Star Quotes

Susan Roces on whether she will accept FPJ's award as National Artist for 2006 after news reports said that Malacanang has already sent an invitation for the awarding ceremony to be held on June 8 or 9:

"Tawagin mo na akong makaluma pero yan ang itinuro sa amin, kung ikaw ay walang pormal na paanyaya ay hindi ka basta sisipot sa isang pagtitipon at baka ikaw ay mapahiya at sabihing, hindi ka naman imbitado."

When asked if she thinks that the award has long been overdue:

"Bilang isang kabiyak, ayokong mag-comment dyan pero bilang isang artista at kasama niya sa propesyon, he deserves it."

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Senator Jinggoy Estrada's reaction after President Arroyo recently approved the National Commission for Culture and the Arts' recommendation for FPJ and five others to be recognized as National Artist:

"As far as I am concerned Gloria Arroyo is not the President."

Jinggoy on whether Susan should accept FPJ's award as National Artist for 2006:

"Okay lang."

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Piolo Pascual on Ryan Agoncillo's threat, "next time I see him, I'll put him in his place" (after Piolo insinuated that Ryan and girlfriend Judy Anne Santos are "having problems") :

"Ewan ko, san kaya yun? (laughs)"

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Eleven year old Dominique Cojuangco's reaction when asked if she thinks her mom, Gretchen Barreto, is beautiful:

"No."

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James Yap on Kris Aquino:

"Maalagain tsaka di mo akalain magaling magluto."



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Jenny Hernandez on boyfriend Eugene Tejada's ability to have children after the PBA player fractured his cervical spine:

"May sense of humor pa rin siya despite what happened, he assured me naman na okay pa si manoy!"

Libel Case vs Claudine, Columnist : Dismissed

The libel case filed by Yes magazine editor Jo-Ann Maglipon against Claudine Barreto and columnist/The Buzz co-host Jobert Sucaldito has been dismissed by the Pasig City Prosecutor's Office.

This was in reference to Jobert's column which appeared in the tabloid Bandera last August 2005 with the title: "Say ni Claudine sa Editor ng Yes Magazine...Hindi ako masamang tao...Ako ang hindi mo nirespeto!"

Jobert wrote that he was able to talk to Claudine on the phone where the actress expressed her feelings about Maglipon's alleged lack of respect. This was after Yes magazine came out with articles about her and published pictures of the actress sleeping on the set of the teleserye Marina and of her new house under construction without her permission.

Apparently the "rift" between Claudine and Jo-Ann goes way back when Claudine's ex-boyfriend Rico Yan passed away. Jobert's column quoted Claudine saying, "Marami nang pagkakataon na akong nabastos ni Jo-Anne. It all started dun sa mga articles na inilabas nila about Rico...it didn't look good on me..."

In Maglipon's affidavit, she claimed that Claudine's statements were damaging to her reputation as a journalist.

But according to the Pasig prosecutor there is not enough evidence against Claudine and Jobert.

"Truth to tell, Ms. Barreto has more reason to sue for libel, but she has exhibited admirable restraint so far. We are thankful that this unwarranted suit has reached the fate that it deserves," said Atty. Raymond Fortun, Claudine's lawyer.

Maglipon's lawyers are now preparing to file a motion for reconsideration before the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC). "Until the final terms of the compromise being forged before the Quezon City Court are settled, we must continue to pursue our criminal complaints. Thus we are preparing a Motion for Reconsideration of the Pasig Prosecutor's Resolution because we feel the dismissal was erroneous. The other libel complaints before the Mandaluyong and Quezon City courts are still unresolved at the moment," said Atty. Sandra Coronel, one of Maglipon's lawyers.

This means that this is not the end for Claudine's legal battles because there are still two pending libel cases that Maglipon filed against the actress before the Quezon City and Mandaluyong RTC.

"We hope that the other complaints would also be dismissed in the same fashion," said Atty. Fortun.

Maglipon refused to comment about the cases and said that it's purely a legal matter.

Brokeback Mountain Filming Location

I have received some e-mail from Filipinos living in Canada and even from the Canadian Embassy here in Manila correcting me about the filming location of the movie "Brokeback Mountain". I was informed that the film was shot in Alberta, Canada. I did not directly refer to where the film was actually shot but the setting of the movie, please see excerpt below:

"I recently saw Brokeback Mountain and apart from the story, I was moved by its breathtaking scenery. Set in Wyoming and Texas amidst a sweeping landscape of snowcapped mountains and hills and lakes and all these shapes. Never mind if two macho cowboys were passionately kissing. The bottomline is it's a rare, incredible love story you wouldn't want to happen to you but you get moved by it anyway."

Nevertheless, thank you for all the e-mail and comments. I realize it (whether it's the filming location or movie setting) can be confusing. I should have pointed that out in the article but now I know another piece of paradise on earth and that's in Alberta, Canada. :) It's so beautiful that I've included it on my "must-see-places-before-I-die-list."

Anyway, here's what I got from Wikipedia regarding the filming location of Brokeback Mountain. I'm also publishing one of the e-mail I received regarding this issue from reader Eric Salmon. It appears that Alberta, Canada is a favorite location of Hollywood films.

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From Wikipedia:

The film was shot primarily in Alberta, Canada. Ang Lee usually shoots his films in the exact locations in which they are set (another notable exception was Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, in which the scenes set in the Wudangshan monastery were actually filmed at another Taoist monastery), but he decided that Alberta would be an ideal place to shoot Brokeback Mountain because of its lush landscapes broadly similar to those in Wyoming, the lower production costs in Canada, and the willingness of the Alberta Film Development Corporation, an instrument of the Alberta provincial crown, to assist with funding.

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In your recent article in Philstar, "Conquering Everest", you mentioned that the location setting of the movie "Brokeback Mountain" were made in Texas and Wyoming. In publishing your articles you should be more careful in getting your facts. In the book it does say that the setting were in those places but the movie itself was made entirely in Alberta, Canada. To be exact in the areas of Kananaskis, Canmore, Calgary and Bragg Creek. I've lived in Calgary since moving here from the Philippines and almost all Canadians have known this fact for a long time now and majority of the North Americans are familiar with these landscapes since it's a favorite destination during summer time. A lot of other popular movies were made in this exotic location such as Brad Pitt's "Legends of the Fall", and his yet to be released movie about Jesse James, "Johnny Q", "Superman", X2:Xmen United, and the list just goes on and on. If you did enjoy the sceneries in the movie I suggest the you visit this place and for sure you will love this and will not hesitate to make this your home.

Best regards,

Eric S.

Conquering Everest

And the winner is...Leo Oracion. Everyone's now talking about the first Filipino to make it to the top of the world's highest peak. It all started when four Filipino climbers went for their dream, the other three are Romy Garduce, Erwin "Pastor" Emata, and Dale Abenojar (who's claiming he was ahead of Oracion but has no proof yet).

A month ago, Studio 23's Vince Rodriguez who has been reporting from Everest Base Camp, told the Philippine Team about media reports that the Everest climb is
turning into a race for the 1st Filipino to reach the top. But Emata dismissed
this and said, "Everest should be approached with respect. On Sagarmatha (Nepalese
name for Everest), you do not race against anyone. It is between you and the mountain. If she allows you to summit, you are lucky. You should never say you will conquer her, because in the end she will always win."


I've always wondered why they want to climb Everest. Some of them say it's a personal goal, and since this is the first ever Filipino attempt, it's also for the country. But when your life is on the line, any normal person would think it's crazy. But these people are extra-ordinary and they simply don't want to exist. They say you don't feel more alive than when death stares you in the face.

I obviously don't have a first-hand knowledge of climbing the world's highest mountain. I've read the popular "Into Thin Air" by veteran climber John Krakauer some years back and I remember reading how she can be so unpredictable, even the world's best climbers fall to her prey. After all, you cannot control mother nature. Krakauer says he was lucky he survived one of Everest's deadliest storms.

But what if he didn't live to tell the tale? What if, just like the others, his body vanished underneath the snow? Would it still be worth it? Or would he have died in vain?

I recently saw Brokeback Mountain and apart from the story, I was moved by its breathtaking scenery. Set in Wyoming and Texas amidst a sweeping landscape of snowcapped mountains and hills and lakes and all these shapes. Never mind if two macho cowboys were passionately kissing. The bottomline is it's a rare, incredible love story you wouldn't want to happen to you but you get moved by it anyway.

But Brokeback mountain, unlike Everest, is not there. It doesn't exist. It did in the movie though. Because for Jack Twist, Heath Ledger's lover, it's all he lived for. The memories they shared on that mountain were all they've got. Better to have your own Brokeback mountain than nothing at all. I wonder how the mountain took it, a silent witness, to a tragic love-affair.

Mount Everest, on the other hand, continues to reign the Earth. A living witness to the deaths and triumphs of all those who want to conquer her even if some climbers refuse to use the word, "conquer", because in the end, she will always win. Maybe, but I don't think even the world's greatest mountain will ever conquer the human spirit. People who attempt to climb her year after year are not made of matter. They're made of the stuff that lives and dies and flies. If Everest has a soul, it's all the people who gave their lives to her.


Which brings me back to the question, if a climber dies attempting to climb Everest, did he die in vain? Maybe Romy or Dale or Leo or Pastor can answer the question.

As for me, and maybe for the rest of us, we have our own "Everest" to conquer. I don't know where my journey ends. I just hope and pray I can make it to the top and die happy. (This article has been published in The Philippine Star, May 18, 2006)