News Clippings Collection Is Back!

Ate Vi Trivia - "...Vilma Santos (born Maria Rosa Vilma Tuazon Santos, November 3, 1953), tinaguriang "Star for All Seasons," siya ang kauna-unahang babaeng gobernador ng Batangas. Siya rin ang kauna-unahang babaeng mayor ng Lipa City. The only actress na nanalo ng three consecutive years as best actres sa Urian Awards (the country's film critics awards body) para sa kanyang mga pelikulang Relasyon (1982), Broken Marriage (1983), at Sister Stella L (1984). Hindi siya nanalo ng kahit isang best actres award sa mga pelikulang dinirek ng the late, great Lino Brocka. Unang aktress sa Philippine movies na naka-grand slam nung 1983 as best actress for her performance in Relasyon (1982) from the Catholic Mass Media, Urian, Film Academy and FAMAS awards-giving bodies. Si Ate Vi ang pinakamaraming Gawad Urian awards sa industriya ng showbiz, tallying 8 wins, 5 additional nominations (all for Best Actress) and 2 special awards for being the best actress of the '80s and the '90s!..." - Hi Magazine, December 2007

Tie sa FAMAS - "...Dalawa ang Best Actress sa gabing iyon. Nangangahulugang kapwa mabigat ang labanan at walang itulak kabigin kina Boots Anson Roa at Vilma Santos kaya minabuti ng inampalang na bigyan kapwa ng Best Actress na sina Boots at Vilma..." - Aruy Tapusan Komiks Magasin, 19 Hunyo 1973

Only Vilma Santos! - "...After Rubia and after a period of five years ngayon lang muling nagkasama sa pelikula sina Vilma at Lino Brocka. Although there was a time before that the director wanted the actress for one of his films (Kontrobersiyal), hindi nagkaroon ng katuparan iyon dahil sa very hectic na schedule ni Vilma noon at hindi na nakapaghintay si Lino. The role eventually went to Gina Alajar and the film became one of Lino's most underrated movies. Sa Aida Macaraeg, muli na namang tatalakayin ang tungkol sa infidelities ng marriage na naging tatak na ng mga pelikula ni Vilma. Sa pagkakataong ito, hindi na siya ang "kabit" kundi siya na ang magkakaroon ng extra-marital relations o sa madaling sabi, siya na ang magkakaroon ng "kabit." Nangyari na rin ito sa ilang pelikula ni Vilma kung saan ginampanan niya ang papel ng isang babaing may asawa at nagkakaroon siya ng lover tulad sa Hiwalay, Karma, at Minsan Pa Nating Hagkan Ang Nakaraan. Pero sa kakaiba ang mangyayari sa kanya sa Aida Macaraeg dahil dito ay madedemanda siya. How the actess will handle the role which in real life is the exact opposite of herself is something to watch especially now that husband Edu Manzano is back after almost a year of estrangement. For superstar and a highly successful actress who tries hard to hold on to her married life like their is no other, playing an adulterous wife is almost a life like departure for her. As she has always said time and again: "I'm trying my best to make marriage work. Kahit ano pa mang pambabatikos ang gawin nila hindi ko hahayaang masira ang aking married life nang ganoon na lang. Ang pinakamahalaga sa aking ngayon ay ang aking asawa't anak. Sila ang dahilan kung bakit kinakaya ko ang lahat. Sabi nila, hindi raw puwedeng pagsabayin ang movei career at marriage. But I will try my best that what happened to most of my colleagues will not happen to me. Hindi ko mapapayagang mangyari iyan sa akin. I am willing to compromise for the sake of my marriage. I have always believed in my husband at kung kinakailangang isakripisyo ko ang aking movie career ay gagawin ko huwag lang masira ang aming magandang pagsasama. Hindi ko basta-basta isusuko na lang ang lahat. Mahal na mahal ko sila." With that kind of belief and devotion, siguro wala nang makapipigil pa sa aktres na itaguyod ang kanyang sariling pamilya. Wala na. Not even her movie career. That a woman! This Trudis Liit now transformed into the "biggest" women in local film history namely Aida Macaraeg, Sister Stella L and Baby Tsina. With that kind of revolutionary women's role in recent history, who needs a husband? Only Vilma Santos!" - Julio Cinco N., Movie Flash Magazine, 05 January 1984 Posted at Pelikula Atbp (READ MORE)

Would it be Good Karma? - One of the most misunderstood occult concepts. The nearest equivalent in European thought is contained in the idea of fate, though the oriental term indicates that fate is not a haphazard sequence of events of experiences, but is dependent on actions of previous lives or spiritual conditions. The idea is that a spirit undertakes to live in an earthy body for a given period of time, usually in order to learn something which cannot be learned in a disembodied state, and has to accept rewards and punishments for good and bad deeds committed in previous incarnations. In order that understanding may grow, any evil committed against another person will have to experienced by the perpetrator. The working out of Karma is not done consiously by ordinary people. The real reasons for the majority of peopleès actions and relationships may be understood only when the nature of their Karma is grasped -which is virtually impossible to understand or judge another person when seen in the context of one material lifetime only. Vilma Santos fits the role to a T. For the past years that she has suffered a string of misfortunes and setbacks in real and reel life, she has honed herself as promise, a common objective: to give the viewing pubic what it wants - entertainment with a capital E. For Danny Zialcita, aside from having a good screenplay, good direction and brilliant actors and actresses, the movie should have artistic values. Karma promises to be a very good vehicle not only for Zialcita but also for Vilma Santos and the rest of the cast. Will this movie be a good Karma for director Danny Zialcita, Vilma Santos and the rest of the cast? It'll be a different kind of feeling you'll get after viewing it. - Bong de Leon, Jingle Extra Hot Magazine, 02 November 1981, Reposted at: Pelikula Atbp (READ MORE)

My First Ever Short Story - "...In 1963, I was a civil engineering student at the Mapua Institute of Technology, supporting myself through college with employment at the travel agency cited above, as a manager/janitor. I say manager because I was, indeed, designated manager by the agency owner, another Mr. Tan, but I continued to be the stay-in messenger/janitor of that whole ground floor unit of a building in Binondo. A venerable Chinese (a Towa or Siuwa, can’t recall now) of senior age, the partner of Mr. Tan in the import/trading business, would engage me in storytelling during lunchbreaks. Probably he had been observing how at night I would pound the typewriter to churn out short story manuscripts, which I never tired of writing despite the consistent rejections I got from Weekly Graphic literary editor Vicente Rivera, Jr. (In 1965, anyway, Vic stamped okay my first ever short story to be published, “Forests of the Heart,” adapted in 1975 into the screenplay titled, by the film director Celso Ad Castillo, “Tag-Ulan Sa Tag-Araw,” a smash hit that starred Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon.) During one such lunchbreak, the old man told me this tale of a handsome macho Chinese scrap dealer who was enamored of a lovely Spanish widow. The two lived as lovers and begot seven sons who the father named according to Chinese numerology, thus: It-sun, for the first son; Di-sun, for the second son; Sam-sun, for the third; Si-sun, for the fourth; Go-sun, for the fifth; Lac-sun, for the sixth; and Sit-sun, for the seventh. In Fookien Chinese, there is a word “tua,” meaning “big”. Used in this context of the seven sons, “tua” could refer to the big one, who else but the seventh who could be dubbed Tua-sun. Over time, the “u” in the “sun” had been changed to “o,” making the names read thus: Itson, Dison, Samson, Sison, Goson, Lacson, and Sitson. And what are these names but of those among the elites of Philippine society..." - Mauro Gia Samonte, The Manila Times, 21 October 2017 (READ MORE)

Sparring Partner - Marahil ay napapansin ninyong lagi nang kasama sa Superstar Show ni Nora Aunor kung lingo ang dalawang ito, sina Arnold at Eddie (ang huli ay kapatid na bunso ni Nora at mahal na mahal niya). Mainstay na sial sa TV show na ito, at nakakatuwa naman sila. Kailan lamang nagkakilala sina Eddie at Arnold ngunit kung makikita ninyo sila, aakalain niniyong matagal na silang magkaibigan. Kapag walang klase, lagi silang magkasama. Kung hindi si Arnold anag nasa bahay nina Eddie, si Eddie ang nasa bahay ni Arnold. Tuwang-tuwa naman ang magulang ni Arnold, at higit si Nora, pagkat nakikita niyang maligaya ang kanyang kapatid sa pakikipaglaro sa bagong kaibigan. At alam naman ninyo, ang mahal na kapatid niyang ito ay mahal din niya. Kami man ay natutuwa sa pagsasamahan ng dalawang batang ito kung kaya't isang araw na narooon kami sa Greenhills residence ni Nora ay naakit kaming kunan ng pictorial ang magkaibigan ito na sa tingin namin ay tunay na sparring partner. - Ric S. Aquino, Superstar Magazine, 25 December 1972

A Personal Survey - The Top 10 RP Movie Queens - "...Here is the attempt of one cineaste who has seen too many Tagalog films. See if you will agree with the list...1. Vilma Santos (1953-) Longevity is her weapon. To her credit is a mighty record of box-office successes and a stellar collection of film and public service awards. The 80s made her not only the number one film actress of the land. She became the highest-paid actress and constantly in-demand as a product endorser. Hosting-wise, she was phenomenon on TV's Vilma! Vilma Santos-Recto is a picture of the ultimate movie queen. She is the prime example of an artist who has gone through several re-inventions. Ate Vi's most important traits are her versatility, he willingness to learn, and her courage to always try something new. Her sincere appreciation of followers and fans also contributed to her status as the Star for All Seasons. Score Card: Longevity: 1960s-2000s, 5 decades; Artistic Achievements: Excellent; Box-office Records: Excellent..." - Rendt Viray, INsider The Entertainment Weekly, 12 December 2007

Regular Filipino "Darna" Mom - "...Just a normal teenage boy, except that he is not - at least not to us, the public. He is, after all, the son of the Star for All Seasons. He grew up in a world where his mom was already the Ate Vi. To this day, when he comes home from school, there are times when he would look for his mom and jokingly shout: "Ate Vi!" "I didn't see her before she wasn't well-known to everyone," he says. "I didn't need to get used to it, you know what I mean? Kasi, for me, that was normal." It was normal that one day he stumbled upon videos of the Darna series that starred his mother. "The feeling you get, you know," he says animatedly. "You see Wonder Woman, but I can say my mom did it better! Hahaha! Kasi ako, I'm a big komiks fan and the fact that she played a superhero, that's...ang galing!" Ryan lists the Darna series, particularly Darna and the Giants, as his favorite in his mother's filmography. Not many can say that their moms had "playing Darna"in their resume, but Ryan says that, for the most part, his mother is a "regular Filipino mom." Whenever Ryan had friends over, Ate Vi would welcome them and insist on feeding everyone. "Kahit busog ka, bibigyan ka pa rin." At home, Ryan says his mom would typically be in a shirt, "short shorts,"and one of those workout headbands. Not in a duster? "She's too young for that!" Ryan replies, chuckling. "I'm kidding. Not just her thing." He says Ate Vi, on her days off from work, can usually be found sitting on the couch in the TV are. "She does everything in that couch!" he says. She works out, eats, watches TV, and even falls asleeep there. "She sleeps with the TV on," Ryan reveals. "If you turn off the TV, she'll wake up." Overall, he says, his mom is "a mix of strict and cool." He even prefers talking to her when it comes to the subject of girls. Both of his parents "give good advice," he says. "Pero I like mom's advice better. Hahaha! If you want to know something about a woman, why would you ask a man? Might as well ask a woman! So girls -Mom. Dad -all of the serious stuff..." - Candice Lim-Venturanza, Yes! Magazine October 2015 (READ MORE)

Fair kung magpresyo ng ‘TF’ si Ate Vi - "...Pinabulaanan ng Star for All Seasons and Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto ang sinasabing nagtaas na rin ito ng T.F. sa ginagawang pelikula with Kim Chiu. Kaalinsabay ito ng tsismis na ang kaniyang karibal na si Orang ay sky-high din daw ang TF sa “El Presidente.” “Basta kung ano yung (binigay) na t.f ko, worth ‘yun sa serbisyo ko. Kung ano lang yong hinihingi ko, hindi ako sumusobra. Pero, kailangan din, ‘pag hiningi ko, worth it naman, ” ani Ate Vi sa kaniyang serbisyo bilang aktres. May pahabol pa ngang biro si Ate Vi, regarding isyung-TF,” Wag namang patalo at hindi naman ako aabuso,” aniya na if she works, “I will definitely deliver. I don’t promise, but I’ll deliver,” sey ni Ate Vi no’ng huli naming makatsikahan sa Mansion” sa Batangas. Sa Laki sa Gatas event last Friday na ginanap sa Bago Bantay Elementary School, where Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto’s the guest speaker, naitsika nito sa isang preskon after the Bago Bantay event sa Bella Ibarra sa Quezon Avenue ang tungkol sa pagtakbo ng anak bilang mayor ng Lipa City, Batangas this coming national elections, 2013. “(Ang Alam ko), Parang may interes si Luis,” pahayag ni ate Vi sa amin. Kaya lang, may kondisyon siyempre ang Star for All Seasons sa napipintong pagpasok ni Luis sa pulitika. “Gusto ko, kung ano yong ginawa ko, gagawin din niya.” diretsong pahayag pa ni Ate Vi. “Meaning, mag-aaral siya (Luis) at magti-take ng crash course ng Public Administration gaya ng ginawa ko.” aniya. Ate Vi assures naman Luis na bukod sa suporta rito ng kanyang tito Ralph Recto, ng tatay niyang si Edu Manzano, kailangang may alam ang anak. “Iba pa rin yong may napag-aralan pagdating sa Public Administration, kasi yon ang nangyari sa akin (na nag-aral din ng ganitong kurso). “I will not encourage him, but i will not discourage him either, kung gusto niyang pumasok sa politics. Kung doon siya pupunta, I will support him all the way,” ate Vi assures..." - Thor, Remate, September 2011 (READ MORE)

Guy & Pip and Vi & Bobby: Magkakasama Sa Isang Pelikula Pero Hindi Sa Eksena - "Sa wakas ay tuloy na rin daw ang kontobersiyal (kung angkop ngang tawaging kontrobersiyal) na pagsasama-sama sa isang pelikula ng dalawang pinakamatutunog na tambalang pampelikula. Ang dalawang tambalang binubuo ng sa ngayo'y itinuturing na most sensational loveteams in real ang real life. Ang tinutukoy namin ay ang "Pinagbuklod ng Pag-ibig" ng Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Pictures na gagampanan nina Nora Aunor, Tirso Cruz III, Vilma Santos at Romeo Vasquez in the stellar roles. Very fitting title for these four indeed, lalo pa kung iisipin ang mga balitang romantic relationships nila sa real life. Pero the big catch sa pelikulang ito ay ang pangyayaring ni hindi magkakasama ang apat na ito sa kahit isang eksena pagkat sina Guy at Pip ay para sa isang episode at sina Vi at Bobby naman ay sa isa pa. Bale magkabukod na pelikula kung tutuusin na pagsasamahin sa ilalim ng isang main title. Lately ay nagiging gimmick ang ganito ng ilang mga producer. You will see big names in the marque or before that, sa mga publicity and without thinking hard, iisipin agad ninyong this could be a good movie with a loaded star cast and you might just be intrigued by the prospect of seeing some controversial stars perform together. Alas, when you see the movie, iba-ibang episodyo pala ang pelikula at hindi magkakatagpo and sana'y inaasahan ninyong mga artista sa kahit isang eksena..." - Eddie Roque, Kislap Magazine, 01 December 1977 (Please note: Actually, there were two scenes where both Vi and Guy were together, one was when the four leads attended a party, Vi and Bobby did a superb dance number and the second was when Guy and Vi talk over the phone and consulted each other about their situations. - RV)

Baka Maging "Brown" Na Ang Tagak - "...Speaking of Guy & Alona (Alegre), me project pala ang huli para sa kanyang AA Productions. Isang pelikulang Guy & Pip at Alona-Bobby Vasquez. Controversial movie, di ba? Dahil controversial ang loveteams involved. Tingnan natin kung talunin nito ang kinita ng Guy & Pip, Vi-Bobby blockbuster ng TIIP. Teka, anon na nga pala ang nangyayari sa "Isang Gabi Sa Iyo, Isang Gabi Sa Akin" ng AA Productions? Bakit daw madalas na napa-pack ang shooting nito? Ayon sa aming informat, malasa daw na out of town ang Oropesa ngayon kaya hindi nakakapagshooting. How true is this, Beth? What? Inindiyan ni Bobby Vasquez si Vilma Santos sa set ng pelikulang "Pag-ibig Ko'y Sa Iyo" ng HPS Films? Ano balita namin hindi naman totally inindiyan kundi na-late lamang ng dating si Bobby na kung ilang oras. Imagine naman, ma-stood up ka sa set nang for several hours, bakit nga hindi ka malinis? Nainis nga ang Vi kaya binirahan ng alis. Sayang, iyon pa naman sana ang kanilang first eksena sa pelikula, hindi pa natuloy. At iyon din sana ang kanilang first pagkikita after several months na they called it quits. Kung magkita sila, ano kaya ang magiging reaction ng dalawa? Magbalik kay ang old flame? Hmmm... Nangiti lamang ang Vilma Santos nang sabihin namin ang kumakalat na balita na sila na raw ni Bembol Roco ngayon. "Ikaw naman, para kang bago nang bago sa showbiz. Eh sino bang leadin man ko and hindi lini-link sa akin? At huwag kang magtataka, lalaki yan, I know. Papaypayan nang papaypayan 'yan hangang maging issue." nakangiting say ng Vilma. Sa wakas, nabunutan na raw siya ng tinik. Natapos na rin ang Majayjay scenes ng kanilang "Pag-puti ng Uwak, Pag-Itim ng Tagak." Nakunan na raw ni Castillo ang mga highlight scenes ng pelikula including the dramatic finale kung saan parehong mamamatay sina Vi at Bembol. Pero may naiwan pa ring mga eksena na dito na sa Maynila kukunan...iyon mga hospital scenes at campus scenes sa U.P. "Baka naman abutin na naman iyong nang kung ilna buwan?" say namin. "Ano? Baka magkulay-brown na ang tagak?" tumatawang sagot ni Baby Vi..." - Rino Fernan, Weekly Kampeon Komiks, 30 April 1978

Unheralded Heroes - "...I watched Ekstra (aka The Bit Player) during its star-studded gala premiere. Sure enough, there was boisterous laughter all over the fully-packed Main Theater at CCP. But, how come I barely find anything funny with the film? After much rumination, I recalled producer Joji Alonso’s request to people who dislike the film to be fair. She usually is upbeat and confident with her Cinemalaya films, most of which are award winners and audience favorites. So when Alonso made the unusual plea, I thought it was a red flag. On the last day of Cinemalaya 2013, I reluctantly gave the box-office champ Ekstra a second chance. I’m glad I did because it was a much better film experience for me. I’d zoned out on the clunky jokes and focused on the story. Boy, the film’s satiric barbs really, really stings. I laud the film's courageous, no-holds-barred depiction of ruthlessness in the telenovela industry. Ekstra does a decent job of showing the hardships faced by an extra like Loida Malabanan (Vilma Santos). The life of a bit player is not a bed of roses. Movie and television extras are subjected to various types of abuse. They belong to the lowest stratum in the hostile showbiz jungle. Loida and her colleagues were shooed away by various groups while in search of a place to rest and put their things. The film's scriptwriters, Jeturian, Zig Dulay, and Antoinette Jadaone, won an award for their poignant take on those unheralded heroes of the film and TV industry. Jadaone, however, has written and directed a better, funnier film on a lowly bit player. Feeling sorry for Loida at the end of Ekstra?...Bit players yearn for a place on the screen, big or small. Loida dreams of breaking out from being a mere part of a crowd..." - Nel Costales, 1505 Film Avenue, 17 August 2013 (READ MORE)