Happy To Get Vi - "...maganda ang feedback sa ‘Happy ToGetHer’ sitcom ni Lloydie sa GMA-7. Ayon kay Direk Edgar ‘Bobot’ Mortiz, naka-four episodes na sila at sa January na uli ang resume ng taping nila. Samantala, tinanong din namin ang direktor ng ‘Happy ToGetHer’, kung kinukulit na ba niya ang dati niyang ka-love team na si Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto para mag-guest sa kanilang show? “Hindi pa. Holiday kasi. After na ng Kapaskuhan,” sey ni Direk Bobot, pero maraming mga fan si Ate Vi ang excited na mag-guest ang actress-politician sa ‘Happy ToGetHer’. Dahil sinabi nga ni Direk Bobot na kakausapin niya ang Star for All Seasons, marami nga ang nag-e-expect. Eh, sa tindi ng pinagsamahan nina Direk Bobot at Ate Vi, umaasa ang mga fan na hindi tatanggihan ng huli kung sakaling pakikiusapan siya ng una, huh!..." - Jun Lalin, Abante News, 28 December 2021
PEP YEARENDER 2021: 13 simple, solemn celebrity weddings - "...Intimate weddings are now the new normal. These celebrities and their partners proved that even a pandemic could not stop them from celebrating their love and commitment to one another. PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) lists simple and solemn celebrity weddings that happened this 2021...JESSY MENDIOLA AND LUIS MANZANO - Actress Jessy Mendiola and actor-host Luis Manzano got married on February 21, 2021 at The Farm at San Benito in Lipa, Batangas. Luis' parents, Edu Manzano and Lipa City Congresswoman Vilma Santos, and his stepfather Senator Ralph Recto were in attendance. Only 20 guests were invited to witness the civil wedding ceremony. The bride looked sophisticated in a white gown and her hair tied back in a low neat bun, while the groom was dressed in a pink suit. While many know Luis as a man of humor, he was teary-eyed and overwhelmed with joy when he saw Jessy walking down the aisle. The couple started their relationship in 2016 and got engaged in December 2020..." - Elle Faraon, PEP, 25 December 2021
Casting Coup - "...On our first year, we produced four Sharon films (“P.S., I Love You,” “My Only Love,” “Forgive and Forget” and “Cross My Heart”), and every single one of them was a blockbuster. We started producing our hit Vilma Santos starrers (“Sinasamba Kita,” etc.) in between. We were very lucky because during our first three years, halos walang mintis sa box office...If we find the right script, why not? Pero kailangang naiibang kwento talaga s’ya. Nora did the classic “Flor Contemplacion” film with Viva, while Vilma has had so many big hits with us. I know that Sharon has always wanted to do a movie with Vi. If that happens, that will definitely be a casting coup, ’di ba?..." - Vic del Rosario Jr., Viva Entertainment, Reported by Rito P. Asilo, Philippine Daily Inquirer
Gritty and Real Darna - "...I want ‘Darna’ to be less soapy, more real — but retain the character to be bigger than life, and obviously different from everybody else...Si Vilma Santos ang Darna ko. Lumaki ako na iyon ang Darna na nakikita ko. Ako, ilang beses ko pinanood ang Darna before, kasi nga enjoy na enjoy ako...(I wanted to) bring the same experience to the kids today, that they would be excited and would love watching Darna..." - Director Chito Roño, Reported by Miguel Dumaual, ABS-CBN News, 05 October 2021
Can't Zoom to an Electiion - "...After careful consideration of the present situation, especially the limitations in conducting a campaign during a pandemic, I have decided not to seek any elective post in the May 2022 elections...I have been serving the public for more than 23 years and will continue to serve, in the best way I can, even in my private capacity. Tuloy pa rin ang trabaho at serbisyo!...Just taking a back seat. I don’t want to be unfair to the voters, to my supporters...A senatorial run requires a nationwide campaign. It is important to go around key cities and conduct face-to-face consultations to lay down one’s platform, to listen to the voices on the ground. Masa pa rin ang importante. But I don’t think kaya ko to do this in the middle of a pandemic. Di p’wede pa Zoom-Zoom lang or via social media. Sa lahat ng nagtiwala at patuloy na sumusuporta sa akin, maraming, maraming salamat po. Pagpalain nawa tayo ng Poong Maykapal!" - Honourable Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto, Representative of 6th District, Lipa City Batangas Philippines, Reported by Tina Ganzon-Ozaeta, Rappler, 7 Oct 2021
Still Hoping - "...What are the nearest future plans of the “pambansang director”? He replied in conclusion: “I still hope to do a movie with Vilma Santos. I already had a project for her before but the actress-turned-politician couldn’t accommodate it owing to her busy schedule so another actress took her place. I hope I get to work with Joshua Garcia. This young man, I believe is a very good actor. And if there is no legal impediment, I have a beautiful horror script that I’d like Nadine Lustre to star in. Nagagalingan ako sa kanya and I like na ang beauty niya, Pilipinang-Pilipina...” - Brillante Mendoza, Reported by Alwin Ignacio, Manila Standard, 15 August 2021
Vilma Santos’ classics @ 2021 Cinemalaya - "...Four unreleased films are featured under the Premieres section, including Highest Peak by Arnel Barbarona; He Who Is Without Sin by Jason Paul Laxamana; Love and Pain In Between Refrains by Joselito Altarejos; and Tao Po by Mae Paner, a.k.a. Juana Change. Meanwhile, two of actress-turned-politician Vilma Santos’ classics are featured in Cinemalaya’s Digital Classics section. They are Langis at Tubig and Karma, directed by the late Danny Zialcita. In partnership with the ABS-CBN Film Archives, the special section was added in 2015 to “showcase films that have been restored and present them to the new generation of cinéastes. Established in 2005, Cinemalaya is “an all-digital film festival and competition that aims to discover, encourage and honor cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers.” - Charmie Joy Pagulong, The Philippine Star, 10 August 2021
Not so fierce ‘critics’ - "...The other not-so-fierce “critics” of the administrations who were nominated by 1Sambayan as potential candidates are Poe, Santos-Recto, and Villanueva...Another candidate on the coalition’s list is (Vilma) Santos-Recto, who has recognized the extrajudicial killings in the country. She denounced the decision of the House to cut the budget of the Commission on Human Rights in 2017. The actress turned politician also stood against the rejection of the franchise of ABS-CBN in 2020. In 2017, she voted against the death penalty, which is one of the policies being pursued by the administration. Despite her previous dissenting votes in controversial proposed laws, she faced criticisms after she voted for the anti-terror law “with reservations.” The anti-terror law is one the most challenged laws in the Supreme Court’s recent history. In 2019, Santos-Recto ran under Nacionalista Party. This paved the way for Santos-Recto’s deputy speakership as her political party had come together with other political parties to join Duterte’s PDP-Laban and become the dominant political force in the Congress. Like (Grace) Poe, Santos-Recto expressed her disinterest to run for the presidency..." - James Partick Cruz, Interaksyon, 19 June 2021
Director Vi? - "...Isa pa, may ibang plano pa rin naman ako sa buhay ko. Hindi ako pulitiko habang panahon. Hindi ko pa rin nakakalimutan na artista ako...Nagpapasalamat naman ako sa kanila dahil naroroon ang kanilang pagtitiwala sa akin, pero sinabi ko naman sa kanila na wala akong plano para sa 2022. Sa bahay, ni hindi pa namin napag-uusapan ang pulitika. Ang haba pa ng panahon, halos isang taon pa. At dito sa Lipa, ubos na ang oras ko dahil tumutulong kami sa pagbabakuna, tulong kami sa ibang kailangan, mabuti nga hindi pa nang-istorbo ulit ang Taal dahil iyon talaga ang kinatatakutan ko. Kung may pandemya nang ganito tapos magiging problema pa namin ang Taal, hindi ko na alam kung papaano nga ba ang gagawin namin. Sinasabi nila problema iyan ng mayor, pero hindi kami maaaring magpabaya hindi lang dahil kaibigan namin si Mayor Eric Africa, kundi mga kababayan naming mga Batangueño ang nangangailangan, papaano ko sasabihing problema na ni Mayor iyan...Sa ngayon talaga wala akong ambisyon sa mas mataas na posisyon. Parang ang gusto ko na lang ngayon kumpletuhin ang term ko sa Congress para matapos ko ang lahat ng mga proyekto ko, and after three more years magre-retire na ako at mag-aartista naman. Balak ko ring magdirek ng pelikula at mag-produce...” - Honourable Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto, Representative of 6th District, Lipa City Batangas Philippines, Reported by Ed de Leon, Pilipino Star Ngayon, 14 June 2021
The Crown - "We look through the winners of the five biggest film awards: FAMAS, Urian, Luna, Star Awards, Young Critics Circle in the country, and of the Metro Manila Film Festival–to come up with this list of local actresses with most wins for ‘Best Actress’ from 2000 to 2020. The most talented actor wins the prize. That may not be true in every occasion, and for every actress, but taking home the top acting honors more than once, is surely a legendary feat. We look through the winners of the five biggest film awards: FAMAS, Urian, Luna, Star Awards, Young Critics Circle in the country, and of the Metro Manila Film Festival–to come up with this list of local actresses with most wins for ‘Best Actress’ from 2000 to 2020...(1). Vilma Santos, won nine times...The crown belongs to the Star for all Seasons for having the most wins for Best Actress in the last two decades. In 2001, Santos won Best Actress from Philippine Movie Press Club during Star Awards for Movies 17th awarding ceremony. She won for her performance in the film, Anak. She earned four more best actress trophies from Star Awards, for her performances in Dekada ’70 (2003), Mano Po 3: My Love (2005), In My Life (2010), and Everything About Her (2017). For her performance in Anak, she earned a Best Actress trophy, each from Gawad Urian, Luna Awards, and the Youth Critics Circle. For her role in Mano Po 3: My Love, the Metro Manila Film Festival, gave her another Best Actress trophy in 2004...Take note that the list tallied wins from these award-giving bodies: Youth Critic Circle, Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards ‘ FAMAS Awards, Film Academy of the Philippines (Luna Awards), Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino’s Gawad Urian Awards, Philippine Movie Press Club’s Star Awards for Movies, and the Metro Manila Film Festival." - JE CC, Lionheartv, May 2021
He Can Keep A Secret - "...There was a time na nag-away pa kami ni Ricky...Kasi si Cory Vidanes, napagkamalan niyang si Ma’am Cory (Aquino), ‘yung president natin. Ina-arte ko kasi si Cory, ‘Who am I daw para siraan ko ang presidente? So in my next live show, hinila ko talaga si Cory Vidanes. I told Ricky on air, ‘Ricky, this is Cory Vidanes, ito ang ginagaya ako.’ But did you know what he did? He apologized also in his article. Since then, we became friends...We became very, very close hanggang halos kapamilya ko na siya. Kasi alam niya lahat ng sikreto ko. Alam niya ‘yung susulatin niya at alam niya ‘yung sa aming dalawa lang. Ang huling sikreto namin, ‘yung kasal ni Lucky. He was one friend who could keep a secret...Siya rin ang nag-advice sa akin kapag galit ako sa mga tumira sa akin sa article. I would tell him, ‘Ricky, magpapa-presscon ako. Lalaban ako. Sasagot ako.’ Siya nagsasabi sa akin, ‘Huwag na. Stay put ka lang. Just keep quiet. Kilala ka naman ng mga tao.’ Basta the last time magka-text kami noong birthday niya, kasi ka-birthday niya si Lucky, April 21. I greeted him, ‘Happy birthday.’ It was just so sudden na bigla siyang nawala. I will never forget that Ricky is family. I love him and I will really miss him. Definitely. Lahat ng happenings ko sa career ko, sa artista, sa pulitika, he always featured it. Our condolences sa Lo family..." - Honourable Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto, Representative of 6th District, Lipa City Batangas Philippines, Reported by Leah C. Salterio, The Philippine Star, 18 May 2021
Nagalit si Tita Midz - "...In-offer sa akin iyon ni Tita Midz. Si Olivia De Havilland iyan, e. Ipinadala niya sa akin iyong tape, if I’m not mistaken ha, na gusto niyang i-adapt namin sa local na production ni Tita Midz ang magpo-produce, si Carlitos pa magdidirek. Unfortunately, what happened was ginagawa ko kay Regal Films iyong Sinungaling Mong Puso...Ang nangyari noon, sinabi ko kay Tita Midz, alam niyo naman, very organized sila Tita Midz, di ba? Kapag sinabing 15 days, you’re done, 15 days you’re done. "Oh, can we start after New Year?" naalala ko sabi ni Tita Midz noon. What happened was hindi natapos iyong shooting ng Sinungaling Mong Puso, nasira iyong schedule ko.”“'Vi, huwag mo naman akong iiwan ng ganito. Tapusin mo naman iyong movie kasi may problema nga ako...'Tita Midz, baka hindi po ako makaumpisa ng January sa movie natin. Naku, nagalit si Tita Midz. Nagalit po sa akin. Kasi organized sila, e. Ayos na iyong crew, ayos na iyong location, so ako ang makakasira. Kaya sinabi lang niya, ‘I didn’t expect this from you. I thought you’re professional. Sabi ko, ‘Tita Midz, I’m sorry.’ Naku, umiyak po ako noon at sinabi ko kay Mother Lily, ‘Mother Lily, kausapin mo si Tita Midz...Anyway, after a week, sorry sorry pa rin. Sabi niya, ‘Don’t worry, I gave the script na kay Maricel. At si Maricel, mabilis nagdesisyon dahil nagustuhan niya iyong role...Ang ganda naman talaga noon, ang suwerte ni Marya doon. If I’m not mistaken, nanalo si Marya noon ng Best Actress..." - Honourable Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto, Representative of 6th District, Lipa City Batangas Philippines, reported by James Patrick Anarcon, PEP 17 May 2021
Staying Power of Ricky Lo - "...His columns as the “first drafts of the history of Philippine cinema. Compile them and the results are the authoritative annals of the local film industry, by someone who penned it with a keen eye and a sense of fairness from his front row seat. His daily reportage, if pieced together into a film reel, would tell the complete story of an industry whose impact on people and influence on society are great...Lo’s way of writing comes like moving pictures and as entertaining as the acting on the silver screen which he spent 50 years writing about. Stars come and go, film companies rise and fade, but Ricky Lo had staying power because of the respect he earned from the admirable practice of his craft..." - Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Reported by Hana Bordey, GMA News, 5 May 2021
Kind, Professional, Good Actress - "I didn’t watch the premier. In fact, I just watched it in a theater somewhere in Bicol a year after it was released, but Vilma [Santos] is very professional, a good actress and she’s very kind. I don’t know if she will still remember me. It was a long, long time ago." - Eugene Torre, Reported by Josef Ramos, Business Mirror, 25 April2021
Mr. & Mrs. Manzano - "...Sorry but I promised not to say anything...Anyway, they are adults na and besides, event nila ‘yon, eh...Siempre I was teary-eyed, I just felt so happy seeing my son getting married. Sabi ko nga, ‘Totoo na ba ito?’ Of course, I knew about the civil wedding pero they are both adults at sila ang mga nag-desisyon at nagplano ng lahat. What’s important is that mayroon nang Mr. and Mrs. Manzano.” - Honourable Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto, Representative of 6th District, Lipa City Batangas Philippines, Reported by Ricky Lo, The Philippine Star, 07 April 2021
Hindi Nagmamadali - "...Nagpapasalamat ako, pero tanungin ninyo sila, wala akong hinihinging endorsement o ano man para maging national artist. Palagay ko kasi hindi naman sa endorsement iyan eh, depende sa body of works at walang ibang mag-aaral niyan kundi ang joint committee ng Cultural Center of the Philippines at National Commission on Culture and the Arts. Sila lang naman ang pipili at gagawa ng recommendation. Tapos ang Presidente ang huling mag-a-apruba...Di ba nagkaroon pa nga ng kaso iyan sa Supreme Court nang magdagdag si dating President Arroyo ng mga ‘national artist’ na wala sa listahan ng CCP at NCCA, at nagkaroon na ng ruling. Binasa ko nga iyan eh at sinabi ng Supreme Court na “by power of control”, puwedeng ideklara ng presidente ang lahat, ang ilan, o wala man sa mga inirekomenda sa kanya para maging national artist na wala siyang kailangang ipaliwanag. Kaya ang desisyon, wala sa mga endorsement at walang kampanya iyan. “Kaya sinasabi ko nga nagpapasalamat ako sa mga taong naniniwala sa mga naipakita kong kakayahan bilang artista, pero hindi man ako makasali riyan ok lang sa akin kasi ang feeling ko marami pa akong gagawin para sa pelikula hindi lang bilang artista, gusto ko ring mag-direk. Gusto ko rin mag-produce ulit...Iyong ibang award, kagaya ng best actress, manalo ka man ngayon, tapos may nagawa kang mas maganda pa puwede ka ulit manalo. Ang national artist basta natanggap mo na, hindi na mauulit iyan. Kaya ako, kalokohang sabihin na ayoko. Lahat ng artista nag-aambisyon niyan, pero hindi ako nagmamadali. Wala naman sigurong dahilan para ako magmadali...” - Honourable Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto, Representative of 6th District, Lipa City Batangas Philippines, Reported by Ed de Leon, Pilipino Star Ngayon, 04 April 2021
NCCA's full statement about National Artist - "On articles circulating about the National Artists Award nominees...The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) wish to clarify that both organizations have not released any official list or made any announcement of an official list of nominees for the Order of National Artist (ONA) as implied in several social media posts circulating online. The Selection of National Artists is a lengthy process that is undertaken with utmost care and diligence, ensuring the integrity of the whole process..." - Reported by Bong Godinez, GMA News, 30 March 2021
Movie after the pandemic - "...Isa pa ang shooting ngayon o taping ay naka-lock in bilang bahagi ng pag-iingat nila. Tama naman iyon. May testing sila bago magsimula, at may test din pagkatapos. Kasiguruhan iyon na una, walang mahahawaan, tapos iyong sa pag-uwi naman, at least alam na hindi ka nahawa habang nasa location...At kung lock-in, lalong imposible sa akin. Hindi naman maaaring hindi ako umuwi ng bahay dahil may pamilya ako, at kailangan ko rin silang asikasuhin. Ok lang sa akin kahit na magdamagang shooting kagaya noong araw pero iyong wala talagang uwian, iyon ang malabo...Isa pa, wala pa namang mga sinehan. I hope they open soon. Pero hanggang walang sinehan, ano ang gagawin mo sa pelikula mo? Ilalabas mo sa internet na hindi pa rin talaga nakakasanayan ng mga tao, lalo na ang fans ko na aaminin ko, karamihan may edad na rin. Hindi na sila sanay sa bagong technology. Tapos mas mabilis pa raw mapirata ang pelikula, kasi video na eh. Noong araw, iyong pelikula ikino-convert pa nila pero napipirata, ngayon mas mabilis kasi mai-download lang nila iyon na. Kaya naman ang ginagawa ng producers ngayon para makabawi, low budget lang, pero kahit na anong ingat ang gawin mo kung low budget ang pelikula, hindi rin magagawang kagaya nang dati, Kaya para sa akin, hintayin na sigurong maging normal ang lahat bago ko sabihing gagawa na ulit ako ng pelikula. Siguro naman hindi na tatagal itong pandemic na ito dahil may bakuna na..." - Honourable Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto, Representative of 6th District, Lipa City Batangas Philippines, reported by Ed de Leon, Pilipino Star Ngayon, 01 March 2021
Of Love and Revolutions - "...CCP Arthouse Cinema's “Of Love and Revolutions,” a special Valentine’s Day cinematic offering that features stories of love and revolutions in different types and forms, runs from February 12 to 26, 3 p.m. via CCP Vimeo Channel https://vimeo.com/ondemand/ofloveandrevolutions/510996790...Love for the country rules in “Signos,” “Sister Stella L.,” “EDSA People Power: The Philippine Experience,” “Revolutions Happen Like Refrains in a Song,” and “In the Middle of the Night...” Most of the personalities shown and interviewed in "Signos" became the inspiration behind the characters portrayed in the acclaimed film "Sister Stella L," starring actress Vilma Santos and also directed by Mike De Leon. It won the Gawad Urian’s Best Picture in 1984, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Actress (Vilma Santos). "Sister Stella L" tells the story of the social and political awakening of a nun as she becomes involved in a labor strike and becomes engaged and empathizes with the plight of the workers and their fight for justice and freedom..." - Kathleen A. Llemit, Philstar, 13 February 2021
Career Reinvention - "In showbusiness, there will always be the one hit wonders, those people who hit mainstream popularity usually for only one piece of work and become known to the general public solely for that momentary success. Of course, those of this type are, sooner or later, gone from the public eye and then eventually forgotten. Then there are the lurkers, as in the online world, they are those who just quietly stay afloat in the sidelines, not hitting it big but somehow able to prolong their presence in the showbiz realm. Then come the real superstars, those who are able to prolong their relevance by not being boxed in by their past successes and are not afraid to explore and reinvent themselves for a more “current” image. When one talks about reinvention, favorite pop icon of the 80s, Madonna, always comes to mind. Locally, there is Vilma Santos-Recto, who has, throughout her career, taken on a lot of image makeovers from her days as a childstar, a teenstar, a dramatic star and now as a star legislator—truly stamping her mark as a Star For All Seasons..." - Joee Guilas, Manila Bulletin, 17 January 2021
FOR COMPLETE LIST OF VILMA SANTOS 2020 NEWS LINKS, CLICK HERE