FORMER QUEEN of Philippine Movies Gloria Romero turned 79 last December 16. A surprise birthday shindig was arranged by Marichu Vera-Perez at their ancestral residence na bale tahanan ng home studio ni Tita Glo, ang Sampaguita Pictures.
Walang kaalam-alam si Tita Glo tungkol sa pleasant surprise na ‘yon, her daughter Maritess Gutierrez egged her on to look nice at a simple dinner somewhere in Makati City. That day, pagod na pagod si Tita Glo, she would want to settle for a venue near their place. Asiwa rin siyang magbihis nang bongga as she’s used to wearing jeans.
Hirit ni Maritess, her ninang Marichu requested that she’d be picked up from the Vera-Perez Gardens. Feel daw nitong dyumoin sa dinner.
It was Maritess who was behind the wheel, nu’ng akmang pipik-apin na nila si Manay Ichu, Tita Glo noticed there were no lights at the former’s residence. “Nagkukuripot ba itong si Ichu, wala man lang kailaw-ilaw?” Tita Glo commented, not realizing na may paparating nang birthday cake as the lights were turned on.
Pinangunahan ng isa pang dating Movie Queen, si Susan Roces, ang pag-awit ng birthday song as Startalk host Butch Francisco brought in the cake. Shock was written all over Tita Glo’s face, hardly did she expect there were too many well-wishers that night, most of whom ay mga kakontemporaryo niya.
Indeed, it was a gathering of Movie Queens dahil naroon din si Amalia Fuentes, and a host of less senior showbiz luminaries who would someday be queens themselves.
NAG-ISYU NA agad ng stern warning ang nagsilbing host sa pa-Christmas party ni Senator Bong Revilla for the press at Anabel’s last Tuesday night na si Gorgy Rula.
Ang babala ay bunsod ng ipinalabas na trailer ng Indio, Bong’s upcoming epicserye on GMA bilang pagsalubong sa 2013. Sey ni Tito Gorgy, huwag sanang kunan through cellphone ang footage na ‘yon, as the entire material would be shown kasabay ng pagpapalabas ng Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry ng mambabatas na Si Agimat, Si Enteng Kabisote At Si Ako on Christmas Day.
Indio’s trailer may have been a “patikim” of sorts, but judging from the scenes, no doubt, this GMA project is of epic proportions.
Meanwhile, sa naturang press party ay hiningi ni Sen. Bong ang suporta para sa dating MTRCB Chair na si Grace Poe-Llamanzares who’s seeking a seat at the Senate.
DIRECTOR MARK Meily knows exactly what he’s talking about.
Ngayon pa lang kasi ay winewelkam na niya ang mga magpoprotesta sa kanyang pelikula — himself also the scriptwriter — na El Presidente most specially sa aspeto ng “historical controversy” between General Emilio Aguinaldo and Andres Bonifacio.
Mark’s challenge is to even convince the doubting Thomases to question the accuracy of his film na pinagbibidahan ni Laguna Governor ER Ejercito. All the more daw na gugustuhin niyang makipag-debate since like a soldier, he would go to war unarmed.
Hawak daw ni Direk Mark ang bulto ng research to prove that he never committed any single fallacy as far as presenting a historical material is concerned. Not only did he rely on his studies, kaagapay rin niya ang ilang historians para maitawid ang proyektong ito na 14 years ago na palang nais gawin ni ER.
Rated A by the Cinema Evaluation Board, Gov. ER hardly minds if El Presidente shines or bombs at the tills kahit pa hindi birong gastos ang inilagak ng producer para sa epic film na ito. After all, nangako na mismo ang pamunuan ng Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) na gawing compulsory sa kanilang mga estudyante ang panoorin ito.
One thing’s for sure, the movie will earn the most number of awards on the Gabi ng Parangal with ER as Best Actor and Nora Aunor (as Maria Agoncillo) as Best Supporting Actress, puwera pa sa ibang mga kategorya.
Pepperoni
by Ronnie Carrasco III
