Bumped into Sir Chief (Richard Yap) in one of my recent virtual gabfests. Yes, he’s busy now with his new teleserye I Left My Heart in Sorsogon with GMA. And how does he divide his time between his business and showbiz?
“The restaurants have had a tough year with all the lockdowns, but we have learned to adjust and are still surviving this pandemic. So far all 10 restaurants are still in operation,” he informed. “I don’t handle the daily operations of the restaurant because my partner does that. I am hands on though with our office furniture business called Cole & Ash International Systems Corp.”
I guess it is his optimistic nature that motivates Richard into doubling his efforts to excel in both areas.
“When I was younger, I was a pessimist, but I learned to stop worrying…I remember the famous line that Bugs Bunny quoted from American author Elbert Hubbard. ‘Don’t take life too seriously. No one comes out of it alive anyway.’”
Now, let us talk about the loudest buzz that’s coming to town – The Design Proposal which will be shown on TFC Canada come July 24th. According to Rosary Escaño, TFC’s lady exec, “TFC collaborates with content creators to serve as the platform to reach overseas Filipinos globally. Through programs like The Design Proposal, we celebrate Filipino-Canadian talent and highlight their contributions. May the program inspire them with ideas for home improvement. Through these types of content, we hope to inspire other Filipinos to believe in themselves and what they can do…”
The STAR of this much-awaited show is Sani Baluyot whose name is synonymous with big concert productions and together with Jannie Benico, they are behind the success of Republika Bar and Grill.
Speaking of Republikans (and I don’t mean followers of Trump), we joined their Friday evening patio gig last week. Our group which included Consul General Ron Castro and his likeable staff – Marilyn Galanza, Cecile Santos and Errol Reyes, almost danced to the beat of DJ Ricky who did set the exhilirating mood of the night’s vibe. My HotDog idol Mon Torralba (oft-mistaken as Carlos Santana, the two of course are guitar virtuosos) who sat by me discussed the future of OPM Music. While Mon and I are grateful for our blessings here in Canada, our hearts ache a little as we always look back and reminisce those huge concerts and showbiz events in Manila. We regret that the most awaited scheduled reunion of the original Hot Dogs here in North America did not push through – we all know brothers Rene and Dennis Garcia had passed on unexpectedly.
We are hopeful that Gary Valenciano will finally come and do his show which was abruptly cancelled due to the mask season. It’s so exciting that Lorrie Ilustre and Martin Nievera will soon do live production in U.S.
I am a bit sad hearing from Direk Joel Lamangan and my dear friend – versatile actor/direk Ricky Davao. Our topic – the sorry state of Pinoy movies now.
Joel says it is dismal. “All movie houses have been closed for almost 2 years, very few films are being done, either for streaming, or waiting for theaters to open. People are out of work. The only saving grace is the hope that situations will change with the help of our God Almighty. Even before the pandemic, it has started to decline. People got tired of going to movie theaters. They would rather watch movies in the comfort of their homes provided by Netflix, HBO, IFLIX, IWant, and other platforms. I think the government must help the industry, if only they could market the Filipino films internationally.”
This is what Ricky thinks. “I think the problem is economics. Instead of people watching a movie, they will use their money to put food on the table – priorities first. Throughout the years, the movie industry has also faced a lot of competition from spending load for texting, social media, alcohol, and piracy as well. Even with these challenges, Filipino filmmakers are still able to produce quality films that make it to international film festivals – I just wish they make money. What the members of the movie industry should do now is to continue pursuing their passion. We still have a well of stories and talent to showcase to the world. Meanwhile, I think the best thing we can do now is to stay healthy, support each other during these trying times, and pray that this pandemic will end soon.”
Questions you would like to answer with a guess: Is it true that Julia Montes turned down the role of the other woman in the upcoming adaptation of Doctor Foster – with the title The Borken Marriage Vow by ABS-CBNs’ Dream Escape? Instead of Julia, the role is being portrayed by Sue Ramirez. Why kaya? Why was it rumored that John Lloyd and Wille Revillame had a falling out? Direk Edgar Mortiz explains, “Nothing to worry about, believe me.”
I recall some intimate one-on-one with celebs during my active days in the RP media years ago.
Nora Aunor: “I am the type who will never blame anyone for the mistakes I did. Kaya pag nagde-decision ako, ako lang. May mga nag sa-suggest but I do not listen. Mahirap yung nakikinig ako tapos gagawin ko ng kontra sa aking loob.”
Vilma Santos: “I like talking to people, lalo na people who are more experienced than me on serious matters. I may listen or I may not. They may not be right all the time, but they mean well at saka siguro, mas tama sila sa akin on some points.”
Tirso Cruz III: “Yes, I became popular through music but I have worked hard to be recognized as an actor. Acting is like music. Th timing, the rhapsody, the lyrics. they should blend well.”
Edgar Mortiz: “I did not expect to be a director. Akala ko sa pagkanta lang, that’s where I excelled as a beginner. But when you are in the industry, you learn a lot of things. Nasa sa iyo na yon kung gusto mong iimprove ang sarili mo.”
Amalia Fuentes: “Mahal ko talaga si Bobby (Vasquez) and who knows baka magreconcile kami. But I cannot live on my emotions alone.”
See you next ish!!!!
