Christmas Mom - “...Family comes first, that’s an important mantra for me...After all, how can you serve your constituents well if you can’t even take good care of your family?...Christmas is perfect for family reunions...It’s a cherished yearly tradition for us. We catch up, temporarily leave all our worries behind, and have Noche Buena at home...There’s nothing more special than when I first celebrated Christmas as a mom...Motherhood doesn’t just bring you joy; it gives you meaning and direction...” - Hon. Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto, reported by Rito P. Asilo, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 24 December 2018
Inspiration - "Catriona Gray is definitely the pride of the Filipino people. She is truly an inspiration of unity and hope for our country. We are all proud of her. Magaling!" - Hon. Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto, reported by the Tempo Desk, Tempo, 17 December 2018
Dream Girl - "...Meet Marie Preizer, ang tinuturing ng bihasang talent manager na si Leo Dominguez na kanyang pinaka-latest “prize” catch. Only 17 years old, but tall for her age, ipinanganak si Marie sa Vienna, Austria. Ang kanyang late dad ay nagtrabaho bilang lighting director for a theater company sa Austria habang ang kanyang mom naman na dating stewardess at isang Filipina na sumali na sa same theater group ng kanyang husband. Halos lahat ng pamilya ni Marie at nakatira na sa Austria. Most of them ay magtatrabaho bilang nurses sa mga hospital doon. No wonder, matatas si Marie mag-Tagalog, lalo na nga at close siya sa kanyang lola na avid fan ni Vilma Santos-Recto, ang Star for all Seasons and now running for her second term as Lipa City Congresswoman. Like her lola, kung ilang ulit daw niya pinanonood ang mga pelikula ni Ate Vi sa mga cassette tapes na inu-order pa ng kanyang Lola sa Pilipinas. No wonder, dream niya raw na ma-meet si Ate Vi in person. Malaking bonus daw, if ma-interview siya ng TV host-son ni Ate Vi na si Luis Manzano. Wow, pagnagkataon, di kaya magselos si Jessy Mendiola? Of Leo D., kabilang nga pala sa mga talents niya sina Lovi Poe, Mariel de Leon at Solenn Heussaff..." - Baby E, Pang-masa, 28 October 2018
Hindi Apurado - "...Ang dami pang mas dapat mauna. Si Dolphy muna. Si Mayor Erap siguro. Dapat maideklara ring National Artist si Ambassador Rogelio dela Rosa, si Carmen Rosales, at ang dami pang ibang nauna sa akin na mas dapat unang bigyan ng parangal. Ako naman active pa. Mahaba pa ang panahon ko..." - Hon. Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto, reported by Ed de Leon, Pang-masa, 28 October 2018
Eddie Garcia's Movie Event of the Decade - "...Ayon sa beteranong actor na si Eddie Garcia, may gagawin daw pelikula ang Superstar na si Nora Aunor at Star for all Seasons na si Vilma Santos. Kung sakali, ito raw ang magiging movie event ng dekada. Ito raw ay ididirehe ni Brillante Mendoza para sa okasyon ng ika-100 taon ng Pinoy cinema. Kasama raw siya sa cast at maging ang mga naging ex ni Ate Guy na sina Christopher de Leon at Tirso Cruz III. Tsika pa niya, may ginagawa rin daw siyang animation na iprinodyus para sa Netflix kung saan ginamit ang kanyang boses. Hirit pa niya, na-enjoy daw niya ang proseso ng voice acting..." - Archie Liao, Abante Tonite, 23 October 2018
Heart and Soul - "...There’s no peg, but I look up to her. I wish masundan ko yung yapak niya na, you know, she can jump from politics to showbiz. I don’t know how she does it but it seems to be working in her favor. Pero I respect now kung ano yung ginagawa niya, because ang hirap pala talaga. Mahirap, it’s hard to please everybody too...Si Ate Vi, she’s like the model of all, celebrities turned public servant, ‘di ba? Talagang she gave her heart and soul to it, she stopped her career, para sa public service. Si Ate Vi, nakakabilib na pumasok siya sa politika pero yung career niya hindi nagbago, isa pa rin siya sa top actress natin. I mean, at the end of the day, you know, yung na-achieve niya during her time, I don’t think anybody can ever match that, ‘di ba? Talagang she’s really made her name for herself. Successful siya as an actress and as a public servant. Siya yung epitome of a successful empowered woman. Talagang ano siya, talagang consistent, di ba? So yeah, matatawag kong idol siya in terms of ganoon. I worked with her sa Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa? And at least, na-experience kong makatrabaho siya. Magaling talaga si Ate Vi..." - Andrea del Rosario, reported by Nonie V. Nicasio, TNT Abante, 11 October 2018
No Beauty Enhancement Yet for Vi - “...I eat anything but with moderation. Pero I see to it that I exercise...I’m not afraid to grow old but you can grown old gracefully. Lahat naman tatanda, eh...Pero siguro ’yung mga may enhancements, kung gusto nila ’yun, that’s fine. Kasi it’s also nice, magandang pakiramdam din if you look beautiful, ’di ba? Okay lang ’yun. There’s nothing wrong with enhancements...” - Hon. Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto, reported by Vinia Vivar, People's Tonight, 07 October 2018
Instant Butterfly Fan - "...It was during that visit when I learned that R.S. won best Actor for his performance in Bhoy Intsik...Ang sarap ng kuwentuhan namin. At ang dami kong nalaman tungkol sa kanya...I became an R.S. instant fan...Ang husay-husay niya!...” - Hon. Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto, reported by Ricky Lo, The Philippine Star, 05 October 2018
Love Butterfly - "...Nag-donate ng stage actor-businessman na si RS Francisco ng P575,000.00 para sa Lipa Love Foundation nu’ng isang gabi at personal itong tinanggap ni Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto. Inilabas ang photo ng pagtanggap ni Ate Vi ng halaga sa kanyang Instagram account: “@rosavilmasantosrecto. “MButterfly...Fantastic and Thank You!” caption ni Ate Vi. Sa report na naglabasan, ang pera ay mula sa kinita ng stage play na M Butterly na pinagbidahan ni RS Francisco. Bukod sa Lipa Love Foundation, may isa pang grupo na binigyan ng P500,000.00. Sa pagkikita nina Cong. Vi at RS, post ng huli sa Facebook niya, “This made my day!” Samantala, balik-Kogreso na si Cong. Vilma ngayon. Last week, special guest si ni Boy Abunda sa talk show nitong The Bottomline na mapapanood sa birthday month ni Ate Vi sa Novemeber..." - Jun Nardo, Pang-masa, 02 October 2018
For Constituents - "...Sometimes, you really have to compromise para maibigay mo ang nararapat for your constituents. Kasi, pag wala ka ring compromise ‘eto ‘yung nagiging truthful ka lang kung minsan, naiiwan ka sa wala and may hinihintay din na serbisyo sa ‘yo ang mga constituents mo...Hindi naman ‘pag inutos sa ‘yo na alam mong mali, susundin mo, hindi naman ako ganu’n. Prinsipyo pa rin ang nasa akin...Halimbawa, ngayon, budget hearing. Kaila ngang maipasok mo sa line item ‘yung mga priority ng distrito mo. At pag hindi ka medyo kakampi, eh hindi ka mauuna, hindi ka magiging priority. I mean, that’s the truth, the true picture. Pero pag may konti kang affiliation, eh medyo nako-consider ang mga line item mo, ‘yung mga request na gusto mong proyekto para ibigay sa constituents mo..." - Hon. Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto, reported by Vinia Vivar, Pang-masa, 30 September 2018
Inflation and Running for Senator - "...Eh ‘yung carrots nga, magkano itinaas ng carrots? Eh, ginagawa kong juice ang carrots! Ha! Ha! Ha!..Gawin na natin urgent ’yung solusyon. Alam ko na may ginagawa kayo but make this na priority na masolusyunan (inflation)...Ang pangit naman na mag-aambisyon ka (to run as senator), ang asawa mo nandiyan na. Pabayaan na muna ako sa Kongreso at siya sa Senado. Baka hindi pa kami magkasundo sa isang bill eh, mag-away pa kami...Miss na miss ko ‘yung nagtatawanan, nagkakainan sa backstage kapag break sa taping o shooting. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be...” - Hon. Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto, reported by Jun Nardo, Bandera, 29 September 2018
Dugo at Kaluluwa - "...Ang totoo name-miss ko ang pagiging artista. Basta nanonood ako ng TV, ang totoo nai-inggit ako kasi ang naiisip ko, kaya ko ring gawin iyan. Pero ngayon nahihirapan akong iwanan ang commitment sa bayan. Oras na dumating iyong panahon na hindi na ako relevant, kung wala nang naniniwala akin, aalis ako walang samaan ng loob, and when that time comes, alam ko mababalikan ko pa rin ang showbusiness. Puwede akong director. Puwede akong producer. Pero babalik at babalik ako sa showbusiness, kasi sa akin iyan ang talagang buhay ko. Iyan talaga ang dugo ko, kagaya rin naman nitong public service na parang siya ngayong kaluluwa ko..." - Hon. Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto, reported by Ed de Leon, Pang-masa, 28 September 2018
Second Homecoming - "...Ang pagsanib natin sa Nacionalista ay hindi magpapabago ng ating mga batayang paninindigan. Hindi malulusaw o lalabnaw ang ating sagradong paniniwala...Mananatili tayong kampeon ng karapatan ng mamamayan. Tagapag-bantay ng pambansang gastusin. Tutol sa buwis at mga singilin na pahirap, labis at di kailangan...It is my second homecoming to the party of the Rectos. And I plan to stay. Not as a leader, but as an ordinary footsoldier, who will march under the banner, under which millions Batangueños had fought in war, and peace, which says: ‘Ang Bayan Higit sa Lahat..." - Senator Ralph Recto, Politiko, 23 September 2018
Demure and Firy Lady - "...They were such bosom buddies, so close like brothers, that when they started courting girls, they observed a pact — “Some kind of a code of ethics,” according to Jojit — that if they fancied the same girl, the other would give way to the first who expressed an “interest.” Jojit preferred demure girls (“De-mure, the better,” he quipped with a laugh, confessing, “I had a terrible crush on Alma Moreno, Lorna Tolentino, Marianne dela Riva and Hilda Koronel”) and Ronnie, “Ladies who looked like ladies but deep inside may fire.” (Did I see Ida, ehem, blush?) Public confession: They both courted Vilma Santos (during her post-Edgar Mortiz period), one after the other, of course. After Jojit, related Ronnie, “I asked him, ‘Pare, puede na ba ako pumasok dyan?’ I was asking for a ‘right of way,’ you know.” Imagine what happened one day when Ronnie went to fetch Vilma at home (in Dasma, a few minutes drive from where the Henareses lived). He was gentleman enough to call Vilma and ask permission to drive her to a shoot. “I am talking about this for the first time,” swore Ronnie. “It was my first time to visit Vilma. I pressed the doorbell and waited in my car outside. Guess who would arrive after several minutes...Jojit! Since he was already close to Vilma, he went inside her house. After a while, he and Vilma drove off, leaving me in my car. A few years ago, I asked Jojit how it happened para may closure,” Ronnie added laughing. “He said, ‘I don’t remember!,’ hahaha!!!” - Jojit Paredes and Ronnie Henares, reported by Ricky Lo, The Philippine Star, 26 August 2018
Jojit’s Childhood Crush - “...Ike Lozada introduced us to the show’s director Tony Santos Sr. and he asked us to be part of the show (D’Sensations). Our jaws dropped!...Vilma’s mom used to come to our house to buy RTW clothes from my mother...That was before she became a child star in ‘Trudis Liit.’ I always found her pretty...I was with my fans, Narrie, Luz, Dolor and Nita. In my Dodge Colt, I drove for three hours (to Nagcarlan, Laguna) because I wanted to see Vilma..." - Jojit Paredes, Reported by Bayani San Diego Jr., Philippine Daily Inquirer, 23 August 2018
Old friends - “…With proper permission from Entertainment Editor Ricky F. Lo, allow me to write a showbiz article because last week, no less than Mother Lily Monteverde called to invite me and my wife Jessica to Manila on her 80th birthday. I normally don’t accept party invitations where I have to fly to Manila… but who can say no to Mother Lily whom the Avila family has known for 40 years as our theaters were exclusive to Regal Films?...When I was with Philippine Airlines in Davao City a few months ago, they had Sharon Cuneta to sing for the launching of the Bombardier Q400 and I approached Sharon and she still remember me from way back when. I met her again in Mother Lily’ party with my wife. Another superstar who apparently didn’t forget me was Gov. Vilma Santos who said hi to me and I asked her if she knew me… and she said, I was from Cebu. Then I reminded her of the time we had a shooting for the film “Yakapin mo ako matapang na lalaki” with Lito Lapid. It’s so heartwarming that old friends apparently do not forget the good old days. We had a selfie together…” - Bobit S. Avila, The Philippine Star, 21 Aug 2018
History Maker - "...Six more Filipino actors “will be honored for their significant contribution to the nation’s life and culture.” These Filipino artists, who are recipients of this year’s History Makers Awards, have one thing in common: They aren’t just fixtures on the local pop culture scene, they have been riding the wave of creativity and achievement for several years now. Actress-turned-politician Rep. Vilma Santos, a prime mover during the second golden age of Philippine cinema in the 1970s, told the Inquirer: “It is indeed a privilege to be acknowledged as one of the awardees. The title itself, ‘History Maker,’ is already a huge honor! Kaya thank you very much!...” - Bayani San Diego Jr., Philippine Daily Inquirer, 07 August 2018
Who’s that lady dancing? - "...When told that she and the young stars are on the same wavelength, Coney proudly said that she’s “studying what’s the ‘in’ thing” of today’s generation. Di ba may tatlong apo ako — Lorenzo, Matteo and Alejandro — then about two years ago, my daughter-in-law told me that when Alejandro, who was watching TV, saw a lady dancing he curiously asked his mom, ‘Who’s that lady dancing on TV?’ and when my daughter-in-law asked why, Alejandro said, ‘because she dances like Lola.’ Guess, who was that lady? Vilma Santos, hahahaha. Of course, we have the same dance steps nung panahon namin. Whenever my grandsons dance, I also dance. I’ve been watching the latest dance steps on Instagram then I will try them (laughs) so when they asked me to dance, they were surprised to see me dancing Boom Boom, hahahaha. She recalled that the closest one she did was the dramedy Munting Paraiso. “So, if they (GMA bosses) give me a dramedy — may funny and drama ‘yung totoong buhay. Let’s say weekly then I can take it forever until I die (laughs). That’s my frustration. I really want to do a sitcom, promise I am funny. It only proved that she is not a drama queen. “I am kikay and I wish to do a sitcom...” - Bot Glorioso, The Philippine Star, 30 July 2018
Hindi Bomoto Kay SGMA - "...Ayon kay Committee on Housing Chairman Albee Benitez, kinausap na ni Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (SGMA) ang lahat ng committee chairmen upang ipaabot na nais na niyang simulan ang mga trabaho sa susunod na Linggo. Bagamat wala namang mangyayari na pagpapalit ng mga committee chairmen, hindi pa rin nakakasiguro dahil may anim na committee chairmen ang hindi bumoto pabor kay SGMA. Kabilang sa mga komite na hindi bumoto pabor kay CGMA ay Committee on Justice ni Cong. Rey Umali, Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability ni Cong. Johnny Pimentel, Committee on Tourism ni Cong. Lucy Torres-Gomez, Committee on Civil Service ni Cong. Vilma Santos-Recto, Committee on People’s Participation ni Cong. Kaka Bag-ao at Committee on Constitutional Amendments ni Cong. Roger Mercado. Naniniwala naman si Benitez na paiiralin ng mga kongresista ang delicadeza at kusang magbibitiw ito sa kanilang posisyon." - RMN News, 26 July 2018
Icon For All Decades - "...Marami ang nagtatanong kung bakit ala sa mga pinarangalang “movie icons” sa katatapos lang na The EDDYS awards ang kaibigan-kumareng idol naming si Cong. Vilma Santos? Sa paliwanag ng isa sa mga nakausap naming patnugot at opisyal ng SPEEd (ang grupo ng entertainment editors na nasa likod ng EDDYS), “By batch ang pagbibigay namin. May specific period o dekada na naging icon ang isang artista. Halimbawa si Susan Roces noong 60s, si Nora Aunor noong 70s, Maricel Soriano nu’ng 80s. Yung mga gaya nina Eddie Garcia at Charo Santos, they were included dahil sa recent time, nandiyan pa rin sila at talagang matatawag na silang iconic. “Vilma Santos will definitely have her time dahil baka nga siya itong sa halos lahat ng dekada ay present at pinag-uusapan pa rin. Siya ang aming kauna-unahang Best Actress awardee at tunay na icon siya sa industry. “For sure, next year, baka siya ang mabigyan ng icon ‘for all decades’ dahil sa numerous and relevant contributions niya,” sabi pa sa amin ng SPEEd officer. So there!..." - Ambet Nabus, Bandera, 12 July 2018
A Genius Master Director - "...Yes, Mike de Leon should carry on with his directorial career. There are more subjects to tackle on the big screen. Perhaps, he could revive plans to do the life and times of his grandmother, Doña Sisang (de Leon), one of the founders of LVN. Vilma Santos said that Mike offered her the role, which she couldn’t accept. At that time she was the newly elected congresswoman of Lipa City and she felt she had to devote her time on lawmaking. Is Ate Vi now ready to work again with Mike, who earlier directed her in “Sister Stella L”? Of course, it isn’t easy to work with a master director, a genius. Mike has his tantrums and moods. He’s hard to understand, but not really impossible. Look, Mike directed some of the gems of Philippine cinema. Highspeed will dwell on them tomorrow..." - Ronald Constantino, Tempo, 04 June 2018
The Voice - "...Josephine De Jesus’ talent could not be kept behind the scene any longer. The voice that you thought was Vilma Santos or Lorna Tolentino or Alma Moreno is now taking it back and putting her face to it in her first Indie film appearance in Bitter Melon...The first time she tried out to dub for Vilma Santos, director Elwood Perez skeptically told her everybody recognizes Vilma’s voice and if she didn’t get it right, Perez would just pay for her cab fare back home. De Jesus was dubbing for Vilma Santos in the 1981 movie ‘Pakawalan mo ako.’ Vilma’s character was having an affair with Christopher de Leon’s and the segment was when Vilma’s character asks Christopher’s character to let her go because one of them was married. Perez worried that it was pivotal and anything that did not belong could mar the segment. But after seeing De Jesus’ work, Perez exclaimed in awe, “Ay, p– ka! Where did you get that voice?” He then ordered the production crew to put out the remaining loops for dubbing and unctuously asked De Jesus, “Have you eaten yet?” The amazing thing is she can watch the rushes and get the pitch and intonation immediately. Vilma had a script. But De Jesus didn’t and she had to wing it, including the dramatic wails and tearful cries and Vilma’s pauses. De Jesus usually doesn’t need more than two takes and an assignment can take two days tops. She’s also a one-stop shop voice-shifter, taking assignments for an old woman’s or another character’s voice when needed for the same film..." - Harvey I. Barkin, Inquirer, 22 May 2018
Disappearing Act - "...In my 50 years in show biz, there were many times when I wanted to give up. Back in the day, I would shoot three movies at the same time, aside from my weekly TV show. When I felt burned out, I made a disappearing act. I would just take off and go to Baguio, or any place where I could get away from it all. While I stood on the edge of a mountain, I shouted and cried it all out. I would be gone for three days, which was admittedly quite unprofessional. But I had to go away because I was dead tired and overworked. But as I matured, I mellowed. I began to think of the other people I worked with and not just myself. We all need to take a break every now and then..." - Hon. Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto, Reported by Dolly Anne Carvajal, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 08 May 2018
Suporta kay Sarah - "...Bumuhos ang suporta kay Sarah Geronimo, matapos siyang bumigay habang nasa isang concert sa Las Vegas, kung saan inamin niya sa kanyang audience na pagod na siya. Dumating na ang panahon na burned out na si Sarah sa kanyang ginagawa. Labinlimang taon pa lang iyan, pero siguro ngang nasagad siya dahil sa kanyang trabaho. Pero tama rin ang sinabi ng kanyang boyfriend na si Matteo Guidicelli, “pagod lang si Sarah, kailangan niyang magpahinga sandali, pero ok na siya”. Marami na kaming nakitang ganyan in the past. Marami ring mga artista iyong halos gusto nang tumigil at iwanan ang kanilang career, kahit na nga sikat na sikat pa sila. Sa maniwala kayo’t sa hindi, nakita namin iyan kay Congresswoman Vilma Santos noong araw. Dumating din sa kanya ‘yung panahon na ang feeling niya walang nangyayari sa lahat ng kanyang pinaghihirapan. Ang kaibahan nga lang siguro ni Ate Vi, hindi siya bumigay in public, at ang naging attitude niya ay lalabanan niya ang lahat ng problema. Nangyari rin sa kanya na lahat ng kanyang kinikita ay kailangang ibayad sa utang sa tax at sa iba pa. Nagtiis siya. Mas nagtrabaho pa para makabangon, at nakabangon naman siya. Isipin ninyo tumagal siya ng mahigit limang dekada sa showbusiness. Mayroon namang natalo. Nadismaya sa buhay, nabarkada, nalulong sa masamang bisyo. Naghahanap ng atensiyon, eh wala. Kung ano man ang kinikita pa niya, ginamit niya para makakuha ng atensiyong gusto niya. Sa nakita namin iyon ang humilahod talaga. May isa ring actor na ganyan ang karanasan. Napagod sa stardom. Ayaw na niya talaga at nagpabaya siya, pero ang maganda nga lang nagabayan siya ng mga tamang kaibigan. Mahal din niya ang kanyang propesyon. Nakabangon siyang bigla at naging isa sa pinaka-respetadong actor natin. Talagang nangyayari sa lahat ng tao’yung nasasagad kung minsan. Ang suwerte lang ni Sarah dahil nariyan si Matteo na maaari niyang sandalan. Minsan kasi may mga bagay na hindi mo mabuksan maski na sa pamilya mo. Hindi nila maiintindihan. Mas maganda iyong may kasama kang uunawa ano man ang nangyayari sa iyo. Iyon ang role ni Matteo ngayon kay Sarah..." - Ed de Leon, Pang-masa, 03 May 2018
Biggest Blessing - "I thank God everyday for giving me a man who loves me for who I am and supports everything I want to do...You take all my fears away...and replaced them with hope and happiness. You are a good man, that’s why I'm so Lucky to be loved by someone like you...I love you with all my heart, nothing will ever change that. Happy birthday my one and only..." - Jessy Mediola, ABS-CBN News, 21 April 2018
Women Empowerment - "...We are one in promoting women’s rights through passage of several laws for women. I truly believe in women empowerment. It’s about time women should participate in nation-building...Personally, I think we should fight for our right, and work on it. We really have to put it in action..." - Hon. Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto, Business Mirror, 28 March 2018
Red Lips - "...Oh my! Sorry to hear the news...Burlesk Queen marked my turning into a serious actress. I was lucky to have Rolly (Quizon) as leading man. The role required an innocent-looking actor. Ang galing-galing niya sa movie na ‘yon! In person, mahiyain siya but in front of the camera he could deliver. Ang guapo niya! I will always remember his red lips. We became barkada but we haven’t seen each other for quite a while. I only saw him on TV na lang. Since then, we didn’t have any communication because he wasn’t active anymore, not so visible. So sad! Will pray for the repose of his soul and for the strength of his family..." - Hon. Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto, reported by Ricky Lo, The Philippine Star, 17 March 2018
The Best Choice - "...There are actors, especially the young ones, who are sort of “offended” when they aren’t the first choice for movie or TV role. They shouldn’t be. What really matters is they gave their best even if only second choice, or even third or fourth. Here are “classic” examples of when second choice turned out to be the best choice...Vilma Santos, believe it or not, was not meant to star in Celso Ad. Castillo’s “Burlesk Queen.” It was first offered to Lorna Tolentino, but talent fee turned out to be the obstacle. Vilma gave (and danced) the performance of her life in “Burlesk Queen,” a landmark in the brilliant career of the Star for All Seasons..." - Ronald Constantino, 16 March 2018, Tempo Online
Let’s Just Stay Fabulous - "...The tension was palpable. The entire hall felt it...That is why the first thing that came out of my mouth was ‘I can’t breathe’...I said ‘let’s just stay fabulous, to make the environment much lighter, I think the audience appreciated it because they applauded...” - Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto, Reported by DJ Yap, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 09 March 2018
Mutually Admired - "...The biggest show biz rivalry was between Vilma Santos and Nora Aunor, who sometimes had to chide their respective armies of fans to tone their ongoing battle down! Nora and Vilma were actually friends and mutually admired each other’s personas and achievements. They even acted together, in a film by Ishmael Bernal, and another by Danny Zialcita, acquitting themselves well in their memorable coportrayals..." - Nestor U. Torre, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 22 February 2018
Chip off the old blockbusters - "...the father-son tandem of Edu and Luis is one of the local entertainment industry’s most sterling and “winningest” examples of artistic genetics successfully and even triumphantly at work. For sure, the fact that Luis’ mother is none other than the Star for All Seasons, Vilma Santos, is already a stellar and even right royal plus. But, Edu’s fatherhood is an even more relevant advantage in Luis’ case, because the scion has chosen to go more into Edu’s turf, hosting and TV gamesmanship, than into Vilma’s realm, acting. Not that he hasn’t acquitted himself well in the field of characterization, especially in “In My Life,” the dramatic film he made with Vilma and John Lloyd Cruz, in which his complicatedly conflicted characterization proved that he was a chip off Vilma’s thespic block. But, it’s as Edu’s scion and heir in the field of TV hosting and comedy that Luis has turned in his most winning betting chip—and converted it into a flourishing career that currently has him cohosting a talent tilt and sundry other programs, while still finding time to do occasional comedy flicks and attend to his businesses and sidelines. Like Edu, Luis favors the cool, laid-back and deadpan approach to TV hosting and gamesmanship. They’re both a lot of fun to watch and listen to. They’re genuinely witty enough to hold our attention and delight us with their patter and banter, so they don’t have to stand on their heads and browbeat us with the heavy-handed bat of gung-ho “humor” to make us laugh! Of course, Luis is more than just Edu’s clone, so it’s exciting to see where his TV-film career will take him next. Having artistically and scholastically prepared himself to do well in his evolving fields of endeavor for the long term, Luis should also host a talk show like his father had—or, he could go into politics and public service, like his effervescent and dedicated mom. All chips are loaded and at play for this scion of two exceptionally gifted and giving “blockbuster” parents—so, how could Luis Manzano not do the right thing?..." - Nestor U. Torre, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 07 February 2018
No Wedding Bells!? - "...Even if Luis Manzano and Jessy Mendiola have been vocal in shouting to the whole wideworld that there’s “forever” between them, seconded by Luis’ mom Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos, wedding bells won’t ring for them this year — unless they prove this manghuhula wrong..." - Ricky Lo, The Philippine Star, 05 January 2018
For Everybody - "...We had a good and happy get-together on Christmas Eve...It was not the first time that Jessy had joined us for Noche Buena. Last year, she was with us, too...As usual, we had a ball! After prayers at 12 midnight, we greeted each other and exchanged gifts...We also joined our household staffers who had their own party...then, the entire clan gathered for nonstop kuwentuhan (chatting) and picture-taking, she related. “It was truly a family affair...My prayer is not only for Lucky (Luis’ nickname), but also for everybody: Safety, happiness and positivity for 2018. As for his personal life...It’s really up to him. We will just wait patiently for his plans..." - Hon. Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto, Reported by Bayani San Diego Jr., Philippine Daily Inquirer, 04 January 2018
You Can't Please Everyone - "...Judging films for awards is rather tedious. If taken seriously, one needs an entire day to figure out what’s good or bad in a movie, from its creative to the productions aspects. I once served as a member of the jury of the MMFF in the early '90s wherein Imortal won most of the awars including Best Actor (Christopher de Leon) and Best Actress (Vilma Santos) and most importantly the Best Picture trophy. We viewed the entries once in a private screening and cast our votes later. No, we didn’t know which films, actors, and production people won until the night of the awards. Fortunately, the movies and most of the performers I voted for got the awards. And yet, there were still others who dissented from the choices we (the jury) made. As the cliché goes, “you can’t please everyone,” as this year’s batch of winners has many dissenting from the judges’ choices..." - Isah V. Red, The Standard, 02 January 2018
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