Why the APO lasted this long

Curtain-raisers:

?  The MTRCB has changed its X-rating to R-18 for Bayaw. Upon the advice of MTRCB reviewers, the film was re-edited by director Monti Parungao so that the integral frontal-nudity scenes may still be seen. Bayaw opens tomorrow, Sept. 23, in the following theaters: Robinsons Galleria, Ruben, Remar, Gotesco Grand, Gotesco Ortigas, Isetann and New Cinema in Cebu; and, soon, Robinsons Ermita, Robinsons Bacolod, Robinsons Iloilo, Robinsons Novaliches and Robinsons Metro East.

? Astig, the award-winning indie film which topped the 2009 Cinemalaya, will compete at the New Currents Section of the 14th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) in South Korea from Oct. 8 to 16. Astig won the following Cinemalaya awards: Best Director for GB Sampedro, Best Supporting Actor for Arnold Reyes, Best Editing for Charliebebs Gohetia and Best Sound for Ditoy Aguila, Juniel Valencia and Mark Locsin.

? Bebe Gandanghari (the late Rustom Padilla) is now in tune with her brother Robin Padilla who gifted her with a brand-new CRV as down payment for a Star Cinema project they’re doing together. Because of her current “status,” Bebe would rather be addressed as “Ate” by Robin and the other Padilla siblings. “Rustom Padilla is dead,” said Bebe, “so why would they call me Kuya?” Oo nga naman, ano!

* * *

This time last year, APOs Jim Paredes, Boboy Garovillo and Danny Javier had a sold-out concert at the Big Dome, called APO of the Philippines, that marked their 40th anniversary as a trio. I was there and I saw how the mixed audience (from two generations) applauded the trio’s every song. It was oh-so-good, ayos na ang kasunod.

So on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25 and 26, the APO is taking centerstage at the Sky Dome of SM North EDSA to prove once again (as if it’s necessary) that, as their concert’s title banners, (APO) Kayang-Kaya Pa.

Jim, 58, is married to Lydia Mabanta with whom he has three children (Erica, Ala and Mio); the couple has one grandchild. Boboy, 58, is married to Bong Agcaoili with whom he has two sons, Fonz and Anton. Danny, 62, is “twice married, twice annulled” (as he put it), with four children from his second failed marriage — Justine, Juliene, Jobim and Jamael.

For readers and fans out there who have been wondering what’s making the APO tick and click all these decades, Funfare is reprinting excerpts of last year’s Conversation with Jim, Boboy and Danny.  

Would the APO have lasted this long if you were not good friends?

Jim: I don’t think we would because there are so many areas to fight over...like money, fame, schedule, everything! You have to sacrifice for a bigger goal and you have to like the persons you are sacrificing with.

Boboy: The group has survived because we are barkadas, because we are good friends. We were not one of those groups which, you know, “Let’s get together for music.” Hindi ganoon, eh. We have been really good friends, we hang out together up to now, and the music just came along. We came from the same school, so we have like minds, like philosophies in life. Medyo madali kaming magka-intindihan.

Danny: It’s the friendship that keeps us together. Not the money nor anything. Take away everything else and we would still be friends.

Of the dozens and dozens of songs that you have recorded and composed for other singers (the most popular being Di Na Natuto for Gary Valenciano), which is the most memorable to you?

Jim: My favorite changes all the time. But for me, it has to be Batang-Bata Ka Pa because I wrote that when my eldest child was born. It’s such a direct composition na hindi ko inisip; the lyrics and the melody just came out naturally, spontaneously. I’m happy that the song has a universal appeal, which not only parents but also their children can relate to. 

Boboy: It’s hard to choose just one. Outside of APO, I would say Di Na Natuto which we wrote for Gary Valenciano. It was a hit. Among us, I guess it would be Awit ng Barkada which is, up to this day, being played during reunions. It has a very reassuring effect, di ba?

Danny: It’s the song that Gina (Valenciano-Martinez) asked me to write for Gary — Di Na Natuto. It was almost like a commissioned work. It was a hit, played and played on the radio for almost two years; palipat-lipat ka ng estasyon and that was the song being played. At the time, there was only one other song that was a hit, I’ll Never Say Goodbye by Willy Cruz (sung by Nonoy Zuñiga). In all my 61 years, there has never been a song na kasing-hit ng Di Na Natuto.

Aside from love of music, what do you have in common?

Jim: We really just enjoy each other’s company. We enjoy the fact that we did something really special, I think. When we started, there was really no OPM (Original Pilipino Music); it was then known as Manila Sound. When we did something like this, it was some kind of an act of rebellion — you know, when you’re young, you want to resist conformity. Pagkatapos, it bore fruit. We really felt that we did something more important than just build a career. By the way, it was Danny who thought of the term “OPM.” We put it in our records and it caught on with everybody.

Boboy: Hmmmm...Kung tutuusin, not much really. Kami ni Danny, we are into golf. Jim is into scuba-diving and biking. I also play tennis and I’m into a lot of other sports. Jim is a bookworm.

Danny: We are a community of learners. Ang sabi ko nga sa mga ka-klase ko, “The nicest thing that happened to me after college is that I began to enjoy learning.” I never studied as much until after college. There’s so much to learn from life. Study, if not imposed by other people, is one of the most enjoyable experiences in life.

Has the “ego factor” ever reared its ugly head among you?

Jim: At the start, we were always competing with each other...in all aspects, pati sa girls. But after a while, you just realized that, you know, nobody would say, “Ang ganda n’ung song na kinanta ni Boboy, or ni Jim, or ni Danny.” They would just say, “Ang ganda n’ung song ng APO.” Nagkaroon kami ng collective identity. We found our right place as a team.

Boboy: Ang “ego factor” sa amin was always internal, just among the three of us, and never about people outside of the group. Ang “ego” sa amin was...what do I want to do? You know, no contract binds us. We can just stand up and say, “Tomorrow, I’m done!” Like Jim could just say, “I’m moving to Australia!” As simple as that.

Danny: It did. We would not be human if the “ego factor” doesn’t come in the way. But like I said, we are learners. We discovered what the three of us put together are bigger than our sum. Yes, we can stand as individuals but iba ‘yung magkasama kaming tatlo.

How do you maintain and sustain the distinct APO Sound?

Jim: The APO Sound is actually...well, we maintain it by singing and singing and singing all the time. When singers get older, binabaan nila ‘yung key ng song. We are still singing in the same key as when we recorded our songs. So, it’s really, practice, practice, practice.

Boboy: You know, that’s a secret na hindi naman secret. I guess we just have a natural knack for harmonizing with each other. I like to think that songwriting needs a certain intelligence and talent, eh. You know, a lot of songs now that you hear make you wonder, “Saan nanggaling ‘yon?”

Danny: Well, kaya siguro na-maintain namin dahil wala sa amin nagpa-sex-change, kaya wala sa amin nagbago ang voice. Hehehehe!

(Note: The Philippine STAR is among the sponsors of APO Kayang-Kaya Pa, produced by Viva Concerts & Events. Tickets are priced at P2,000 for Gold reserved seats, P1,500 for Silver and P1,000 for Bronze. Call Ticketnet at 911-5555 or Viva Concerts & Events at 687-6181 local 627 or 620.)

Award-winning films at 2009 Korean Film Festival Sept. 23-29

My friend Raoul Tidalgo and I have fallen in love with Korean films (although not so much with Koreanovelas). When we were in Hong Kong, we took pains in locating the theater in Kowloon showing Frozen Flower (a “must-see”), never mind if we got lost along the way. It was worth it.

That’s why we won’t miss the 2009 Korean Film Festival set for Sept. 23 to 29, hosted by The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in cooperation with the Korea-Philippine Cultural Foundation, Inc. and Shangri-La Plaza (where the screenings will be held).

The seven films and their directors are: Old Boy (Park Chan-wook), Barking Dogs Never Bite (Bong Joon-ho), Sa-Kwa (Kang Yi-kwan), Beyond the Years (Im Kwon-taek), The Show Must Go On (Han Jae-rim), Forbidden Quest (Kim Dae-woo) and Driving with My Wife’s Lover (Kim Tai-sik).

Here’s the full schedule:

• Sept. 23: Old Boy, 8 p.m.;

• Sept. 24: Barking Dogs Never Bite, 2 p.m.; Sa-Kwa, 5 p.m.; and Forbidden Quest, 8 p.m.;

• Sept. 25: Driving with My Wife’s Lover, 2 p.m.; Forbidden Quest, 5 p.m.; and The Show Must Go On, 8 p.m.;

• Sept. 26: Beyond the Years, 2 p.m.; Barking Dogs Never Bite, 5 p.m.; and Old Boy, 8 p.m.;

• Sept. 27: Beyond the Years, 2 p.m.; Barking Dogs Never Bite, 5 p.m.; and Driving with My Wife’s Lover, 8 p.m.;

• Sept. 28: The Show Must Go On, 2 p.m.; Driving with My Wife’s Lover, 5 p.m.; and Sa-Kwa, 8 p.m.; and

• Sept. 29: Forbidden Quest, 2 p.m.; The Show Must Go On, 5 p.m.; and Old Boy, 8 p.m.

Admission is free. By all means, go!

(E-mail reactions at [email protected] or at [email protected])