Says the Raven, ‘Nevermore!’

Curtain-raisers:

• Correction, please: Eula Valdez is the granddaughter of Fernando Amorsolo (father of Eula’s mom) and not of Vicente Manansala as erroneously reported in yesterday’s Funfare.

•Could it be true that a noontime TV show co-host has split up with her husband (who’s from a showbiz clan)? What could have caused the break-up (which surprises people who know the couple to be "happy" and "ideal")? Was a third party (on whose part?) involved? Or has the wife’s going sexy on national television anything to do with it?

• Condolence to Ellen Esguerra (remember her?) whose only child diagnosed to have brain cancer at age 7 (but was on remission) died last week of flu at age 15. Ellen, married to a lawyer, is based in Baguio. The child’s remains were cremated over the weekend.

Will Marian Devotee June Keithley-Castro faint in shock when she watches (if she ever) Viva Films’ Dos Ekis, the Erik Matti bold drama topbilled by Rica Peralejo and Mark Anthony Fernandez? June is Vice-Chairman of the MTRCB and chances are that she just might watch the movie and – watch out! – get the shock of her life.

You see, June and husband Angelo Castro’s ex-daughter-in-law Raven Villanueva (divorced from the couple’s son Diego Castro) is also in the movie, having her belated "debut" as a bold star. In one scene, Raven bares her breasts while making love with Mark whom she seduces while her good-for-nothing husband is away.

The former T.G.I.S. star has decided to come back from Guam where she stayed for almost two years, first working at the Outrigger Resort before moving to another job while at the same time studying Management (incomplete) at a Guam school.

"I missed showbiz," said Raven who has blossomed where it counted (see those big boobs!), "especially after I guested on Kool Ka Lang (GMA sitcom) when they did an episode in Guam. So here I am, as good as new."

Now free as a bird (and so is Diego who got another girl pregnant immediately after he broke up with Raven), Raven’s only regret about that marital fiasco is marrying early/young. "Otherwise," she said, "okay lang. I have a wonderful daughter, Angelica (four years old)."

She left for Guam not so much to mend a broken heart ("Our break-up was a big relief to both of us, I guess") as to have a change of pace, until she started missing showbiz.

"Why did Diego and I broke up? Simple: Hindi kami magkasundo, so we kept on fighting. May gusto siya na ayaw ko at may gusto naman akong ayaw niya, so we clashed."

She has nothing but praises for her (ex)-mom-in-law June.

"She and Diego’s dad were nice to me when Diego and I were staying with them. Lagi kaming nagma-mass."

Asked if she and Diego would ever reconcile (their being divorced notwithstanding), Raven said, "Nevermore!" Not now when Viva Films is set to launch her as its newest bold star.

Meanwhile, will Mama June ejaculate (you know, "Pray for her... Lord, have mercy on her!") the moment she sees Raven bigger than life baring her hitherto hidden assets in Dos Ekis? Will Mama June give the movie a "double X"?

A few issues ago, Funfare reported that Lav Diaz’s five-hour-long made-in-USA masterpiece Batang West Side, starring Yul Servo in the title role, wouldn’t be the opening film nor was it included in the Cinemanila Film Festival scheduled in December. Funfare was, sigh, misinformed. Here’s a reaction letter from Amable "Tikoy" Aguiluz VI, Cinemanila Festival Director, setting the record straight:

First of all, we would like to thank you for featuring the Cinemanila International Film Festival 2001 in an article in your Funfare column entitled "Batang West Side won’t be at Cinemanila fest after all" (Tuesday, Oct. 9/The Philippine STAR).

In connection to this, Cinemanila would like to make the following clarifications:

1. As announced during the Cinemanila luncheon for filmmakers held last Aug. 7 at the National Sports Grill in Makati City, Cinemanila 2001 will feature the Philippine premiere of Batang West Side by Lav Diaz. In fact, Ayala Land Inc.’s assistant vice president David Rafael has agreed to screen the film in its entirety, devoting one theater in the Ayala Cinemas.

2. Batang West Side has always been in the program of Cinemanila 2001 and is one of the very first feature films selected for the festival’s line-up.

3. Cinemanila 2001 has yet to announce its final choice for the opening and even the closing films since the deadline for the submission of entries to the festival has been extended to Oct. 29. Batang West Side has been especially selected as one of the highlights of the Philippine cinema focus of Cinemanila 2001 and the festival will be its Asian premiere.

We hope that this will clarify matters regarding Batang West Side as it has always been the prime objective of Cinemanila to showcase to the world the best works of Filipino filmmakers.

Best regards,
– Amable "Tikoy" Aguiluz
Festival director, Cinemanila

The 80,000-plus OPAS (Overseas Performing Artists) in Japan, who contribute a lot to the estimated US$8 billion that OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) remit to the Philippine coffers, have found a champion in the person of Rey Salac, himself a one-time OPA and now a singer back home and talent manager.

You see, a Department of Labor Order (DO) would place these OPAS veritably under the total control of the agencies, if the latter succeed to edge out of the market the OPAS’ talent managers and their training centers. In their position paper (copy furnished the Office of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) on said DO, the OPAS claim the draft DO "will not achieve the government’s desired aims, namely to ‘streamline’ and ‘simplify’ the present Artist Record Book (ARB) system, and stamp out graft and corruption inherent in the process."

"By virtually abolishing the TM-conducted academic training in favor of a five-day series of non-testing seminars called COPPA in the new set-up, the DO drafters have made a step closer towards the abolition of our talent managers’ sector," said Salac. "Without the academics, and even with the retention of the skills training, our TMs cease to be TCs, and will be transformed into a mere studio."