The Actor - "...Ever since Lino Brocka stumbled upon Christopher de Leon in a gas station and heard the bells ringing in his head, his reputation as director began to be exceeded only by his reputation as star-builder, "actors, not stars," Brocka want to say but the patina of showbiz glamor has always rubbed off on his discoveries whether they like it or not....The bells have chimed once again. And now Phillip Salvador. With or without his first solo pucture, "Jaguar," Phillip is already a star. He does not like the imposition it makes on his lifestyle - on his choice of friends, of clothes, even of habits, of favorite wateing places. Yet he, more than any of Lino's other protegees knows the value of the status he has now achieved. Afterall, unlike Boyet and Bembol who were unknows catapulted to overnight stardom, Phillip was around for seven long years, aching for a break, knowing in his bones that he had what it takes, pitying himself at times, but never giving up. He was not one of showman Lou Salvador Sr's hundred or so children for nothing..." - Bibsy M. Carballo, TV Times, August 1979 (READ MORE)
In his Blood - "...Remember him as Celia Rodribuez's oversexed, ex-basketball star husband in the four episode comedy Spagkat Kami'y Mga Misis Lamang, his biggest role before his bigger break? Not likely, rmember him in Lirio Vital's barrio sweetheart in Anino ng Araw, or as Vilma Santos' gangmate in Batya't Palu-palo, or as Jun Aristorenas' side-kick in Tatak ng Agila, or as the young rebel in Adios Mi Amor, the Susan Roces-Eddie Gutierrez re-team up where he had his screen debut in 1971? I bet you don't. Inconsequential roles all, yes, that hardly left any imprint in the public memory. But he is a Salvador, you remind him, and he could have gotten a better deal. The name may help open doors, agrees this youngest boy (he's 24) in brood of, would you believe, 102 offspring (count them) but once the doors are opened, you will hvae to stand on your own and if you have talent, it will get you there, don't worry. Not that Philip didn't have talent he just didn't get the right vehicle. Because the acting fever is in his blood, Philip acted true to his nature. He quit school when he was in second year of commerce at the Jose Rizal College and joined FPJ Productions, determined to land the role while, on the side, he played with Ronnie Poe's all-star basketball team. For seven years, he drifted along, never losing hope, never losing enthusiasm...Last year, while doing the Gom-Bur-Za episode of Lahing Pilipino, Lino needed an actor to play the leader of the squad that captured the three martyr priest. Film editor Augusto Salvador suggested Phillip. "Lino made me walk," Phillip recalls. What kind of walk, he asked. "Just walk," Lino told him, "a casual walk." And so Phillip walked, steadfast like a soldier, his body as firm and graceful as a leopard's and Lino said to himself, "Eureka!" What Phillip didn't know was, at that time, Lino was scouting around for an actor who could play Stanley Kowalski in Flores. It was only on the last shooting day of Lahi did he break the good news to Phillip..." - Ricardo F. Lo (READ MORE)
Phillip "Ipe" Salvador (born Phillip Mikael Reyes Salvador on August 22, 1953) is a three-time FAMAS award-winning Filipino actor. - Wikipedia (READ MORE)
Philip Salvador and Vilma Santos
Adultery: Aida Macaraeg Case No. 7892 (1984) - "...Vilma Santos’ restrained acting in Adultery: Aida Macaraeg 7892 was due to Brocka’s expert direction. We wish he did the same thing to Tolentino and Bonneive in this film. But then, Maging Aking Ka Lamang is a big box-office success. Brocka probably feels that it’s high time he gives the masses what they want. And on this score, Brocka succeeds enormously..." - Luciano E. Soriano, Manila Standard, May 19 1987 (READ MORE)
Baby Tsina (1984) - "...You know, I did a movie before, Baby Tsina, but I wasn’t really Chinese there. In Mano Po 3, I play Lilia Chong-Yang, a socially conscious anti-crime crusader and I get to know more about Chinese culture. We were even taught how to speak Fookien Chinese by a private tutor. Sa dubbing, the coach was there to make sure we’re perfect with our pronunciation of all our Chinese lines..." - Mario E. Bautista (READ MORE)
Sinasamba Kita (1982) - "...Sobra pala ang lakas ng “Sinasamba Kita.” Tuwang tuwa sina Vic at Mina del Rosario. They started with 38 theatres, by the weekend, 41 theatres na ang nagpapalabas ng pelikula. After 6 days, kumita na ito ng P5,207,416.00. After a week’s time, almost P6 million na ito..." - Billy Balbastro (READ MORE)
Rubia Servios (1978) - "...Simplistiko ang materyal at lalong simplistiko ang pamamaraan ni O’Hara sa karakterisasyon. Nagmumukha tanga ang mga tauhan (si Rubia at si Norman) samantalang medical students at naturingang doktor pa naman sial. Tinatakot na sila’y hindi pa sila humingi ng proteksiyon sa pulis. Ginahasa na si Rubia ay nakipagtagpo pa sa sementeryong madilim nang nag-iisa at nagpaganda pa mandin siya nang husto. At ang asawa niya’y wala ring utak. Biro mong sinundan ang asawa sa sementeryo nang nag-iisa! Dapat nga palang magkaganito sila kung napakakitid ng kanilang utak. Sa direksiyon ni Brocka, lumitaw ang galing ni Vilma Santos, at nakontrol ang labis na pagpapagalaw ng kanyang labi. Mahusay din ang eksena ng gahasa. Si Philip Salvador naman ay tulad sa isang masunuring estudyante na sinusunod lahat ang direksiyon ng guro. Kitang-kita mo sa kanyang pagganap ang bawat tagubiling pinaghihirapan niyang masunod: kilos ng mata, buntong-hininga, galaw ng daliri, kislot ng kilay. Limitado ang kanyang kakayahan at makikia ito sa kanyang mukha (na limitado rin). Walang-wala rtio si Mat Ranillo III, na parang pinabayaan para lalong lumitaw ang papel at pag-arte ni Salvador. Samantala, ang kamera ni Conrado Salvador ay hindi gaanong nakalikha ng tension at suspense, bukod sa napakaliwanang ng disenyo ng produksiyon ang pagbabago ng mga tauhan sa loob ng pitong taon batay sa estilo ng damit at buhok..." - Justino M. Dormiendo, Sagisag, February 1979 (READ MORE)
Bato Sa Buhangin (1976) - "...I really felt very sad as he’s one of the kindest men I ever met. We’ve done three films together. The first one was when I was only 19-years-old, Batya’t Palo-Palo, a big hit. He was the one who taught me how to swim while we were shooting that movie. Before that, I did Dyesebel where I played a mermaid but I didn’t even know how to swim. This was followed by Bato sa Buhangin. Our last film together was Ikaw ang Mahal Ko, which I did after I gave birth to Ryan Christian. Kuya Ronnie is a gentleman in the strictest sense of the word. Talagang maasikaso siya sa lahat ng kasama niya sa shooting and he feeds everyone with great food all the time. He’s fun to work with kasi palabiro siya at masaya talaga kasama. The whole industry will miss him..." - Mario E. Bautista (READ MORE)
Batya't Palu-Palo (1974) - "...Two newly-proclaimed box office champions of Philippine movies star in FPJ Productions’ upcoming 13th anniversary presentations, “Batya’t Palu Palo,” a situation comedy about a rich heiress who disguises as a lowly washerwoman in order to find out for herself the true meaning of love. Dilineating the lead roles are Fernando Poe Jr. and Vilma Santos who star for the first time together. Now being filmed among the lush greens of Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac, “Batya’t Palu Palo” hopes to make people forget the humdrum activities of this world. A wholesome family entertainment, the flick will have Ronnie step down from his throne as the country’s number one action star to the down-to-earth role of Berting, a haceinda hand who nevertheless, catches the attention of the young rich and quiete spolied Estella. Directed by ace meg man Pablo Santiago, “Batya’t Palu Palo” is scripted by Fred Navarro, base on a story by Ronwaldo Reyes..." - FPJ-Da King Blogspot (READ MORE)
Related Reading: