Vandolph wakes up; Dolphy smiles again!

Curtain-raisers:

• Condolence to the family of Jessie Yu, producer of Lotus Films, who died of a stroke yesterday. Jessie was the younger brother of Regal Matriarch Mother Lily (Monteverde) and the husband of dermatologist Dr. Nellie Tan-Yu, the sister of Seiko Films producer Robbie Tan. Jessie’s remains lie at the Funeraria Paz on Araneta Avenue, Quezon City. Interment will be announced later.

• The Le Boulevardier bar of Hotel Inter-Continental Manila features the following bands this month: Blusssh on Mondays, Jaspers and Illustra on Tuesdays, Jaspers and Band@Work on Wednesdays, Gravity and Blusssh on Thursdays, Music Making Co. and Outbreak on Fridays, and Band@Work on Saturdays. Happy hour is from 6 to 8:30 p.m., featuring all-you-can-drink San Miguel draft beer with pica-pica (discounts of 50 percent on standard house drinks and 25 percent on premium labels).

• The Kapisanan ng mga Direktor ng Pelikulang Pilipino (KDPP) will hold the election of its new officers and members of the board on Sunday, Dec. 16, at 2 p.m. at the Tropical Hut, Mother Ignacia St. (beside the new National Bookstore), Quezon City. Espiridion D. Laxa, chairman of the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), will supervise the election. KDPP is one of the movie guilds under the umbrella of FAP. An on-the-floor open nomination of candidates will be held to elect the 15 members of the board who will in turn elect the officers of the guild. All KDPP members are urged to attend the election. For inquiries, call Leonardo Q. Belen, at 241-45-81 or 241-45-57.

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Three weeks to the day he and his late girlfriend Desiree Raquiza (buried last Sunday at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City) were seriously injured in that dusk car accident in Pangasinan, Vandolph finally opened his eyes after lying unconscious at the ICU of the Makati Med. It happened last Monday when Vandolph’s respirator was removed for good and he was transferred to a private room.

The signs, according to Dolor Guevarra who has been watching over Vandolph with the Quizons (dad Dolphy, brothers Eric and Jeffrey, etc.), mom Alma Moreno, stepdad Joey Marquez and stepmom Zsa Zsa Padilla, were very positive – and very encouraging, such as:

• Vandolph was restless the whole day Tuesday

•Vandolph would wrinkle his brows when he was spoken to or when the radio beside him was turned off

•Vandolph can slightly turn on his side by himself

•Vandolph can slightly lift his leg

• Vandolph kicked his pillow once

• Vandolph’s eyes would blink when somebody passed his hand over them

• Vandolph can hear when people around are talking

The best sign however, was when Vandolph opened his eyes, making (especially) Dolphy smile again. In the past three weeks, Dolphy hardly smiled. If he did, it was pilit na pilit. He has been so depressed and so despondent that his speaking voice has been reduced to a mere whisper (although he thinks that he’s speaking loudly already).

"We’ve been praying and praying for a miracle," said Eric, "and I think the miracle is working."

On Vandolph’s pillow are pinned religious pictures, rosaries and medals, etc. There’s even a pair of gloves (kept in a glass case), said to have been worn by Padre Pio (the Italian priest beatified three years ago).

"More than ever," said Dolphy, "I realized the power of prayer." (Remember the passage... More things are wrought by prayers than this world dreams of?)

Mom Alma has been saying on national television what her Christmas wish is: "Sana gumising na ang anak ko!" Her wish is being slowly granted.

It’s good enough that Vandolph has finally awakened from that long, lonely slumber even if he can’t recognize yet the people around him. His doctors said it might take time for Vandolph to do that. But he’s getting there, let’s hope.

Martin reacts

Funfare’s first caller yesterday morning was, you guessed it, Martin Nievera, saying he was "amused" by this corner’s "birthday reminder" to his ex-wife Pops Fernandez (who turned 35 yesterday, and not last Monday as Funfare wrongly reported).

Martin is very happy with his personal and professional life, proving to all and sundry that, yes, you can combine love and career and come out a big winner.

Year 2001 was a great year for Martin who has done dozens and dozens of concerts, making him the Concert King and Entertainer of the Year of All Time (any objection?).

I told Martin that I read somewhere a few days ago that he and Pops are spending Christmas together and Martin said, "I’ll spend time with our kids (Ram and Robin) for sure but I’m not sure if I’m spending Christmas with Pops." (You know who Martin is spending Christmas with, don’t you?)

I forgot to ask what Martin’s birthday gift was to Pops. Even if I did, I’m sure Martin would rather keep it a secret.