Friendships - "...Ang pagkakaibigan nina Vi, Coney Reyes, Helen Vela at Tina Revilla ay hindi mapapantayan. Minsan.....nagiging panauhin ni Vi sa kanyang Vilma Show ang tatlo.....at minsan ay lumabas din sina Vi, Coney at Tina sa drama anthology ni Helen na Lovingly Yours, Helen kung saan ang naging talent fee nila ay ang bonding nila sa Singapore.....walang alalay, silang apat lang. Nang pumanaw si Helen ay ganun na lang ang pagdadalamhati ng tatlo. Sa katunayan, isang bouquet na nakasulat ang pangalan nilang tatlo ang nakalagay sa ibabaw ng ataul ni Helen. Ang magkakaibigan ay sabay-sabay na naparangalan ng Star Awards for TV noong 1991....ang Vilma Show ni Vi ang naging best musical variety show.....si Coney ang naging best drama actress para sa Coney Reyes on Camera.....si Helen Vela, bilang best female newscaster para sa GMA Balita.....si Tina Revilla, bilang best female tv host para sa Lunch Date. Naging mga secondary sponsors sina Coney, Tina at Princess (na pumalit sa namayapang inang si Helen) sa kasal nina Vi at Ralph noong 1992...." - Alfonso Valencia (READ MORE)
Public Service - "...When I joined DZBB in 1975, I remember it was Gerry Geronimo who told me that with the format (in Tagalog) I was doing on double B, I "revolutionized" broadcasting. Sabi ko, what do you mean? He said that sa ginagawa kong pagbibigay ng information and public service while entertaining the public, mas nakukuha ko raw ang tao because I was doing it in a less serious manner, with less formal tone. Kasi ang approach ko parang nakikipagkuwentuhan lang ako. At the star, I had this format on DZBB at nagbibigay na rin ako ng information, public service pero sa mas seryosong tono. But I've found the secret: You give the public first what they want, and then when you have won them over to your side, give them now what they need, in every aspect that you can....Goodbye? (laughs) Hindi, biro lang...Some make kantiyaw na "Hoo, tanda mo na sa broadcasting." I'm not ashamed of it. I'm very proud of the fact that I've been her for 25 years and I'm very grateful for that. And I hope to stay here for another 25 years. It seems highly improbable, pero I'd like to say as long as they want me, and as long as they need me..." - Marie T. Dimapilis, Manila Standard, Apr 17 1988 (READ MORE)
Lovingly Yours - "...Lovingly Yours, Helen is a Sunday afternoon program aired on GMA-7 from 1980 to 1996. "Lovingly Yours, Helen" evolved into a television drama anthology from a daily counseling program on radio with the same title, originally aired on GMA's AM station DZBB. It was presented by the late television/radio personality Helen Vela. Each episode is based on the life of a letter sender. The show's radio version continued to air on weekdays even as the TV version was being produced...After 16 years, "Lovingly Yours" bowed out of Philippine television with a special thanksgiving dinner show and tribute to the late Ms. Helen Vela. During the dinner, an awarding ceremony was given to the producers and staff who already worked for the program. A special presentation features a video clip of Helen's performance (with Coney Reyes, Tina Revilla, and Vilma Santos), who sang "A Friend" by Keno on Vilma! in 1989...." - Wikipedia (READ MORE)
Helen Vela (1946-1992) was a radio-TV personality in the Philippines. She was born on October 31, 1946 in Manila, Philippines. She was married to broadcaster Orly Punzalan (1935-2005), with 3 children: Pastor Paolo, Reuben and Princess Punzalan. She died of lymphoma on February 14, 1992 (Valentine's Day) at St. Mary's Hospital, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, United States at the age of 45. She is buried at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City, with her mother Virginia Vela (who died in 1995) and her husband Orly Punzalan (in 2005). In 2004 the Golden Screen Awards for Television instituted a "Helen Vela Lifetime Achievement Award" for outstanding contribution to the Philippine television industry. - Wikipedia (READ MORE)