Eddie Romero’s epic film to be re-exhibited this year

Ambassador Joe Romero was one of the guests in Kamuning Bakery’s Pan de Sal forum on Wednesday and one of the things he talked about was the epic film “Hari sa Hari, Lahi sa Lahi” (“King and Emperor” as international title), a Philippine-China co-production film directed by his brother, the late National Artist for Film Eddie Romero, who also wrote the script.

The film’s musical score was done by Ryan Cayabyab and Wang Liping. This movie starred Vic Vargas as the Sultan of Sulu, Chinese actor Gang Wang (Wang Hsing Gang) as the Emperor of China, and actress Rosemarie Sonora as the sultan’s wife.

Ambassador Romero and GNN Network’s “Journeys” TV show host Herman Tiu Laurel of Phil-BRICS Institute plan to re-exhibit this “Hari sa Hari” movie this year which is the 600th anniversary of Sulu Sultan Paduka Pahala’s state visit to Mind Dynasty Emperor Yong Le in China and proof of the two countries’ ancient frienship. Eddie Romero’s co-directors were Hsiao Lang and Chou Lili, cinematography was done by Manolo Abaya, and Su Shuyang was Eddie Romero’s co-writer. The movie was shown in the Hawaii Film Festival.

If Ambassador Romero and Mr. Tiu are serious in showing the film, they should talk to ABS-CBN’s Film Restoration arm, headed by Mr. Leo Katigbak, to help restore “Hari sa Hari, Lahi sa Lahi.” ABS-CBN has done a good job in restoring a number of classic Filipino movies like “Himala,” among others. They can certainly do a wonderful job in restoring this epic film of the late director Eddie Romero.

Nationalist Herman Tiu Laurel is also co-host of a new radio show, Mondays to Fridays from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. at DZRB AM 738 called “The Unfinished Revolution.” Laurel’s GNN show “Journeys” shall feature the late Eddie Romero’s “Hari sa Hari” on June 18, Sunday 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., channel 8 in Destiny Cable and channel 213 in Skycable. Herman Tiu Laurel was co-scriptwriter with Ricky Lee (this was Lee’s first film script project) in 1973 for then actor Joseph Estrada’s 1973 anti-drugs movie entitled “Dragnet.”

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People from across age groups recently trooped to the Joy Ride! by NutriAsia food truck in Luneta on Monday, June 12, eager to have a taste of both traditional and new Filipino comfort food made with quality products of NutriAsia.

According to Dang de Leon, corporate marketing consultant at Nutri-Asia Inc., the food truck goes around the metro serving reimagined local food fare.

“We tweak classic Pinoy comfort food to make the taste more appealing to millennials,” she explains, saying that the brand has partnered with GalaStars Culinary, which is headed by renowned chef Ernest Reynoso Gala, “because they know what young people want.”

Chef Gala is very excited about collaborating with the company. He points out, “They have so many wonderful products and as a chef, I have a lot of fun being creative with the recipes I am developing.”

The chef appreciates the fact that the leading condiments brand in the Philippines offers well-known products like Datu Puti and Mang Tomas, and that its excellent pre-mixes make cooking a lot easier, especially for harried homemakers.

The Joy Ride! offers meals like Adoburrito, with a choice of Spicy Adobo and Humba Adobo, a dish popular in the Visayas. The Adoburrito wrap is a combination of the popular adobo and burrito, created with highly mobile young professionals in mind.

Other food choices at Joy Ride!, de Leon discloses, are based on crowd favorites, usually a combination of dishes that are well-liked in the metro as well as in the provinces.

De Leon recommends the Pinoy Chicken Slider served with pan de sal and the Siga Bagnet Wrap, which is prepared using Mang Tomas Siga, a spicy version of the regular Mang Tomas sauce. It also has Datu Puti vinegar and cucumber to give it a kick.

On the other hand, Chef Gala reveals that food preparation is done in GalaStars Culinary—from weighing and chopping to marinating, etcetera—then brought into the food truck. “We cook everything on-site so that the food is fresh when served.”

Prices at Joy Ride! range from P40 to P80. The brand makes their offerings as affordable as they can because they want everyone to have a taste of their food creations. The serving portions are likewise larger than average, perfect for sharing.

Apart from making condiments and sauces, NutriAsia, de Leon reveals, has ventured into beverages. “We have pick-me-ups in mangosteen, guyabano, kamias, dalandan and kalamansi. These are locally sourced Pinoy fruits that we have bottled into natural juices.”

Watch for the Joy Ride! which started rolling out in Metro Manila this month, serving people at food parks, employees of business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, and customers at bazaars, events, and universities.