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."

***


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.

***

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.

***

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)

One-Night Stand in Bora

What do you do when you only have one night in a place called Boracay? Talk about bitin. So armed with my "last night of the world" attitude, I partied like there's no tomorrow! I didn't even get to sleep on my big bed in my big room with a terrace at the Boracay Regency. But why sleep and let other's have the fun?

I arrived in Boracay late Saturday afternoon and left the morning after. I was there to cover Century Tuna Superbods search. As the audience oohhed and aahhed at the parade of bikini-clad bodies, some of the contestants became unwittingly funny when they introduced themselves. I really don't want to be mean but one moreno guy said, "Hi, I'm (his name) and I just want to say, THE black is in!", and another girl said, "Hi, I'm (her name). I'm this and that chu chu chu and lastly I'm a badminton (pause for 100 seconds) frek!"

As in most beauty pageants, some of the contestants fumbled in the question and answer portion, though, not as memorable as the introduction part. One judge asked "Does having a fit body make you feel sexual?" to the audience and the contestant's shock. Thankfully, the contestant knew how to deal with that very awkward question, "Oh i feel sensual."


Before the announcement of winners, sexy Rachel Lobangco clad in her shiny teeny weeny bikini, wowed the crowd with her skills in firedancing. She told me it took two years of hardwork for her to learn the dangerous art of firedancing which, she says, originated in New Zealand. Another sexy firedancer stood out and his, er, her name is Jaydee. She is reputed to be the best firedancer in Boracay (she just won as champion in the most recent firedancing competition in Bora). Jaydee is gay but she has a ballet dancer's body - tall, thin and flexible. Nakaka-insecure! You can check out performances by Jaydee and the other firedancers at Summer Place, a favorite hang-out in Bora.

Of course Bora is not without the juicy gossips. Maui Taylor and Fil-German model Will Devaughn were spotted canoodling at Hey Jude! And like a butterfly, no, not Maui...Will was later seen flirting in a different bar with a different girl. Ah, Boracay!

I also learned that former senator Gringo Honasan's son, Kim Honasan, got married last Thursday at Waling-Waling resort but sadly a source told me Gringo didn't make it for obvious reasons. For the sake of our "TFC-less" kababayans, Honasan is now a fugitive and is facing rebellion charges. The government has put up a P5 million bounty for his immediate capture. It would've been very traumatic if he was arrested at his own son's wedding.

Special thanks to DJ Robbie, responsible for the good sounds and sound equipment at bars like Cocomanga's, Pier One and Summer Place, for the superb welcome Mario Dumaual, our crew and I got. While bar hopping, we also met Jude himself, bartending at his own bar, the popular Hey Jude! For our last stop, it's gotta be Summer Place! The gang was having so much fun that we partied until sunrise!


There really is something about Boracay. True, I was shocked to arrive to swarms of people that my Bora based friend jokingly said, "Welcome to Cavite!" If you want privacy, I don't think you'll get that in Bora nowadays. Still, being in this island paradise is like being in another place and time. It just has this hedonistic vibe. It makes you let go of all your worries and take all the pleasure in. I don't party in Manila but when you're in Bora, it just calls you by name.


This is my second Bora trip in two weeks by the way. Two weekends ago I was on a work-free, 4-day Boracay trip for some real R&R. I went with my sisters and cousins. It's become a summer ritual for us except for the latest addition to the group, my sister Bernadette (who came home from NY after 6 years), on her first Bora trip! We stay where we stay every year, Le Soleil de Boracay, because it's really nice and their staff is so accommodating.

As predicted, my sister didn't want to leave. We all didn't want to leave. It didn't help that the 18-seater plane we rode on our way back was like a roller-coaster ride and smelled of gasoline. We arrived Manila in a daze, from the plane, from the unlimited shots of shark attacks and kamikazes, from what fantastic memory we have of Boracay.

Going to bed that night, and every night after coming back from a place called Boracay, was difficult knowing that you have work the next day. Reality has come. Argh, moments are really just moments, whether you're in the island for one-night or three nights, a week. You still have to leave and you can only hope, that when the moment comes again, for it to last just a little longer...

Joey Marquez and other star sightings in Bora

Boracay on a Holy Week is like paradise for paparazzis. As if on cue, celebrities just love going to this island at this time and the cameras are waiting for them. Sexy stars Maui Taylor, Ethel Booba, Gwen Garci seem to have made it their "panata" to be in Bora at the same time every year. They just always find themselves in a controversy whether they are in their skimpy bikini's or not.

My cameraman was there and oh boy he was just so shocked at some of the things he saw, to quote, "Ma'am, grabe pala ang mga nangyayari dito sa Boracay." But my cameraman is not a paparazzi. Some of the things he saw will never be aired. Not in our newscast and not in this blog. Sorry. But of course I still have a "scoopful" that have, thankfully, passed the "board of censors", including a playful interview with the playful Joey Marquez.

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Lino Cayetano was seen lovey dovey with girlfriend Bianca Gonzalez dispelling rumors that the two broke up after the Bianca-Zanjoe episode in Pinoy Big Brother.

Zanjoe, on the other hand, was seen "super flirting" with Pinoy Big Brother host Mariel Rodriguez.

Joey Marquez claims he and Alicia Meyer are "not so close anymore", but later, the sexy tv host was seen with Joey in the same hotel.

TV Patrol's Marie Lozano got an exclusive interview with Joey during the Holy Week and here's what the charming "Tsong" had to say:


Marie: You were also in Boracay last year.

Joey: Last year with my kids.

Marie: Parang I saw you the other day with uh, Alicia?

Joey: No! I don't think she's here.

Marie: How are you...

Joey: Me or my friends?

Marie: You and Alicia.

Joey: We're not that close anymore, we're still friends and we work together.

Marie: You were never together?

Joey: No, (smiling) I swear to God.

Marie: (Laughs) Uy Holy week ngayon, dapat no lies.

Joey: Yes, Holy week, no lies.

Marie: What do you do pag Holy week?

Joey: Pray.

Marie: Are you abstaining from anything?

Joey: I won't eat meat.

Marie: All kinds of meat?

Joey: Cooked or not cooked.

Marie: Sushi?

Joey: Tame or wild (laughter).

Marie: Kris got married, ikaw, kelan ka ulit?

Joey: Me? I just got out of marriage. I think it will take another 10 to 20 more years before I reconsider marriage. Maybe when I'm seventy (laughter).

Marie: But you're happy naman for Kris, of course you said that before...

Joey: Me? Hahahaha

Marie: Who's your special someone now?

Joey: Mga anak ko.

Marie: You're not looking for love?

Joey: For me today, love is just a painful experience so wag muna.

Marie: Heartbroken?

Joey: Hindi naman heartbroken, I'm too old for that. Siguro I just have to polish my attitude about what love is.

Anac Ti Batac (Child of Batac)

Until recently, I resented my parents for never allowing me to go to Boracay or Subic (or any other happening place) with my friends during Holy Week. If I don't have work in the office, I'm stuck in Ilocos in our old house in Batac (save for one trip to Sagada which was a "penitencia" in itself). This means doing the traditional Bisita Iglesia, Stations of the Cross, Procession on Good Friday etc. This year was no exception. So there I was with my family, praying the Rosary as we walked around town on a hot hot Friday night. The candles we were holding didn't help either. When I was little I wondered why my nose was all black when I got home after the procession, duh!

As I got older, I learned to avoid inhaling the smoke from the flames and realized that I don't want to be anywhere else. I never really appreciated where I came from even after I left to study highschool in Quezon City when I was fourteen. Then I started going home less and less and less, why should I? I'm a Manila girl now. There was even a time I had that "I-live-between-two-worlds-phase", kinda like the "Fil-ams" or any other half-breed who feel that they are neither here nor there. Of course mine is on a much smaller scale, just a simple case of being a probinsyana wanting to be a city-girl but never really accepted. As a kid growing up in Ilocos, I knew some of my classmates didn't like me and my friends because we kept speaking in Tagalog (my mom is a true-blue Tagalog speaker from Bulacan) and when I got to Manila, some of my classmates would laugh at me when I pronounced something wrong in English. The most notable word was "grasshopper" in second year highschool. I pronounced it as "grass-hoe-per" and that was one of the most embarassing turning-point-of-my-life moments (considering I was winning orations left and right when I was in Ilocos). Crissa, I know you laughed the hardest (we are friends now). Fortunately, I outgrew that inane phase when I entered college and found my niche.

Nowadays, I still get the occasional "slip of the tongue" moments when I talk faster than I think and end up laughing at myself. I realized I can never be a perfect Manila girl with an Assumptionista accent and I've long accepted that. I'm proud to speak Ilocano and I'm proud of my roots, even if I'm considered a "prodigal daughter" by some (including my parents who still live in Batac). At least I'm still her daughter. I'm looking forward to next Holy Week when I go back to Batac again, whether I'm joining the procession or eating Batac's famous empanada and longganisa with a passion. I can't wait to see family and old friends again because I know to them, I'm neither here nor there, I'm just home.

Bernard and Merryl: Going Strong

I got an e-mail from Maria asking if I have more about Bernard Palanca (Rica Peralejo's ex) and Merryl Soriano (Willie Revillame's daughter and Maricel Soriano's niece) after she saw my report in TV Patrol. BJ and Merryl are now in Batangas for the Holy Week with family and friends. I caught the lovebirds at the Yes Anniversary Party last week and here's my interview with them in full. Enjoy!

Nina: Tell us where your relationship is at right now?

Bernard: It's at a point where it's still growing, but everytime it does, for every single step of the way that it grows, the better it gets, the more beautiful it becomes.

Meryll: Yeah ganon din kasi we're getting to know each other more and more. we discover things that makes us love each other more now and then parang the relationship is growing and we're very happy about it.

Nina: What's the best thing about Meryll, and whats the best thing about Bernard?

Bernard: The best thing about her is she's real and she doesnt pretend to be anyone around me. She's always herself no matter where we are and she treats me like human being.

Nina: What do you mean (human being)?

Meryll: (Laughter) You're a human being, love.

Bernard: She treats me like how someone is supposed to be treated... meaning with all honesty, complete compassion, affection, sincerity and love. She makes me.. she brings the realness out of me.

Meryll: Well, he treats me like a queen.

Bernard: You are my queen.

Meryll: Well, you are my king.

Meryll: He makes me feel so special and he lets me do the things that i want to do (aside from acting, Merryl is now also into photography). He also inspires me.

Nina: Ano naman ang say ni daddy Willie sa relasyon ninyo?

Meryll: Ok naman siya, wala naman siyang problema.

Nina: Ano ina-advise niya sayo?

Meryll: (Smiling) Wala.

Nina: Wala siyang say?

Meryll: (Laughing) Wala!

Bernard: (Laughing) Hi Dad! No..no..Tito..

Meryll: Wowowee!

Bernard: I've known Willie even before I met her, so its ok.

Meryll: So wala naman talagang problema.

Bernard: Yeah.

Nina: What are your plans this coming Holy Week, malapit na?

Meryll: Wala, we don't have plan pa nga eh (the two are now in Batangas).

Bernard: Well, actually we're still planning it.

Meryll: Yeah.

Bernard: Because we dont wanna be in Bora. We dont want to go where everyone else is going.

Meryll: Gusto sana namin somewhere peaceful.

Bernard: Somewhere very quiet and where there's water so we can wakeboard.

Meryll: (Laughing)

Bernard: I'm gonna teach her wakeboarding.

Nina: And finally, last question anong meaning sa inyo ng Holy Week kasi yung iba nakakalimutan na nila kung ano ang meaning...

Bernard: Oh no, Holy Week is really the time to reflect on...where you are, what you have, who you are and what you're given...and really to remember why you're here, why we are all here. Holy week is a very special week.

Meryll: It is the time to talk to God and just to ponder on some things and think about, you know, the blessings that you have in life and also to ask for forgiveness and talagang time to be quiet.

Bernard: And to remember what He did for us...so pay him back by being good.