Daily TribuneThe Pinoys who love movies filled up the Metropolitan Theater in Arroceros, Manila for the free showing there of an old film that has been remastered and digitalize: Jose Rizal, bannered by Cesar Montano and directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya in 1998 during which she probably did not imagine herself being declared National Artist someday. Perhaps, even its scriptwriter, Ricky Lee, simply felt honored when he was asked to be main writer of the film’s script.
SANDRO Muhlach
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ig/sandro muhlach
OLYMPIAN Carlos Yulo and girlfriend Chloe Anjeleigh San Jose.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ig/carlos yulo
CESAR Montano as Jose Rizal.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF cinemalaya
Double gold medalist Olympian Carlos Yulo, his mother Angelica Yulo, his Fil-Australian girlfriend Chloe Anjeleigh San Jose, stories about the kindness and generosity of the late film producer “Mother Lily” Monteverde are still major articles that hog the headlines of broadsheet entertainment sections and showbiz websites.
No more news items and features on actor Sandro’s alleged sexual harassment in the hands of two GMA7 independent contractors. That’s because the Kapuso network decided not to publish details about their findings of their investigation. The National Bureau of Investigation also decided not to publish details of Muhlach’s statement to them about what the two contractors allegedly did to him after he lost consciousness when he was served some drinks in the contractors’ hotel room after the GMA Gala 2024 ball.
But pep.ph website reporter Jojo Gabinete posted a “blind” story (meaning, no names mentioned) about a male talent sexually abused by a TV executive just a few weeks ago.
It was a cluster of blind items that prodded GMA-7 to disclose that the two executives being referred to in the harassment of the son of a famous comedian actor were connected with the Kapuso network. If not for those blind items, Sandro’s case would have not seen light.
Gabinete seems to be baiting public confessions from people in showbiz who may have tolerated unwanted touches, kisses and hugs and beyond to further their career. However, Gabinete revealed that the young man he was talking about aborted his ambition after he got drunk with the TV executive one night which was meant to be a mentoring session. The young man woke up feeling he had been physically violated.
Juicy talks about Yulo, his mom and his girlfriend would die down as they’ve all spewed out their mouthfuls, and in one huddle with the media, even Yulo’s father had his turn by revealing that money is not the contention between the son and the mother but the girlfriend who gets to stay in the champ’s quarters wherever.
The furor over the double gold medalists would fire up again when he comes home to the Philippines for a hero’s welcome. But the fire will surely smolder and reach its flying heat if Yulo comes home with San Jose and hangs on to him in the motorcade and everywhere else to the exclusion of his family.
But there were also cute and very enviable new items recently about the Yulo boy, such as the gift offerings to him of a vacation house in Nasugbu, Batangas and a lifetime subscription to Vivamax. Who knows, he might also get a gift offering of a lifetime free manicure, pedicure and foot spa.
What are you watching?
Do Pinoys who love film festivals bother with the Carlos Yulo mystique? Maybe not. The Cinemalaya goes on and nobody seems to care about the Olympics and the Pinoy glories in that global turf.
Pinoys who love movies filled up the Metropolitan Theater in Arroceros, Manila for the free showing there of an old film that has been remastered and digitalized: Jose Rizal, bannered by Cesar Montano and directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya in 1998 during which she probably did not imagine herself being declared National Artist someday. Perhaps, even its scriptwriter, Ricky Lee, simply felt honored when he was asked to be main writer of the film’s script. He also did not think he would be a National Artist someday. Both Diaz-Abaya and Lee were proclaimed National Artists last year. Diaz-Abaya’s recognition was posthumous, since she passed on 8 October 2012. The film was produced by GMA Films, the predecessor of today’s GMA Pictures.
Cinemalaya ends on 11 August, with the screening of also a remastered digitalized copy of Bona, headlined by Nora Aunor, directed by Lino Brocka. Aunor and Brocka are National Artists too.
Pinoy movie lovers should brace for the Tingin Southeast Asian Film Festival on 17 to 18 August at the Red Carpet cinema Shangri-la Plaza. And, oh boy, the gift offering to the Filipino people is free admission.
In September there will be a nationwide film festival called Sinag Maynila that will run for four days. They are not for free, and we’ll tell you next time more details about the film entries, including one that top-bills Dolly de Leon.
