Wardrobes - "...My favorite job, by far, was at "VIP (Vilma in Person)," Ate Vi's variety show in the '80s. I loved this job because I got to go into Ate Vi's van and bring out her wardrobe that wasa kept extremely well. All her clothes were hung neatly and covered with garment bags. Her shoes were kept in their original boxes. To this day, when I want to just stick something in my closet without hanging or folding it, I remember Ate Vi and her well-tended wardrobe. I also had the honor of collecting sampaguita, bouquets and Santo Ninos from her adoring fans. I would have made a lifetime career of it but, sadly, I had to finish college..." - Kitty Go, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Dec 29 2002 (READ MORE)
100 Percent Performance - "...Minsan while performing nasabit ‘yong damit niya. But nobody noticed it at hindi naman nakita sa camera. Would you believe na ipinaulit pa ‘yong number niyang ‘yon despite our persistence na hindi naman nahalta sa screen ang nangyari? But she said, “I want it to do it again. I want a 100 percent performance na walang sabit-sabit kahit damit o anuman.” She insisted. That’s how concerned she is with her performance. Siya nga naman ang nakikita ng audience at hindi kami.
You don’t do things halfway with her. Ibang klase ‘yan. She is a perfectionist. In Vilma In Person, she got fitted every Monday. Thursday pag-isinuot na niya ‘yon, dapat walang kulubot, walang pin sa strap. Anything she noticed that she thinks wouldn’t be perfect in the eyes of the audience, hindi uubra sa kanya. If something happens, ayan tatakbo kami ng Rustans para ikuha ng eksaktong fitted na damit para sa kanya. She’ll never go onstage unprepared. She used to tell us, “Those people go out their way to see me. Some of them have traveled a long way so they could come.” She wanted to give her audience what they deserve to see..." - Super Morales, Len Llanes, Starstudio Magazine, December 2002 (READ MORE)
The Move - "...Also dislocated with the closure of BBC-2 was Vilma Santos’ variety program Vilma in Person or VIP. Vilma in Person – in spite of the fact that it was given the VIP treatment by the Benedicto management – never did well in the ratings game when it was with the old Channel 2. But when it moved to Channel 7 – where it was called Vilma, the show immediately shot up in the ratings chart. Vilma! had grand productions week after week and was a consistent winner in the various awards races in the field of television. It went off the air in 1995 only because Vilma got pregnant with Ryan Christian and needed to have a complete rest..." - Butch Francisco (READ MORE)
The Dancers - "...The Vilma In Person Dancers, better known as the VIP Dancers, started way back in 1987 as part of the popular television show of actress Vilma Santos. Ms. Maribeth Bichara, together with eight other dancers, made a dynamic group of talented and hardworking individuals worthy of popularity. In 1988 and 1997, the group received the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Awardee for The Most Popular Dance Group..." - Wikipilipinas (READ MORE)
The First Co-Host - "...Although Joey de Leon became very big in the movies and of course, on television and has recently returned to the world of recording with the release of his novelty album, Joey to the World (released by BMG Records, Pilipinas, Inc.), he will forever be indebted to radio, which paved the way for him to enter show business in 1968...After Okay Lang came a lot of other shows (around 44 by Joey’s estimate) and going over the list is like a walk through TV history. Here are the more significant ones...V.I.P. (Vilma in Person) — Aired over the old BBC-2, Joey was Vilma Santos’ first co-host..." - Butch Francisco (READ MORE)
The Money - "...Before Lucky’s birth she had no contract with any studio but after his birth the two leading studios, Regal and Viva, asked to place her under contract and she signed up with both! ‘It was arranged that everything they paid me went straight to the banks, to pay off my debts. Not a centavo of my movie earnings passed through my hands. We lived on my television earnings. I had been offered this TV show, VIP Vilma in Person. It was a Sunday show and Sunday was the only day I could spend with my family but I had to sacrifice my day with them because that weekly show provided us with maintenance money. Unfortunately, my marriage suffered because of that. At that time, Edu wasn’t active in the movies yet; he was working in an office and, of course, his schedules and my schedules were in conflict. I think he suffered some kind of culture shock. Oh, he tried to be understanding but imagine him coming home at seven o’clock in the evening and me coming home at four o’clock in the morning. That won’t work – but I had to work.” She says..." - Quijano De Manila (Nick Joaquin), Philippine Graphic Magazine 05 November 1990 (READ MORE)
The Rival "...Samantala, si Vilma ay nagsolo sa television via Ayan Eh while si Edgar naman ay may People. Nawala din ang Ayan Eh at pinalitan ng Vilma Santos Very Special. Pansumandaling nawala sa television si Vi nguni't noong 1981 ay nagkaroon siya ng tv show na Vilma In Person (VIP) sa BBC Channel 2. Noong una ay kasabay nito ang Superstar ni Nora Aunor tuwing Linggo ng gabi. Ang mga programa nila ay ginaganap sa Broadcast City kung saan magkatabi lang ang studio ng Superstar sa Channel 9 at ang Vilma In Person sa BBC 2, pero hindi naglaon at ang VIP ay ginawa na tuwing Sabado ng gabi. Noong unang mga episode ng VIP ay si Joey de Leon ang co-host ni Vi subali't hindi naglaon ay si Roderick Paulate na ang permanenteng naging co-host ni Vi hanggang sa lumipat sila sa GMA 7 at ito ay ang Vilma. Dahil hindi na magkasabay ang Superstar at Vilma In Person ay nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na mag-guest sina Vi at Roderick sa Superstar at ito ay ginanap sa open air ng Ultra. "Solid As a Rock" ang inawit ni Vi at Roderick. Noon ay malapit nang umalis si Vi papuntang USA para sa isang show. Biniro pa nga ni German Moreno si Roderick na pag wala si Vi ay magiging Roderick In Person ang title ng show o RIP pag pinaikli..." - Alfonso Valencia (READ MORE)
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