Sing Vilma Sing

Christmas special at discography ang tema ng V Magazine No. 13. Yaman din lamang at discography ang isa sa mga tema kaya eto ang aking munting contribution para sa ALAM NYO BA? Pamagatan natin itong SING VILMA SING. Aminado naman si Vi na hindi siya isang singer na katulad ng mga kasabayan niyang mga young stars noon na sina Nora Aunor, Tirso Cruz III, Edgar Mortiz, Perla Adea, Esperanza Fabon, Eddie Peregrina, Victor Wood, Eva Vivar, Rene Ordoñez, Darius Razon, Rhodora Silva, Geraldine, Neddie Decena, Sonny Cortez at marami pang iba subali’t hindi lang boses nuon ang binabayaran. Noong Dekada ’70, ang mga young stars ay kailangang marunong kumanta dahil yun ang uso kaya naman nagtayo ng sariling recording company ang nasirang manager ni Vi na si William Leary dahil ayaw niyang pahuhuli sa uso ang kanyang alaga. Ilan sa mga naging recording artists ng WILEARS RECORDS bukod kay Vi ay sina Edgar Mortiz, Ed Finlan, Sahlee Quizon, Hilda Koronel at Esperanza Fabon. According to Vi, kapag nagrerecord siya ng kanta ay nakatalikod siya sa dingding ng recording company at si Bobot ang umaalalay sa kanya. Ang SIXTEEN, na sinulat ni Danny Subido ang unang recording na ginawa ni Vi at ito ay flipsided by It’s So Wonderful To Be In Love. Ang SIXTEEN ay agad naging gold record at dahil dito ay gumawa ng pelikula ang Tagalog Ilang Ilang Productions, ang home studio ni Vi at ito ay ginawa nilang pamagat katambal si Edgar Mortiz. Hindi nyo naitatanong, muntik nang manalo si Vi bilang most promising singer sa AWIT AWARDS noong early ’70s.

Dahil sa naging matagumpay ang awiting SIXTEEN kung kaya’t si Vi ay iginawa ng isang long playing album. SIXTEEN din ang title ng unang long playing album ni Vi na tinatampukan ng mga awiting (bukod sa Sixteen at It’s So Wonderful To Be In Love) Dry Your Eyes, Bring Back Your Love, Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head, When The Clock Strikes One, So With Me, Sometimes, Baby Baby Baby, Sealed With A Kiss, Then Along Came You Edgar at Love Love. Ang Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head ang ginamit na awitin sa kanyang commercial na GLAD raincoat. Ang awiting Then Along Came You Edgar naman ay tinapatan ni Edgar ng awiting VILMA. Samantala, nasundan ng isa pang long playing album ang SIXTEEN ni Vi at ito ay pinamagatang SWEET, SWEET VILMA. Ito naman ay naglalaman ng mga awiting katulad ng Don’t You Break My Heart, May The Good Lord Bless & Keep You, Mama, Our Day Will Come, Oh Lonesome Me, I’m The One For You, Sad Movies, Among My Souvenir, My Promise To You, Mama Don’t Cry At My Wedding, Drop A Line at A Wonderful Day. Natatandaan ko pa na sa morning program, from 6am to 7am, ni Eddie ‘Lat’ Ilagan sa D’WOW radio ay palaging kasama sa Top Ten Song Of The Day ang mga awiting Sad Movies at Oh Lonesome Me.

Dahil sa tambalang subok na matibay at subok na matatag nina Vilma at Edgar kung kaya’t nagkaroon din sila ng long playing album na may pamagat na SWEETHEARTS (pamagat din ito ng kanilang pelikula sa Tagalog Ilang Ilang Productions) na ini-release noong April 22, 1970. Ito naman ay naglalaman ng mga awiting I Love You Honey, I Believe, Green Green Grass of Home, Always With You, My Rosary, From The Bottom Of My Heart, You Don’t Love Me Anymore, How I Wish I Were A Model, Do Re Mi Fa Sol I Love You, Better Than All, Your Kisses Are Losing Their Sweetness at My First Kiss. Ang I LOVE YOU HONEY at FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART ay isinapelikula din ng Tagalog Ilang Ilang Productions na pinagtambalan din nina Vi at Bot. Ang pangalawang long playing album nina Vilma at Edgar na ini-release noong January 21, 1971 ay pinamagatang THE SENSATION na hinango sa kanilang top rated tv show sa ABS CBN na later on ay isinapelikula din ng Tagalog Ilang Ilang Productions. Ito naman ay naglalaman ng mga awiting Good Morning Starshine, Spinning Wheel, To Love Again, A Love Unspoken, Anywhere I Wonder, I Wonder Why, Have A Goodtime, Yeahoo, I Have Dream, My Boy Lollipop, Dream at Always. Sa radio program ni Tony Santos, Jr. at ng nasirang Vic Pacia ay pulos duet nina Vi at Bot ang pinatutugtog. Si German Moreno ay meron ding Vi at Bot Portion sa kanyang radio program sa DZTR. Ang Have A Goodtime naman ay pinapatugtog sa Wowowee sa kanilang portion sa Pera o Bayong everytime na nabobokya ang mga kalahok sa game na ito.

Hindi lang long playing album ang ginawa nina Vi at Bot, dahil nagkaroon din sila ng mga mini long playing albums entitled CHRISTMAS TIDINGS AT SOMETHING STUPID. Ang CHRISTMAS TIDINGS ay naglalaman ng mga awiting Silver Bells, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town at Mary’s Boy Child at ang SOMETHING STUPID naman ay ang mga awiting Something Stupid, I Wonder Why, I Have Dream at Goodnight My Love. Ang SOMETHING STUPID ang naging theme song ng Vi & Bot loveteam. Ang titulo ng isa pang mini long playing album ni Vi ay hango sa kanyang pelikulang tinampukan din nina Bobot at Ed Finlan na BABY VI na nagtatampok ng mga awiting Baby Cakes, Sad Movies, Bobby Bobby Bobby at Seven Lonely Days. Ang pangatlong long playing album nina Vi at Bot ay ang ALL I SEE IS YOU na ini-release noong August 30, 1971 (kaarawan ni Edgar Mortiz) na binubuo ng medley of songs na Atin Cu Pung Singsing at Leron Leron Sinta, Baby Cakes, Little Brown Gal, Grown Up Like Me, Nine Little Teardrops, Jealous Heart, The Wonderful World Of Music, El Condor Pasa, Hawaiian Wedding Song, I Understand, My Special Angel at Just Say You’ll Be Mine. Ang awiting Butsiki ni Yoyoy Villame ay hinango sa awiting Baby Cakes. Ang THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF MUSIC ay ginawang titulo ng pelikula nina Vi at Bot na inilahok sa 1971 Manila Film Festival kung saan ito ang nakakuha ng Best Musical Film. Kasama nina Vi at Bot sa pelikulang ito ang noo’y batang bata pang si Snooky (Serna).

Ang pang-apat na long playing album nina Vi at Bot ay pinamagatang ALOHA MY LOVE na ini-release noong February 1972 at naglalaman ng mga awiting Hawaiian Medley, Beyond The Reef, All Alone Am I, Why Don’t You Believe Me, Eternally, My World Is My World, Aloha Oe, Seven Lonely Days, Mandolins In The Moonlight, Daddy, Seventeen at Two People In Love. Ang ALOHA MY LOVE ay titulo din ng pelikulang ginawa nina Vi at Bot sa Hawaii. Ang ETERNALLY ay isinapelikula din ng Tagalog Ilang Ilang Productions na tinampukan pa rin nina Vi at Bot. Napakasuwerte ni Vi dahil nagkaroon ulit siya ng pangatlong solo long playing album na may pamagat na SING VILMA SING. Ito ay binubuo ng mga awiting Da Doo Run Run, Abadaba Honeymoon, Tweedle Dee, Bo Weebel, A Kookie Little Paradise, Bobby Bobby Bobby, A Rick-Tick Song, It’s Been A Long Long Time, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, You Made Me Love You, The Birds & The Bees at He’s So Near (Yet So Far Away). Ang A Rick-Tick Song ang ginawang theme song ng radio program ni Ric Radam sa DZRH noong early ’70s. Pag pinapatugtog naman ni Ike Lozada sa kanyang radio program na Dambuhalang DJ sa D’WOW radio ang awiting Bobby Bobby Bobby, sinasabi niyang ang title nito ay Bobot Bobot Bobot. Precious pa nga ang tawag ni Ike kay Vi.

Nagkaroon din si Vilma ng mga Tagalog singles na awitin katulad ng Palung Palo Ako flipsided by Walang Umiibig, Isipin Mong Basta’t Mahal Kita flipsided by Mamang Kutsero at Tok Tok Palatok flipsided by Batya’t Palupalo. Ginawa ni Vilma at ng Chess Grandmaster champion na si Eugene Torre kasama si Coney Reyes ang isang pelikulang hango sa awitin ni Vi na ISIPIN MONG BASTA’T MAHAL KITA. Ang awiting TOK TOK PALATOK ay ginawa ring pelikula ng Baby K. Jimenez Productions starring Vilma at Jojit Paredes. Ang PALUNG-PALO AKO ang pangalawang gold record ni Vilma at noong early ’70s sa TOP 20 SONGS OF THE WEEK sa DZRM, ito ay ilang linggo ring namayagpag at nangunguna sa airlanes. Ang awiting PALUNG-PALO pa rin ang tugtog na isinayaw ng mga Vilmanians noong 2006 sa birthday celebration ni Vi sa Lipa City. Isang long playing album na puro christmas songs ang ginawa ng mga recording artists ng WILEARS RECORDS na may pamagat na CHRISTMAS CAROLS. Ito ay binubuo ng mga awiting Silver Bells, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, You’re All I Want For Christmas, Silent Night, Jingle Bell Rock, Rudolf The Red Nose Reindeer, O Holy Night, Jingle Bells, White Christmas, Donde Esta Santa Claus, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town at Mary’s Boy Child. Ang mga umawit naman bukod kay Vi ay sina Edgar Mortiz, Ed Finlan, Hilda Koronel, Sahlee Quizon at Esperanza Fabon.

Ang VICOR RECORDS ay gumawa ng isang long playing album na pulos Tagalog ang mga awitin na may pamagat na MABUHAY at tinatampukan nina Perla Adea (Baka Lumimot Ka), Florence Aguilar (Tanging Ikaw Pa Rin), Zenaida Alcaraz (Pandanggo Sa Kabukiran), D’ Amarillo (Pamulinawen), The Ambivalent Crowd (Ako Ay May Singsing), Ato ang bulag na piyanista (Kapantay Ay Langit), Babsie Chit & Louie (Minamahal Kita), Pilita Corrales (Landas Sa Pag-ibig), Tirso Cruz III (Sinungaling Ka), Neddie Decena (Bibilang Ako Ng Tatlo), Romeo Miranda (Pandora), Edgar Mortiz (Ang Kuwintas Mo Giliw), Carmen Pateña (Bagong Umaga), Victor Wood (Birheng Walang Dambana) at Vilma Santos (Palung-Palo Ako). Naging cover si Vi ng mga long playing soundtrucks na DISCO FEVER at ROCK BABY ROCK. Ang DISCO FEVER at ROCK BABY ROCK ay mga pelikula ni Vi, kung saan kasama ni Vi sa Disco Fever sina Christopher de Leon at Victor ‘Cocoy’ Laurel at sa Rock Baby Rock sina Junior at Leah Navarro. Ang mga pelikulang ito ay pawang mga certified box office hits.

Ang DISCO FEVER soundtruck ay binubuo ng mga awiting Disco Fever (VST & Company), Hanggang Magdamag (Soul Jugglers), Suplado Ka (Halik), Let’s Boggie Now (Hang Men), Sumayaw, Makinig (Advisors), Sayawan (Sampaguita), Walang Sigla (Solid Band), Ngayon Lang Ako Umibig Ng Ganito (Soul Jugglers), Sexy Baby (Hang Men) at Awitin Mo (VST & Company). Ang ROCK BABY ROCK soundtruck ay binubuo ng mga awiting Rock Baby Rock (VST & Company), Sexy Lady (Marvic), Huwag Mong Pigilan (Leah Navarro), Ikaw (Nailclippers), Yakap (Junior), May I Have This Dance (Marvic), I-swing Mo Ako (Sharon Cuneta), Kiss Kiss (VST & Company), Excuse Me (Junior) at Halik Lang (Smack). Sa 40th anniversary ng VICOR RECORDS ay gumawa sila ng CDs ni Vi na pinamagatang VILMA. ito ay naglalaman ng 23 songs ni Vi katulad ng Sixteen, Da Doo Ron Ron, The Birds & The Bees, Tweedle Dee, The Rick-Tick Song, When The Clock Strikes One, Sealed With A Kiss, Sometimes, It’s Wonderful To Be In Love, Then Along Came You Edgar, It’s Been A Long Long Time, You Made Me Love You, Oh Lonesome Me, He’s So Near (Yet So Far Away), Mama Don’t Cry At My Wedding, Don’t You Break My Heart, Mama, Sad Movies Make Me Cry, Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head, Have A Goodtime, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, My Boy Lollipop at Bobby Bobby Bobby. Naging mabiling mabili ang nasabing CDs. Hindi nga maituturing na singer si Vi subali’t nakapag-record siya ng mahigit sa limampung awitin. Maraming salamat nga pala kina Eric Nadurata at Nar Santander. - Alfons Valencia, Yahoo Egroup 2007

Remembering William Leary

"...William Leary (deceased), my one and only business & appointments manager..." - Vilma Santos

The Musical Era - "...The success of Vi & Bot love team was evident with numerous films and it was only a matter of time that the idea of having Vilma have her own album came in 1969. There was a market and demand for Vilma’s very own long-playing vinyl. William Leary, Vilma’s manager asked musical director Dannie Subido to gather songs that will suit Vilma’s limited range. It was reported that Subido find the project challenging. They have to find songs that are light but will still give Vilma’s fans enjoyment. They decided to make it fun and sort of child like. They also wanted to make sure that the songs reflect Vilma’s current state of mind, that of a growing teenager. Sort of like early Britney, “no longer a child not yet a woman.” Her promotional interview clearly confirmed some of the issues teenagers are experiencing during this time. Body image, sex education, adulthood, friendship, and dating are some of the topics the album tackled which are topics that are still relevant today. “…as a singer…gosh…I feel a funny thing inside every time na naiisip kong, I was not a born singer. But every time I hear my records play, I couldn’t help but kid myself that I was made after all.” She commented when asked to evaluate herself as singer. What she really meant by that line, “I made it” is that by making her record a success no one cannot say that she cannot be sell records. This success proves that she can be a successful singer like her closest rival, Nora..." - RV (READ MORE)

Be Mindful - "...Ang nasirang si William Leary ang isa sa mga nagmahal kay Governor Vi. Noong kabataan ni Vi ay si William ang kanyang naging manager. Alagang alaga ni William si Vi. Noong early '70s ang mga kabataang artista ay dapat na marunong kumanta at may isinaplakang awitin. At dahil sa kanyang pagmamahal kay Vi kaya't nagtatag siya ng isang recording company, ang Wilears Record, kung saan iginawa niya si Vi ng mga isinaplakang awitin. Hindi naman nabigo si William dahil ang unang singles ni Vi na may pamagat na Sixteen ay naging Gold Record at si Vi pa nga ay naging nominado bilang Most Promising Singer sa Awit Awards. Sa pananagumpay ng awiting Sixteen, na sinulat ni Danny Subido ay naging pamagat pa din ito ng kanyang pelikula katambal si Edgar Mortiz. Natatandaan ko pa noon na pinagsabihan kaming mga Vis ni William na mag-ingat sa mga pananalita lalo na sa mga press people dahil kay Vi nagre-reflect ang mga negatibong ginagawa ng mga Vis. Katulad na lang noong 1984 CMMA awards night kung saan nominated si Vi sa Sister Stella L samantalang si Nora Aunor ay sa Bulaklak Ng City Jail, at si Nora ang nagwagi.....nagtanong si Manny Nava sa mga madre sa Archbishop Palace kung saan ginanap ang awards night kung bakit si Nora ang nanalo samantalang si Vi, katulad nila ay isang madre sa Sister Stella L.....sumagot ang madre na ang mga mata ni Nora ang nagpanalo sa kanya.....na sinagot ni Manny ng for your eyes only pala kaya nanalo si Nora?..." - Alfonso Valencia (READ MORE)

The Interview - "...It was a tough assignment. It was something that we never wanted to do, but nobody has ever said no to Mars Ravelo, and certainly we couldn’t be the first to do that. He wanted me to write a story about Vilma Santos. I have never written anything about her before. I haven’t met her personally even if I have been in the business for some time. I made all the possible alibis, but it came to the point that I was pushed to the wall. All of those assigned to write about Nora Aunor have done their piece. All those assigned to write about Vilma have also written theirs except me. One afternoon I bumped with Cleo Cruz who told me that Uncle Mars has asked her to help me make an appointment for interview with Vilma. She did more than that. She actually set up the interview. She told me that the following day Vilma will be shooting in an apartment in Cubao, and that her manager William Leary will also be there to meet me. I am left with no choice. The following day I went to the shooting set in Cubao. True to her words, William Leary was there. He told me everything has been set up and I might as well take the chance since there is a shooting break at that time. He led me to a small air conditioned room where Vilma stays. After a brief introduction with each other, a very formal interview started.

There was an issue then. Vilma Santos married Edu Manzano in the US, a story that both of them denied. I asked Vilma the question, and the answer was a short smile, and she showed us her wedding ring. We asked for details and she was kind enough to tell us everything that happened. We also asked her if it is true that she’s on the family way, she said yes, three months. We were surprised, why is Vilma Santos telling us all of these when she has denied it earlier, and she knows what we can write about all of those things. However no word was spoken and we went on with the interview. What we planned to be no more than a ten minute interview lasted for three hours. We can just imagine how the people on the set hated us then. After the interview we said goodbye, but alas Vilma Santos herself asked for a favor. She said she told us everything, but please don’t write about it yet until after her movie with Boyet de Leon then was shown. We never said yes to her request, meaning she said it all and it is up to us to write about it or not. To be honest, our first plan was to write all about it. It will be an expose. It will be a controversial story, and how can Miss Santos deny the taped interview? When we got home that evening, we sat in front of our typewriter and started writing our story. We talked about so many things, and we wrote almost all of them. When we finished, we were too sleepy we did not even copy read what we have written.

We were awaken by a call the following morning. Uncle Mars has learned that we already did the interview and he wants us to bring the story to him immediately. In a hurry, we got everything and went to Uncle Mars’ office. We gave him the manuscripts, and told him we didn’t even have time to copy read them. “It’s alright,” was his answer. His red pencil in hand, he started to read them. He was so quiet, and when he finished reading, he smiled at us and said just one word, “beautiful”. He immediately called the typesetter and asked that my article be set immediately. Then I excused myself and left. The article came out in Bulaklak Magazine. To our surprise, it ran for five pages. Why was it that long, “because the manuscript was also long”? And the worst was I wasn’t able to write that Vilma really married Edu in the US and that she was three months on the family way. I can’t believe it. I looked for my original manuscript; it was the same as what was published. I never thought that the article would be that long, and it would be that good. The next thing I heard was, “someone hates you”. Then came another incident. My good friend Lourdes Carvajal, more popularly known as Inday Badiday, or Ate Luds, yes she was the queen of intrigues, invited us to her show. The Metro Manila Film Festival was about to start. During one commercial break, she asked everyone’s opinion, “who do you think will be the festival’s best actress?”

To her surprise, we answered Vilma Santos. She laughed aloud and said, “but I bet you can’t say that on air”. We said we can. She challenged us to a bet, we accepted the challenge. When we went back on the air, Ate Luds immediately asked us who we felt would be the festival’s best actress, and we answered Vilma Santos. Everyone on the studio was surprised but of course we meant what we say. That article which we wrote and that television interview with Ate Luds turned the tides for us. And mind you, there is no turning back. We accidentally met Vilma Santos at the Broadcast City a few days after, and she was very nice. She thanked us for the article we wrote, and told us how she appreciates it that I kept to myself the things she told me in confidence. She also thanked us for our comment on television. And it seems we were suddenly awaken, hey no one has ever done that before. No one has ever thanked us for what we have written about them. And it really changed the tides. We left showbusiness for some time, tried some other beats, and we were away from all of the stars and the rumors and intrigues that showbusiness has to offer. We thought we will just have a quiet life, but one day Tita Nene Riego called us up, telling us that another respected editor at that time, Eddie Roque, is inviting us to write for his magazine. Suddenly we found ourselves in showbusiness again. We met new stars, but of course Vilma Santos was still there. She has remained as popular as before. She has also remained as nice as before. So to this day, Vilma Santos has been a friend. We may not agree on some issues. We may not like her all the time, but Vilma is still a friend no matter what. There were times when we would be Vilma’s critic, but wait till someone else says something bad and we feel we should be at her side to defend her. It is very seldom that you make friends in showbusiness, and for us Vilma is really a friend. For us, Vilma is not “the star for all seasons”. She is the star for all reasons. ..." - Ed de Leon (READ MORE)

William's Baby - "...Ang istoryang ito ay matagal nang ikinukuwento sa akin ni William. Wala pa akong asawa, pangarap na ni William na magawa ang pelikula. He had the story at hand. Siya talaga ang nag-negotiate para makuha ang istorya. Noong una nga raw, ayaw pumayag ni Baby Tsina at ng kanyang asawa dahil gusto na nilang kalimutan yun. Eh, si William alam ko yan kung magpilit, tsaka personal kasi niyang kilala si Baby Tsina, nakuha rin ang istorya,” salaysay ni Vilma…”Noong una kong mabasa ang script, ayoko sanang maniwala na nangyari talaga yun. Masyadong cinematic, eh. Para bang sa pelikula at sa komiks lang nangyayari. Until the day nga that I met the real Baby Tsina. Nang siya na ang makuwento sa akin ng naging buhay niya, lalo na after the crime at sa loob Correctional, saka ko lang nalaman na ang nakalagay sa script ay kulang pa pala. Mas matindi ang istorya niya, pero hindi na maaring isamang lahat sa pelikula. Baka namang masyadong humaba eh. Malakas ang istorya. I think the story alone will sell the movie. Lalo na kung iisiping isa itong celebrated case at nasundan ng mga tao noon sa mga diyaryo. Front page stories pa raw lagi iyang si Baby Tsina noon eh..." - Ariel Francisco (READ MORE)

Turning Point - "...The decisive divergence is Burlesk Queen. ‘I took a risk playing Burlesk Queen, Celso Ad. Castillo directing. I was 24. My American manager, William Leary, had persuaded me to accept the role. He had been my manager since he convinced me to do a record, Sixteen, that made good. I was no longer with Sampaguita but I went back there from time to time to make sweet sweet movies or musicals. That was my style. Then I did Burlesk Queen. It turned out to be a turning point. I won an acting award. Suddenly I was the drama queen. Celso Ad. Castillo is really good. In a way it was that film that made me a real actress. It changed my sweet image. And it made good at the boxoffice. ”However, later relations with Castillo proved to be painful. ‘I already had my production company, VS Films, and I got him as director for Pagputi ng Uwak. He really gave me a hard time on that film: it was two years in the making! And it sank VS Films into debt. Celso and I had a fight. As a director he’s very good but as an artist he has his quirks: merong sumpong. I hear he now works in Malaysia: sayang, he was good for Philippine movies. Pagputi ng Uwak nearly ruined me, financially and mentally, but it turned out to be a firstrate film and it won a lot of awards, it won VS Films a lot of prestige. But I still prefer Burlesk Queen.” The five productions of VS Films, which included Rosas sa Putikan, directed by Maning Borlaza, and Halik sa Paa, Halik sa Kamay, costarring Vilma with Eddie Rodriguez, all made money, including Pagputi ng Uwak. Nevertheless, by the time she had to shut it down, VS Films had her drowning in six million pesos’ worth of red ink. It took her some seven years to pay off that montrous debt. And it meant having to go back to making movies that were ‘pambata at pangmasa” movies like Darna and Dyesebel and Wonder Vi...." - Quijano De Manila (Nick Joaquin), Philippine Graphic Magazine 05 November 1990 (READ MORE)

The Records - "...Gaano kadalas ang Minsan? Grossed 7.3 Million in its few days run in Metro Manila in 1982 outgrossing "Sinasamba Kita" for Philippine movies’ all-time box office tally. With inflation and currency rate in consideration that will be around 95 million. But that’s not the only exciting thing about these film. It was the only film that Vilma Santos and Hilda Koronel did while atleast when Hilda was still at her peak. Ofcourse, Ate Vi's career remained as hot as ever while Koronel now accepts supporting roles. It was obvious that year that Hilda was also more glamourous than Vilma but looking at the two right now, Vilma maintained that slim, youthful look while Hilda struggled and visibly gained so much weight she can be mistaken as Ate Vi's aunt or mother! After Gaano Kadalas, Hilda did a few more leading roles under Viva Films even co-starred with Nora Aunor but didn't get the same results as Gaano. But like what William Leary says, "mahirap matalbugan si Vilma, Vilma is Vilma in any season and whatever movie!"..." - RV (READ MORE)