Enjoy! - Fernando Po Jr. gets a big kick watching Vilma Santos does the laudry in FPJ Productions' rollicking comedy, "Batya't Palu Palo," which Pablo Santiago directs. Starring Dencio Padilla, Roberto Talabis, Angge, Royal Dahlen and the mainstays of FPJ. "Batya't Palu Palo" is filmed in full color and will be shown sometime in April.
In Her Own Words - "...Kapag natatalo ka naman, especially that time (before her first Urian victory in 1982), talagang sumasama loob ko. Kasi nag-e-expect ka, ang kasunod nun, sana manalo ako. Kapag natalo, ang sakit. Pero ngayon, kahit paano natikman ko na naman yung mga awards na iba-iba. Kung hindi ka ma-recognize, fine. It's an honor to have eight Urian Best Actress. Isa sa ginagalang talaga na award giving body is Urian. The judges there, aminin natin hindi basta-basta, mga critics talaga. Korona 'yon sa akin. Achievement na malaki. Peron ngayon, nilalagay ko sa isip ko na hindi ibig sabihin na ikaw ang pinakamaraming natanggap na Urian eh ikaw ang pinakamagaling. Sinuwerti lang yun per movie na ginagawa mo, kung paano mo ginagampanan yung role mo. But at the end of the day, after the awards night, pantay-pantay ulit tayo..." - Starsstudio Magazine, July 2011
Lucky 7 - "Reports have it that Vilma Santos has recently acquired a house in Greenhills for a whopping amount of seven million pesos. Santos, the reports add, will move in to the new residence on her birhtday, Nov. 3. The number 7 seems to play a significant role in the actress' life. In 1981, she discovered - to her horror - that she was buried in debt to the tune of 7 million pesos. Seven years later, she's lording it over on television's rating's chart with her top rated musical variety show on Channel 7. And wasn't her son Lucky now seven year-old, born weighing 7.7 lbs. and was baptized on the 7th day of the 7th month in 1981? And now she bought a new house for seven million pesos. At any rate, now that Santos' new abode is located in the Greenhills area, the San Juan exclusive subdivision might as well be considered the new Beverly Hills of local movies..." - Manila Standard, Oct 4, 1988 (READ MORE)
Bravo Ate Vi! - My long overdue visit to my beloved alam mater, UP's College of Mass Communication and out tambayan, the Broadcating Association, was a dejavu of sorts for me, and an overall enjoyable afternoon. Besided seeing the newer breed of young "broad-assers" as we call them (pardom the term of endearment), as well as my close professors-associates, I also witnessed the awarding of the Gawad Plaridel to the country's premiere actress, Lipa Mayor Vilma Santos, which my friend Rome Jorge talks about in today's banner story. Instead, let me fill you in on the glittering list of Ate Vi's well wishers that day - from her industry colleagues to the academic multitude to her loyal Vilmanians - who all gave the gem of an artist a standing ovation at the end of her 45-minute speech. She had of course her husband the Senator Ralph Recto to escort her. I meanwhile, had the privilege of attending the event with the head of the Film Institute Prof. Ed Lejano and his birlliant namesake, my fave, Prof. Ed Piano. The audience, meanwhile, had such bigwig names like Atty. Esperidion Laxa, ABS-CBN and Star Cinema executive Charo Santos-Concio, film director Chito Roño, scriptwriter Ricky Lee and Pete Lacaba, fellow actor Tirso Cruz 3rd, film critics Bienvenido Lumbera and Mario Hernando, and National Artist Napoleon Abueva, who is the sculptor of the highly revered Gawad Plaridel trophy. To say that Ate Vi's lecture was powerful is an understatement, as Rome will no doubt tell you. How I wish there were more intelligent and passionate individuals like her in local show biz. Inspiring rather than...never mind! Let's just get on with my prowl! - Amiel Martin Cabantig (READ MORE)
Vilma and Ralph, now business partners "...Vilma Santos and Ralph Recto are now business partners. They have formed the Crystal Dragon Enterprises, a talent agency with offices at the 15th floor of the Strata 100 Building in Pasig. On the same floor, is the office of Manny Padilla, Dina Bonevie's date during Dolphy's recent birthday bash at the Philippine Plaza. Padilla's family reportedly owns Strata. Padilla who was formerly linked to beauty queens Aurora Sevilla and Glennah Slayton, has been heard asking about Alice Dixson, another former beauty queen herself...After Vilma Santos, Jackilou Blanco, Jobelle Salvador and Rita AVila, his eyes are now set on Ms. Luisa "Lulu" Jimenez, Ms. Maja Pilipinas '87, Espina is said to be serious in pursuing Jimenez that he reportedly gifted her a diamond ring.... ..." - Nitz Miralles, Manila Standard - Aug 13, 1988 (READ MORE)
I went to their weddings... - "...Another memorable wedding was that of star for all seasons Vilma Santos and Ralph Recto at the century-old Lipa Cathedral in Batangas. I was a principal sponsor then and running late so I had to check into a cheap motel that was nearer the church than the house of Danny Dolor where I was supposed to dress up. The wedding was enchanting. Obviously, the townsflok loved the couple. For all intents and purposes, they were royalty. The adoring throng jampacked the church and the grounds surrounding it, wishing to catch even a glimpse of one of their own who came home to wed his exquisite bride. The newlyweds couldn't make a graceful exit after the wedding. They ascended to the balcony of the church and waved to the crowd, who respond with tumultous applause, I had goosebumps. At that time, politics was farthest from Vi's mind and Congress was yet in Ralph's dream but, right then and there, I knew they were both destined for greater things...Some two decades earlier, Guy also figured in another controversial wedding, that of Winnie Santos to Bong Morales. Almost everybody who went to the wedding wore sunglasses -not because they needed protection from the sun but because they had to hide their tear-filled eyes. The bride herself was forever crying. At one point, seh even collapsed. Indeed, the story behind this is teh stuff of which soap operas are made. Winnie is the sister of Vilma Santos. She fell in love with Eddie Boy Villamayor, Nora Aunor's brother. Due to that alone, their love already had the makings of a disaster. Eddie Boy was the jealous type and they'd forever be fighting. Until Winnie got tired of it all and broke off with Eddie Boy who become so distraught and heart-broken that he began to tread the path to self-destruction. At a show biz party, Guy saw Winnie. She went up to her and angrily asked, "Who are you to destroy the life of my brother?" or something to that effect. Winnie fled in tears, totally mortified. That was when she decided to accept one of her suitors, Bong Morales. Not too long after that, they were married. On the eve of the wedding, Eddie Boy sought Winnie out. Loaded with whatever it was he took, he walked from Project 8 in Quezon City where he lived, all the way to Magallanes Village in Makati where the Santoses resided. It was raining, (Why does it always rain when something dramatic is happening?). Eddie Boy knocked on the door of the Santoses' home. He pleaded to speak to Winnie. He wanted to be one of the principal sponsors in the wedding. His pleas fell on deaf ears. Flashforward: Eddie Boy was never the same again after that. As for Winnie, after the wedding, she and Bong flew to the US to live, but they have divorced since. Their three children live with Winnie..." - Inday Badiday (READ MORE)
On With the Show - "Vilma Santos went through with the taping of her first drama special, Lamat sa Kristal, during the rage of killer typhoon Unsang. While it wrought havoc in the entire nation and claimed numerous lives and destroyed properties, the whole production made good use of the terribly bad weather to set the mood for the top actress' tele-movie. Indeed, there's nothing like Mother Nature providing the real atmosphere, as teh stars and crew braced the strong winds and heavy rains. To the said stars and crew the showbiz rule "the show must go on" still holds true, no matter what the weather is...Comedian Vic Sotto was Vilma Santos' guest co-host recently (for the second time around) and it was obvious he did it to promote his latest movie Good Morning Teacher, with Coney Reyes and Aiza Seguerra. The first time Sotto co-hosted in Vilma was two years ago in the show's summer special. This time, he brought along Seguerra and they did a song number together to the delight of the televiewers. Sotto also sang with the show's host and, as usual, he had a few tricks up his sleeves, as he brought out flowers hidden from his pockets down to his socks, to offer Santos. But the comedian proved to be a gracious co-host since he limited his Eat Bulaga antics to a more tolerable level..." - Meg mendoza (READ MORE)
Vilma Finally Gets her Massacre Movie - "Vilma Santos finally gets her wish to star in a massacre movie under director Carlo Caparas with her role as Helen Arandia in the Lipa Massacre. The film is about the Aradia family tragedy (a mother and her two daughters were killed by a neighbor while Mr. Arandia was abroad). Congressman Ralph Recto plays himself in the movie Vilma had to forego a trip abroad to shoot another film just to help promote this massacre movie. Producer Donna Villa is all praises for Vi's professionalism and her concern for this movie. Playing Mr. Arandia is Joel Torre, who has become a favorite of the Golden Lions couple after he worked with them in the Antipolo Massacre. The Lipa Massacre movie will have a playdate on November 9..." - Norma Japitana (READ MORE)
Vilma Santos: Ms. Perfect - "The idea of a perfectionist is not hard to believe. Not if you realize that he essence of perfection simply lies in achieving challenging results. The idea of prefection is difficult to emulate. Not if you're aware that a public figure like Vilma Santos does demonstrate time-honored perfected skills. Take for example her distinguished movie career which started in the 60s, gained credibility in the 70s, zoomed in the 80s and continues to shine in the 90s. It is an exceptional, multi-awarded career worthy of respect. It is a career marked by acting skills honed by years of being nutured by the best directors in the country. The perfectionist skills Vilma applied to such challenging roles in Broken Marriage, Relasyon, Sister Stella L., and the Dolzura Cortez Story, among many others, can be traced to her sense of realism and discipline; they are skills which owe a lot to tireless enthusiasm and unfaltering drive. Consider, too, her remarkable career as attested by the long running weekly special, Vilma. Vilma's family life, meanwhile, is awe-in-spiring. It is a subject that has generated much curiousity among showbiz observers. It is a topic Vilma herself prefers keeping private, but whose quality she nevertherless attributes to the time she spends with her son Lucky and husband Ralph Recto. Busy woman that she is, Vilma stresses she wants only the best consumer products for her family. And these include using Breeze Powerwhite. Vilma the perfectionist movie actress, TV personality, mother and husband has discovered Breeze powerwhite, a quality product of Unilever Philippines (PRC), Inc. as the perfect detergent." - Manila Standard, April 9 1994 (READ MORE)
Stage Play - Contrary to popular belief, Charito Solis and Vilma Santos' first project together wasn't the festival entry, Modelong Tanso (this was their second film), It was a Cultural Center of the Phillipines' passion play titled, "Ang Hari."
