMSFI) chose Nora as Box-Office Queen, the same honor she received in the early 1970s and 1980s. Si Nora ang Best Actress sa 1995 MMFF for Viva Films’ Muling Umawit ang Puso. Sa international filmfests, Nora again won as Best Actress in 1997. She got the Golden Pearl Award in Penang, Malaysia, for Viva’s Bakit May Kahapon Pa? Para sa naturang Lamangan megger, Best Actress din sa Gawad Urian si Nora (with cowinner Sharon Cuneta, for Olive Lamasan’s Madrasta).
1998 – 2001 – Ang international fame, bilang Best Actress, ay nakamit ni Vilma in 1999, when her Star Cinema headliner Bata … Bata … Paano Ka Ginawa? – directed by Chito Rono – was entered as competition entry sa Brussels Film Festival. Released in 1998, Bata won for Vilma the Best Actress honors at the Star Awards, FAP and Gawad Urian, as well as the Best Performance award from the YCC-Film Desk. Dahil nahalal na alkalde ng Lipa City sa Batangas si Vilma Santos-Recto (she married then Batangas Congressman, now Senator Rafael ‘Ralph” Recto in December 1992), naging mas madalang ang paggawa niya ng pelikula. Pero hindi pa rin magmimintis si Vilma na manalo ng acting trophy, kapag din lang may panlabang pelikula, as in 2000 when she did Star Cineman’s Anak by Rory Quintos. Nanalo siyang Best Actress sa Star Awards.
2002, Vilma failed to win as Best Actress sa 2002 MMFF para sa major film na Dekada ‘70, megged by Chito Rono and produced by Star Cinema. Hindi naman nabigo ang Vilmanians sa mga sumunod na awarding, in early 2003, dahil kay Vilma napunta ang Best Actress trophies na kaloob ng Star Awards, FAP at Gawad Urian. Pati ng minor award-giving body na binubuo ng mga academician, ang PASADO (Pampelikulang Samahan ng mga Dalubguro). At ang kanyang ikalawang Best Performance award mula sa YCC-Film Desk in its annual Circle Citations. Panlaban ng bansa ang The Seventies (Dekada ‘70) sa 4th Makati CineManila International Film Festival (organized by Direk Tikoy Aguiluz). The film won a special jury prize at Best Actress award for Vilma (her second claim to international fame). In contrast, malaon nang walang pelikulang panlaban si Nora at this point. After Bakit My Kahapon Pa? In 1996, Nora did minor starrers: MAQ Productions ‘Mama, Dito sa Aking Puso, screenwriter Frank Rivera’s directorial debut; and Lupita Kashiwahara’s megger under Premiere Productions, Babae, an entry to the 1997 MMFF, for which Aunor got several acting nominations. Her last major performance was in Seven Stars Productions’ Sidhi, released in February 1999. Walang napanalunang trophy si Nora for her fourth Lamangan starrer, which was also panned by Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino member Lito B. Zulueta. Both Nora and Vilma, however, were recipients of the Gawad Pan-Dekada (along with Richard Gomez) at the Urian rites in March 2001. Silang dalawa pa rin ang mga aktres na napagkalooban ng natatanging pagkilala ng Manunuri, para sa tigtatlong parangal na natamo nila – in the 1990s – sa kategoryang Pinakamahusay na Pagganap. Aunor won for Andrea, Paano Ba Ang Maging Isang Ina?, The Flor Contemplacion Story, and Bakit May Kahapon Pa?. Santos won for Ipagpatawad Mo, Dahil Mahal Kita and Bata … Bata … Paano Ka Ginawa?
2004, Kung susumahin, mahirap nang dagliang mabilang ang mga award nina Nora at Vilma, through the years, para sa mga pelikulang tinampukan nila. Ito rin ang puntong hindi ang pag-quantify sa mga natamong parangal ang mahalaga, kundi ang pagpapatunay na walang mintis sa kanya-kanyang laban, sa kahusayan, ang dalawang pinakamahigpit na magkaribal sa larangan ng pagganap pampelikula. The End. – “VERY LONG RIVALRY” By William Reyes
As of February 2012, Vilma Santos and Nora Aunor are very much in demand. Aunor finished a teleserye in 2011, “Sa Ngalan Ng Ina” and an unreleased movie with ER Ejercito. She secured a contract for several projects under TV5 that include television projects and two films. She also had a voice treatment (ala-Brit singer, Adele) to restore her much loved voice. Meanwhile Vilma Santos, remained politically involved with her job as the Governor of Batangas. She started a film with Kim Chiu, The Healing and slated to do another film and a semi-biographical book to celebrate her five decades film career. – RV
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, V Magazine 2006
In “MMK Dalawang Dekada,” a two-hour documentary special to be aired this Sept.25 in “Sunday’s Best,” a journey of the show’s success will be recollected featuring Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos, actress par excellance, grilling host Charo Santos about the show. It features how loyal viewers are glued to every episode not only because of the lead stars but more importantly, because of the content of the story and the lessons learned by the letter senders. (READ MORE).
the story behind paper clip – One of the highlights of the documentary featured Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto having a chat with the face behind MMK, ABS-CBN President Charo Santos-Concio. Governor Vi asked Ms. Charo: What’s the story behind paper clip? The senior executive narrated with a smile, “My bosses thought wala akong alam sa telebisyon…Sa pelikula, may play date. You can postpone your play date. Pero sa television, the show must go on everyday. Wala kang dead air…Tinanong kita kung anong programang ang pwede mong ipalit bukas, anong ideyang ibibigay mo? Sabi ko, ‘I’ll think about it. Give me a week’ [Sabi nila], ‘Ano? One week, hindi ganyan sa telebisyon. Now na.'” “Nakita ko yung paper clip on top of the table. Sa nerbiyos ko, napahawak ako sa paper clip. Maaring ang silbi nito ay para sa functional use…But sa ibang tao, may kwento, behind this.” “Maaring ginamit niya ito noong nagtanan siya ng kanyang mahal at magbukas ng pinto.We can dramatize true-to-life stories from letter senders. Anong title na ibibigay mo diyan? Among my souvenirs…” (READ MORE)
Daisy Hernandez (Vilma Santos), a mother must divide her time between work and taking care of her daughter April (Maja Salvador) who has cerebral palsy. Daisy’s heart is wrenched every time she sees her eldest child suffer because of her illness. But Daisy never loses hope, and April manages to live a normal life until she is 18. Just when Daisy thought things are doing fine with her daughter’s disability, a tragedy will further test her faith (Wikepedia).
Maalaala Mo Kaya (lit. Would You Remember) is a Philippine drama anthology series broadcast on ABS-CBN every Saturday evening and being hosted by Charo Santos-Concio. Currently, it became the longest-running drama anthology on Philippine television and on Asia. The program features weekly real life stories or anecdotes of common people or even famous celebrities and personalities through letter sending. The series has a counterpart radio program being broadcast on DZMM called “Maalaala Mo Kaya sa DZMM”, a paperback (“pocketbooks”) adaption and a comic book adaptation under Mango Comics & Sterling. The program is named after the song, “Maalaala Mo Kaya” by Constancio de Guzman, which also serves as the program’s main theme song which was performed by Dulce. During 2000’s airing of the program until now, the main theme song was covered by Carol Banawa replacing Dulce’s version. Notable episodes: “Regalo” (Gift) MMK episode topbilled by Vilma Santos, Ricky Davao and Maja Salvador and considered as one of the most critically successful episode (Wikepedia).
Basic Info: Director: Christopher Strauss De Leon; Cast: Vilma Santos, Tirso Cruz III, Christopher De Leon, Ian De Leon, Renato Del Prado, Aiza Marquez, Mandy Ochoa; Producer: Sandy Andolong, Lyn Ynchausti
Plot Summary: Bugso is the GMA-7 telesine that Christopher De Leon directed (he also does a bit part in it as Vilma’s dead husband). It’s not correct to say that Bugso is television version of the classic Audrey Hepburn starrer Wait Until Dark, although, like Audrey, Vilma also played a blind lady toyed around by greedy relatives (Tirso Cruz III being one of them) who wanted the inheritance all to themselves.
Achievement: One of De Leon’s directorial projects (Maalaala mo kaya (2009), Bugso (2002), Huwag mong salingin ang sugat ko (1991), Halimaw – “komiks”segment (1986)
Review: “…When we arrived before lunchtime (good timing!), direk Christopher had already wrapped several scenes and he was working double time to finish the rest of the day-effect scenes before dusk fell. Because they were limited to only two shooting days, opting for Lipa as location in deference to Mayor Vilma who couldnt be away from the city of her affection, direk Christopher said that he had to do away with some of the night scenes without disrupting the flow of the suspense-thriller. Direk Christopher was a delight to watch at work, very different from when he’s only acting. Bugso is not his first directorial job, having already megged Komiks (part of a twin bill produced by ex-wife Nora Aunor, starring a very young Ian de Leon as a komiks freak), part of Kislap sa Dilim which he took over from Lino Brocka who died in a car accident before putting the movie to can and all of Huwag Mo Akong Salingin, the other movie Lino was supposed to start shooting three days before his untimely death. Bugso is made more interesting by the fact that, besides being a “family affair,” three of the people whose lives have been inter-twined with that of Nora Aunor are involved in the project – Christopher is Nora’s ex-husband, Tirso is Noras ex-boyfriend and Vilma, although a kumare, is considered until now to be Nora’s arch rival. (Vilmanians will insist, however, that Vilma has beaten her kumare by miles, with Vilma still enjoying a well-oiled career, a happy family life and a successful transition from showbiz to politics, a field Nora has failed miserably to conquer.)…” READ MORE
“…Seen in more than a dozen successful big-screen projects (among them Relasyon, Broken Marriage and Ipagpatawad Mo), Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos and Christopher “Boyet” de Leon are together again but on another level this time and on the small screen, she as the lead actress and he as the director. The telemovie is entitled Bugso, with Tirso Cruz III and Ian de Leon as the other members of the cast. The suspense-thriller is being produced for GMA 7 (telecast is slated middle of next month) by Tirso’s wife Lyn Ynchausti. Shooting will take two days in, as per Mayor Vi’s request, Lipa City, with some of the highlights shot at the beautiful resthouse of STAR columnist and art patron Danny Dolor (who is hosting a lunch for the Bugso cast and some special friends from Manila on the last shooting day)…” – Ricardo F. LoREAD MORE
“A telemovie of GMA productions was shown during the Holy Week and man… it really sucks! Well, I don’t want to sound too mean but have you ever heard of a blind woman able to kill a psychotic murderer on the loose? The twists in the movie were also pathetic and predictable! Guess what? There are three killers and the only thing that made this difficult was to know who killed whom? There are no surprising twists and even the fighting scenes stink. In some part of the teemovie the flow of the story was so slow, too slow. Maybe this is just the director’s, Christopher de Leon, style but I guess this slow phase was not really necessary because it could be a reason to lose their viewers attention. Vilma Santos played the lead role of a blind woman who became a house’s breadwinner. Vilma’s character is actually rich and she is sustaining her sister’s family. Vilma is a really good actress but I was not impressed by her portrayal of a blind woman. The sister’s husband, portrayed by Tirso Cruz III was actually the one who hired the psychotic murderer to kill his family for fifty thousand pesos. The psychotic murderer, portrayed by Ian de Leon, did his job but when the Tirso’s character asked Vilma’s character to sign the papers that will turn her treasures to him, Vilma thought that he was the one killed his family. Tirso got insane and Vilma noticed it. She was able to call a police and a fighting scene happened. Tirso got hit and before he died he revealed that he hired Ian de Leon’s character to kill her and that Vilma’s safety is still not for sure. This was really funny you know. The man who hired a murderer to kill Vilma was suddenly caring for her safety. Maybe the part that I really enjoyed is when Ian was hunting to kill Vilma. This part made me scream for Vilma, shouting that she should run faster or do this and that. But when the part that she stabbed Ian with an axe in his back made me laugh! It was as if she could see Ian after all, that she was not blind. I don’t know how she did it but it certainly made Vilma’s blindness obviously fake…” – bluedison23
“…Bugso is a noun that roughly translates into “gust,” as in a quick attack of wind or some such. Sometimes, the word is also used in the context of having extremely strong and sudden feelings, reactions or urges. The movie is about the conspiracy of three men, each of whom have a different motive, to kill the family of Miss Ancheta (Vilma Santos) – so she would be left alone and helpless to sign some papers that would turn over all her money and property to Tirso Cruz III‘s character, her devious cousin-in-law. Tirso’s character is one of the three schemers. Such was his greed that he came to the point of killing off his own wife and stepchildren for the sake of material wealth. The other two men involved in the plan are the non-speaking semi-psychopath Nanding (Ian de Leon) and the aging foreman of the Ancheta farm, Ka Matias. The former does it for the money and the thrill of the kill. The latter has cheated the Ancheta family by stealing the title to the farm land and then pawning it for money for his own caprices. Ka Matias realizes that he cannot hide such a secret for long and believes that the best way to clear himself of it was to resort to murder and force. The approach of the whole television movie was suspense-mystery. The story was driven by dark intentions set against the idyllic countryside. All of it revolves around the decisions and chutzpah of a proud, blind heroine. I have to admit this may be a bit formulaic, with so many murder-mysteries and their respective slightly incapacitated heroines, but Bugso possesses an appeal all its own, sourced for the most part from its actors. Vilma Santos is heart-wrenchingly bittersweet and annoyingly stubborn. Tirso Cruz III is ever the Juancho-like bastard (Juancho is his villain character from the GMA-7 soap opera Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga). However, my favorite is definitely the dark, mentally-disturbed Ian de Leon, who exudes menace just by sitting in the shadows and eyeing the heroine with bloodlust. Director Christopher de Leon did a good job with the transition of scenes, especially when the action starts to heat up. The way he constructs the angles and the movements of the characters mirrors the varying moods…” – Madame Shi
There was a time when a fan’s devotion to his or her idol wasn’t measured by how much they’ve spent on all the advertised merchandise made available to the public. Not every fan was able to afford the style of clothes sported by the stars, let alone be able to purchase the latest glossy magazine with their idol’s perfect smile on the cover. It was a time when making a scrapbook was enough to call one a devotee. Chosen photos collected from all sorts of publications were recycled, and carefully pasted on a simple spiral ring notebook. This would be one of many treasured volumes of personalized scrapbooks that would be shared, traded, and admired by other adoring fans. Here’s a look at an original late 60’s scrapbook made by a Vilma Santos fan. Many thanks to our good friend Edward De Los Santos for sharing scans of this amazing Vilma Santos scrapbook. For the best source of classic records, vintage magazines, and other amazing vintage collectibles, visit his Ebay stores: philippine.music (Ebay Philippines), and oldbestseller (Ebay USA). – Nostalgia Manila web-site (READ MORE)
All Vilmanians and even those who just love watching old Tagalog movies must have been glued to their TV screens last Thursday afternoon when Channel 9’s “Premiere Pilipino Klasiks” aired “Ging”, Vilma Santos’ follow-up movie after she was introduced in Sampaguita Pictures’ “Trudis Liit”. Produced by Premiere Productions when Vilma was only 10 (circa 1963), “Ging” casts the now-Star for All Seasons (and Lipa City Mayor, too! (now Governor of Batangas-FRV)) as a street child who is in charge of taking care of her invalid mother, played by Olivia Cenizal.
In flashback fashion, we find out that Ms. Cenizal was once a big movie star who fell in love and married a young rich man (portrayed in the film by Jose Padilla, Jr.) Padilla’s aristocratic mother (Etang Discher), unfortunately, breaks up the union and the two lovers go their separate ways. Vilma, as Ging, was born shortly after. While begging for food scraps from customers at the restaurant of the Chinese Ponga (I doubt if today’s generation have any idea who he is or how he looks like), she is spotted by Ramon D’Salva and his wife, Carol Varga. The couple immediately express their wish to adopt her. Vilma was hesitant at first at the idea – until she was promised by D’Salva that she would be sent to school, and her mother, to the hospital for medical treatment. Once she is in the D’Salva home, the couple show their true colors. They exploit her by making her perform in vaudeville presentations.
Although she is a hit and a top money maker, she is still badly treated by Varga. For one, she is not given proper nutrition to stunt her growth (child stars are supposed to be cute and small). Little Vilma rebels when she finds out that D’Salva does not fulfill his promise of sending her mother to the hospital for treatment. She runs away and in the process bumps into people related to her biological father. Padilla and Cenizal are reunited and the little heroine lives happily ever after with her parents. “Ging” was directed by Cirio Santiago and Teodorico Santos. Although it was made in the old-fashioned way of making films (the flashback scenes in particular), the material used here is timeless – especially since there are more street children in our midst now more than ever.
As far as the showbiz scene is concerned, there are still a lot of heartless impresarios today exploiting young talents in the business. But what really made “Ging” a delight to watch was the performance of the very young Vilma Santos. Even at the early age, it was clear that she was already brimming with talent. Vilma, apparently, was born into this world to perform, entertain and make people happy. She was utterly convincing in the dramatic scenes and thoroughly graceful in her musical numbers. Listang-lista – as we’d say in the vernacular. Even then, she was already living up to her showbiz title of “Star for All Seasons” because her performance in “Ging” is not only brilliant, but timeless as well.
Source: Written by Butch Francisco, Mar 04 1999 People’s Journal
From the chubby faced cry baby of TRUDIS LIIT in 1962 to the chinky eyed teener of THE SENSATIONS fame ululating the words of “Sweet 16” and “Sad Movies Make Me Cry”, Vilma Santos blossomed into an actress, star and entertainer in her own right. She finally emerged from the overpowering shadow of her touted arch rival, the Superstar, when she gyrated her way to immortality via the definitive Celso Ad. Castillo masterpiece BURLESK QUEEN.
Then she paired up with Christopher de Leon, and together they produced a string of box office and critical triumphs. Among them were RELASYON and BROKEN MARRIAGE, Ishmael Bernal’s paeans to domestic turmoil, and roles which earned her back-to-back Urian Best Actress Awards, and forever ingrained her image as the archetype of the long-suffering wife in the consciousness of Filipino moviegoers. True, the rest of the 80s would be no picnic for Vilma. However, she had also entered the field of variety and drama anthology television and was determined to keep up the pace of her achievements.
Vilma Santos is among the last of the real stars. Unlike the celebrities of today, she never needed the packaging, the publicity blitz or even the programmed gimmickry to keep the public interested in her. With more than 36 dozen acting citations to her credit, she continues to remind one and all that talent must be deeply rooted, developed, nurtured and disciplined. Above all, she never sat back and accepted the appellation that she was only number 2. Vilma is Vilma — a star of the first magnitude, brilliant, glamorous enough to hold her own against anybody else. Out of her struggles in the cruel world of showbusiness, she emerged a resilient, confident lady. It would only be fitting to say that she carved her own throne – not to be better than anyone else but because she knew that film artistry is the very essence of her being, the why and wherefore of her existence. None of this was for the fans but for her own completion and fulfilment.
Yet like everyone else, she longed for greater meaning. After her marriage with Edu Manzano failed, she had to find once more the man of her dreams, the man who was worth giving up even her career in entertainment. It all climaxed in a storybook wedding in Lipa Cathedral. Then another chance at mother hood required some great sacrifices including her withdrawal from the Friday night variety program, Vilma. Time was of the essence. Motherhood overrode the mundane details of a showbiz career. Time slowed for Vilma as she bowed out of the limelight. It was not the death of a career but a pregnant pause – waiting for something bigger and better in the coming days.
Then Vilma returned, a mother. She tried television for 13 weeks, but that was far more than her pace as woman, mother and star can carry her through. Was the star for all seasons ready for a truly big comeback? Sadly, the answer was: not yet. She paired up once more with Christopher de Leon and then action king Fernando Poe Jr in a two lackluster hits that only confirmed that it was not yet time to return. In the wake of those forgettable films, the tragedy of Nana Rosa, WWII comfort woman, whose story with all the makings of a grand masterpiece was slowly taking shape only to be shelved in the end. It really wasn’t meant to be, but she needed an ace to show all that she still has the touch of an actress. Strident and confident as she is, she kept all these things in her and bided her time. People hardly expected it, but another facet of Vilma was about to show itself.
Vilma, wife of a prominent congressman, had allowed the reality of the unshod masses in her adopted home of Lipa City to touch her heart. From her heart came the fount of compassion. “This was not playing big actress on the silver screen,” she declared. “This was coming face to face with a reality on a day to day basis. You literally have to learn to deal with the children who walked around barefoot, naked and dirty,” she went on. The national elections of 1998 were fast approaching, and Vilma was each day strengthening her chances of taking over City Hall. “People tend to look up to you because you are a star in their eyes, the one who embodies their dreams and aspirations” she explained. There was no escaping that reality, reluctant as she was to take on the challenge of populist politics where she and many others were jeered at as brainless entertainers who cannot think up pro-people programs, ready to be forgotten after the last meeting de avance.
Yet she was not to be easily dismissed. After all, experience counted for something. Neither was she intellectually gifted to handle the finer rudiments of ward politics – like the Umali family which had kept a stranglehold on the mayorship of Lipa and who now treated her as a potentially dangerous rival in their continuing quest for political control. It was not her entertaining skills that ruffled their feathers. It was the very fact that Vilma had faced the people and begun winning their hearts through her kindness, notwithstanding her limited resources as a congressman’s spouse.
As she touched the hearts of her fellow Lipenos, the acclaim for her to sit as the new mayor grew. Even rival political parties from out of town thought nothing about asking for her endorsement. She was never interested in endorsements; all she knew was that she wanted to serve the people of Lipa City. “It was these people who asked for medicine, food, even money to keep their small businesses going. You had to face them, to know who they are and to be wise because being accommodating to everyone is not necessarily good for everyone. If someone holds an unfair advantage over everyone else, I was willing to fight tooth and nail for the common good of all. This is the heart of my mission,” announced Vilma. True enough, she kept the faith with her people. She was keenly aware of her limits, but she knew that nothing could make her fail to respond to their needs the way she can.
Then in the middle of all this came BATA, BATA PAANO KA GINAWA? from Lualhati Bautista’s classic novel. The role seemed to embody everything she has lived through the years. It’s not a perfect film, but one that will surely reinforce her legacy as woman, mother, wife, politician and actress. Surely, the most meticulous preparations went in this Star Cinema production. We can be certain though that the one thing that will emerge is Vilma, glistening like a diamond on her cosmic throne. This time the stakes are far deeper than just thepopularity polls and awards derbies. It will be Vilma Santos the person who will be shining through. And truly, it will be a fitting urrah! – Written by Alex Jimenez, Newsflash
Star For All Seasons 
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