Maribel Lopez: Life on her own terms

Most everyone has heard of Maria Isabel Lopez, Maribel for short, but most of the knowledge is confined to the beauty queen turned sexy star. For sure, she was the first legitimate actress, one who dared appear in full nudity in the Celso Ad Castillo starrer Isla shot for the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines (ECP) in 1984 at a time when nudity was only relegated to a few non-celebrities who appeared in near pornographic films.

Her experience with Isla is much like that of 1979 Miss Mutya finalist Tetchie Agbayani who likewise dared to pose nude for the centerfold of Playboy Magazine and instigated much controversy, admiration, as well as reproach. Another beauty queen, 1969 Miss Universe Gloria Diaz’s career zoomed after popularizing the "wet look" in Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa also directed by Celso Ad. Castillo.

Looking back, 1982 Binibining Pilipinas-Universe Maribel admits that in doing Isla, she came to be known as the ECP Queen and created more impact than her predecessors since the film was shown exclusively at the Manila Film Center to long queues of moviegoers.

What most people are not aware of is that after winning the Binibining Pilipinas Universe title, she went on to doing international films – a French movie Joy et Joan, American films Dune Warriors and Mission Manila, the Italian film Black Cobra, the Chinese comedy Gambling Heroes for Shaw Brothers in Hong Kong with the Dolphy of Hong Kong.

She also did a telemovie for Fugi Television as a Filipina intently wooed by a Japanese.

Reinvention is the keyword to Maribel’s character which she says is the only way one can be assured of growth.

And grow she did, away from the purely beauty queen-turned-artista tag, and into the world of business, art, fashion design and various advocacies.

After meeting Japanese businessman Hiroshi Yokohama in 1990 in Tokyo during one of her fashion-related events abroad, Maribel decided it was time to start a family. The 15-year union produced an attractive daughter, Mara Isabella, now under contract with ABS-CBN’s Star Magic, and nine-year-old Ken. After living in Tokyo some five years, she and her husband decided to come back to the Philippines.

Once back, Maribel again became visible in the local entertainment scene, at the same time organizing the Film Artists Group of movie stars into painting and sculpture, involving herself in environmental concerns, and becoming an active speaker for civic organizations.

It comes as no surprise that Maribel re-involved herself in the arts, having been a graduate of the UP College of Fine Arts. Her nude paintings have garnered much interest and favorable acclaim. In 2001, upon her return to Manila, she conceptualized with good friend, writer-producer Natalie Palanca The Film Artist Group which has come up with exhibits yearly and whose roster is constantly growing. Among the members are Cesar Montano, Joey de Leon, Al Quinn, Cris Villanueva, Rachel and Lani Lobangco, Ian Veneracion, the late Vic Vargas, Victor Wood, Evangeline Pascual, Nadia Montenegro, Jao Mapa, Baron Geisler, Celso Ad Castillo, Danny Zialcita, Ruby Rodriguez, Jeffrey Quizon, Rosanna Roces, Kay Dacer, Andrea del Rosario, Criselda Volks, Dranreb Belleza, Francis Magalona, Michael V and Melissa Mendez.

In 2003, she managed Luntiang Paraiso, a forest in Sta. Maria, Laguna, coordinating with scientists and foresters on the proper care, maintenance and growth of trees as well as long range plans of lumber production.

Another advocacy is the FAITH (Food Available in the Home) in which she grows vegetables and other organic products at home and teaches others to do so.

"I am an urban agriculturist," she proudly tells us. Her garage is filled with pots of malunggay, kangkong, lemon grass, oregano and the like which she gives out as gifts to friends.

Apart from this, she is an ardent speaker against fast foods and for the healthy lifestyle. Her invitations to speak before civic and women’s groups have grown to include such diverse topics as women empowerment, bringing up children, family life, fitness and wellness, sensuality and aging.

"But I am not the traditional speaker," she warns. She comes to a session totally unprepared, her talk growing out of what she perceives are the needs of her audience.

Her most engaging talks are the scents and sensuality talks like How to be Sexy to your Husband or Lover, How to beat the Economic Crisis during the Holiday Season, Nurturing the Mind, Body and Spirit, Anti-Aging Techniques, Diet and Exercise and Women Empowerment.

In all of them, the message is clear. One has to love oneself more in order to be successful in loving another.

Much has changed in Maribel’s lifestyle compared to 25 years ago. If she was worldly and materialistic in the past, working for money, non-committal in relationships and a party-goer, the Maribel of today is spiritual with simple wants, still working for the money but making the money work for her, a committed mom and lover and a homebody.

What has remained unchanged in her being bold and daring, although not simply for the camera but in decision making; gorgeous and sexy at 115 lbs. and still smart and shrewd, this time tempered with wisdom and compassion.

If there is anything Maribel has failed at, it is at keeping her marriage. Not that she and her husband did not try. In 1999, when the union showed signs of initial problems, the couple turned to religion hoping it would save the marriage. However, in September last year, Maribel saw that all efforts were futile and started divorce proceedings.

The decision has not been without pain and regret. After all, she was already mature, in her 30s when she married. At present, Maribel has put on hold her normally hectic undertakings, to "give myself time to focus on myself. It is a time for mourning and healing."

Still, aware of her strong-woman traits, we are certain she will come around in good time. Maribel had always been made of sterner stuff. As a young actress at the peak of her career, she had the foresight to invest in real estate. "When all my colleagues were spending money buying clothes, I was busy paying off mortgages. I always knew that fame and the money that came with it wouldn’t last."

She still lives with her children in the condominium unit she bought in 1994. Her ex-husband who is the only Japanese executive in DHL in the Philippines, answers for the education of their children. Maribel considers herself luckier than most. "At this point when the economy, and the entertainment sector are down, I wouldn’t be able to maintain our current lifestyle without the help of my ex-husband," says Maribel.

At the moment, she still gets invitations to guest on TV and the movies. Her most recent assignments have been Matthew, Mark, Luke directed by Gil Portes last year, and Trigger, directed by Ronnie Ricketts for Derek Dee. She is an endorser for Marc and James of England’s alternative perfume line. She is getting ready to appear in Serox for writer-director Ed Lejano, one of the 10 finalists in the Cinema One Digital Film competition.

Life goes on for her, at her own pace, and most important, on her own terms.

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