Mukhang kapwa politically preoccupied ang former couple na sina Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto at Optical Media Board (OMB) Chairman Edu Manzano even if the next elections won’t happen until May 2010.
On Ate Vi’s part, dinig ko ang pangungulit sa kanya ni Vice President Noli de Castro to be his runningmate, but the lady governor stands her ground: Nais pa rin daw niyang pamunuan ang buong lalawigan ng Batangas during her first teem bilang kauna-unahan, take note, na babaeng gobernador.
Seemingly armed with the same political fate and faith, target naman ni Edu na tumakbong senador. And I must say, why not? Without undue comparison, Edu is one person who can transcend his thespic brilliance. Kung nagagampanan niya nang mahusay ang kanyang tungkulin bilang OMB chief, there is hardly any doubt that he can discharge more challenging functions still of national scope.
Yun nga lang, Edu might displease Ate Vi if he refuses to do even a cameo role for her 2009 comeback movie under Star Cinema tentatively titled A Mother’s Story, na pagsasamahan ng anak nilang si Luis Philip Manzano.
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Ipinagdiinan ni Annabelle Rama at last Tuesday night’s Gutierrez-hosted post-Christmas party for the press na ’di hamak na ang roster ngayon ng mga Royal Era Entertainment talents ay “matitino at magaganda, as opposed to yung mga alaga ko noon na pokpok, ang papangit kaya nalaos na silang lahat!’’
Established in 1995, the family-owned Royal Era Entertainment (Era stands for Eddie, Ruffa and all her brothers plus Annabelle) has seen the existence and extinction of quite a number of artists.
Through the years though, nadagdagan ang listahan nito making it virtually the envy of most managers slugging it out in the business called talent management.
Ngayon, bukod sa mga anak nina Tito Eddie at Tita Annabelle, kabilang sa Royal Era babies ang magkapatid na Ehra at Michelle Madrigal, Assunta de Rossi, Arnell Ignacio, Almira Muhlach, Ana Roces, Heart Evangelista, JC de Vera, TJ Trinidad, at ang pinakahuli, si Miriam Quiambao.
Except for Heart, kumpleto ang mga nasabing alagang ’yon ni Tita Annabelle sa post-holiday party ng Royal Era that proudly defied its previous yearly events kung saan minor home appliances were up for grabs.
‘‘Sosyal na tayo ngayon,’’ pagmamalaki ni Tita Annabelle who never fails to remind all her artists, ‘‘Kapag kumita naman kayo, huwag na huwag n’yo namang kalilimutang i-share ang mga blessings n’yo sa mga reporters dahil sila rin ang dahilan kung bakit successful kayo sa mga career n’yo.’’
Kalabisan nang sabihin, but for many years ay kilala si Tita Annabelle for being fiercely generous, bagay na hindi na kailangan pang isulat daw.
‘‘Basta, yung mga nanalo ng Globe cellphone, isulat n’yo naman sila ang isa sa mga sponsors ng party na ito!’’ mandatory na sey ni Tita A.