Lyka’s new calling

The third floor of the Bldg. A of the SM Megamall was swarming with people. There were queues that started and ended nowhere. Spider-Man had arrived. It was the opening day of the movie and three cinemas at Megamall were showing it.

Congratulations to Columbia Pictures for another smash hit. I gathered from my friend, Doris Torres, that Spider-Man clobbered the first-day records of Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

But at Megamall during the first day of Spider-Man, there was a superwoman who sashayed through the multitude like a seasoned Milan Supermodel. She was beautiful in a green jacket that made her look like a floating butterfly, checking the theater entrances and making sure the crowd that gathered outside the cinemas was safe and orderly.

People would look at her and then look at her again. She is familiar, she is beautiful. Yes, she is and she just doesn’t look like her – she is indeed movie star Lyka Ugarte (Yoraidy! Stone-Lao in real life).

Lyka is now the assistant operations manager of SM Cinemas, and she supervises the operations of 14 branches and 115 cinemas. She has been working for SM for more than two years now and according to a friend of mine, she’s extremely efficient and operations of the cinemas have never been better.

The SM Cinemas, located at SM North EDSA, SM Megamall, SM Centerpoint, SM Fairview, SM Southmall, SM Bacoor, SM Manila, SM Sucat, SM Pampanga, SM Iloilo, SM Cebu, Tutuban Silverscreen and SM Davao, will soon welcome the Podium as part of the SM family.

For the past 15 years, SM Cinemas have continuously captured over 50 percent of the total movie-going public. Moviegoers continue to enjoy their trip to the cinemas as equipped with the latest in audio-visual technology such as Dolby Digital Surround EX complemented with wide screens. SM continues to upgrade its technology standard, having just acquired two new high-tech equipment exclusive for The Podium Cinemas. With an anticipated upscale market, The Podium will prove to be another state-of-the-art experience for the movie-going public.

SM Cinemas, under the devoted supervision of Lyka is firm on remaining as the number one entertainment provider in the country. Having to open two branches each year as its target, the SM Bicutan and Cagayan de Oro cinemas are scheduled to open within the year 2002. Bicutan and Cagayan de Oro branches will each have four cinemas with Snack Bar counters.

Despite having a busy schedule, Lyka still finds time to tape a regular sitcom on GMA 7, Biglang Sibol. Prior to the said sitcom, she appeared in 16 films during the 80s such as May Lamok Sa Loob Ng Kulambo, Lalakwe, Vigilante and Alabok Sa Ulap. She was leading lady to superstars like Rudy Fernandez, Bong Revilla, Ramon Villa, Edu Manzano and Eddie Garcia. She was also a Mutya ng Pilipinas runner-up in 1983 and in the same year, she represented the Philippines in the Most Beautiful Girl in the World pageant. Later in 1988, she left for the United States to pursue a career in hotel operations. Realizing that there is no place like home, three years ago, she came back to the Philippines with her four children. She’s now a single parent working hard to support her children and living life to the fullest. Mabuhay ka Lyka!

Fritz Ynfante’s Match TV

Fritz Ynfante is directing a new TV show that promises to spice up your Sunday night viewing.

Billed as Match TV, it is an interactive dating game show that is aired every Sunday, 8 p.m. on RPN 9. It is hosted by Jeffrey Quizon, Amanda Griffin and Derek Ramsey. VJ Shannen Torres recently became a guest co-host when Amanda had to fly back to Australia for a vacation and to get swim suits for her store Tabu.

I enjoy watching the show. It’s unique and fun. Congratulations to Tito Fritz for innovating this show genre.

But just a thought. Why not gays on Match TV? Only Tito Fritz will dare! Bet?