On the set of a Regal movie

Then: June 26, 1991 — Nineteen years ago.

The setting was within showbiz perimeters. Number 52 Valencia Street is spitting distance from Greenhills Sound and the residence of German Moreno. On the other side of Ortigas was the well-known Sampaguita compound and, of course the lair of Mother Lily, Regal Films. The evening was the first day shooting of Madilim, Masikip Ang Kahapon, a product of a group called Dial a Friend, involved in environment and population control.

Chat Silayan was waiting for her cue, rehearsing her lines. Young heartthrob Romnick Sarmenta was in a jolly mood, kidding around with some of the crew. Tommy Abuel, still looking the same after all these years, was playing the role of Romnick’s father. At the back of the old house selected as the set for the episode, some old ladies were frying lumpiang shanghai and eggs, part of the snack that will soon be served to the cast and crew.

Marissa Reyes of Dial a Friend was with Wyngard Tracy, who is now acting as line producer of this project. Wyngard is an old hand in the game having worked with other artists in past movies. We are glad to see that he has regained his health after that debilitating heart attack of some years back. The last time we saw Wyngard was in L.A., where he gave me the number of Rita Gomez in New York. I was able to talk with Rita just before she passed away. Wyngard, you see, was one of Mother Rita’s exes.

There was a street scene scheduled but the people around the compound refused to cooperate. The director, Maryo delos Reyes, decided to transfer to Café Estela for another scene. This time Romnick plays a young swain waiting for Chat to come out of work. He brought roses to give her and was a picture of a shy boy wooing an older woman. The story is about adolescence and how a past can affect a young man’s relationship in the present.

Chat is a fine actress and should have more exposure on TV and films now that she is back and based in Manila once again. We expect more good roles for her. Alicia Alonzo was also in the cast as Romnick’s mother.

Also back to stay from a longish stay in the US is Mat Ranillo III. Archie, as he is still popularly called, wants to do more meaningful roles than the lover boy roles he used to do. Archie even wants to do contravida roles as bad as they come. “I want to be challenged by new roles. I think as a person matures he thinks of more challenges.”

Mat is currently doing the Cebuano film Matud Nila which is being shot in Cebu. Gloria Sevilla Cortez is in town to see to the shooting. This is a co-production venture between the Cuencos of Cebu and Gloria. Says Gloria: “I want the Cebuano Film industry to live again. Remember all the pictures I used to make in Cebuano? It was a pioneering move until Mat Ranillo Jr. (her late husband) died. When I decided to live in the US, I felt too far away for me to do something.”

Gloria’s old friend, Leroy Salvador Jr. is directing the movie. The Cebuano film has Archie, Joel Torre, Pilar Pilapil and Gloria, of course.

Matud Nila will be shown only in Cebu and other Cebuano speaking provinces. Let’s hope this will revive the Cebuano film industry.

Now: Aug. 14, 2010

Since the above piece was written 19 years ago, a lot of dramatic changes transferred. Chat died of cancer a few years ago. Romnick is now a happy family man after getting married to Harlene Bautista, sister of Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista. He sometimes appears on TV but he is more into business with his wife than showbiz. Maryo delos Reyes is still busy directing and even has some indie film projects which did very well. Mother Lily’s Regal Films is still as busy as ever. Lately, she has helped politicians in their political campaign. She is known to be close to Chiz Escudero, Mar Roxas and Korina Sanchez, Loren Legarda, Bong Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada, Lito Lapid and many more. Award-winning actor and director Leroy Salvador also died a few years back.

Gloria Sevilla, who was based in the US while married to Amado Cortez is back in town and doing teleserye after Amado died. Her granddaughter Krista Ranillo created a stir when she was rumored as the special someone of people’s champ Manny Pacquiao who is a very much married man. But Krista redeemed herself when she upped and married a childhood sweetheart who is a young, rich and good-looking businessman. So Gloria and Mat Ranillo III are more known as the grandmother and father, respectively of Krista.

Wyngard became a whiz at managing talents. When Douglas Quijano died he took over the management of Douglas’ talents, among them, Richard Gomez, Lucy Torres and John Estrada. A few weeks back, Wyngard has to undergo open heart surgery.

But now he is fully recovered.