Topic: 7 Untold Pinoy Stories

[frootloops]

      *Untold Pinoy Story No. 1*


Beyond Sibling Rivalry

If your siblings are married to huge celebrities and
you've just lost your chance of marrying one, would
you still strive to surpass their feat?

But how could you beat being married to an award-winning
actress whose mother is a beautiful actress and whose
father is the original Agent X-44 of Philipine movies?

Or being the wife of Mr. Pure Energy?

Or being Mr. Megastar?

Now, aren't you glad that you're not among the
Pangilinan siblings?

Former Penthouse Live co-host and newspaper columnist
Anthony Pangilinan married Maricel Laxa, an excellent
actress who is the lovechild of circa 60s actress
Imelda Ilanan and action star Tony Ferrer. She is also
the half-sister of 1990 Miss Asia runner-up Mutya
Crisostomo Laxa.


Anthony's brother, Senator Francis Pangilinan, was a
campus figure in UP Diliman. He was the chairman of the
UP Student Council in 1986. He married no less than
the megastar, Sharon Cuneta.
 
Their sister, Angeli Pangilinan, was a campus beauty
and brain while she was a student at the UP School of
Economics in Diliman. Angeli married Mr.Pure Energy himself, Gary Valenciano.

REWIND: In the early 80s, teenager Edgardo Jose
Martin Santiago Valenciano or Gary V. to most of us,
fell deeply in love with a teenage girl who eventually
became his girlfriend. Gary's true love, they said.
And they really looked perfect together.

Their friends said that they were truly meant for each
other. They were the picture of pure bliss. But not for
long.

Few weeks before Gary's first major concert in 1984,
a female singer became pregnant. And Gary was the alleged
father. Gary did not deny it. At 19, Gary
joined the
growing list of unwed teenage fathers.

Gary's former girlfriend was shocked upon hearing
about Gary's indiscretion. She felt betrayed by Gary and
the female singer. Gary's former girlfriend was devastated.

The pregnant singer who bore Gary's child was a former
Camay girl who joined the ultra exclusive league of several
generations of Camay beauties from the first Camay girl
Paquita Roces to her two daughters, Maritess Revilla (Ang
lahat ay napapalingon¦ At muling napapalingon) and Rosie
Revilla to actress Rosa Rosal's daughter Toni Rose Gayda
(Kutis porcelana) to concert pianist Ingrid Sala Santamaria's
daughter Crispy Santamaria to a few others. The female
singer indeed looked devastatingly beautiful in her
memorable Camay TV commercial. But there was a teeny weeny
objection among his friends: She was too old for the
teenage and vibrant Gary whose popularity was just
beginning to zoom
up.

Everybody knows that the female singer who became pregnant
with Gary's child was Maria Anna Elizabeth Nepomuceno
Pangilinan. In 1985, Gary exchanged vows with the female
singer who is more popularly known by her nickname: Angeli.

Angeli retired from her singing group, Music and Magic.
Angeli sacrificed her flourishing singing career and left
behind her fellow Music and Magic members led by jeepney
driver's daughter-turned-nurse-turned-singer Kuh Ledesma,
tenor singer-turned-Music and Magic co-founder-turned-
musical director Jet Montelibano and
singer-turned-comedian-turned TNT-turned- bogus
political asylum seeker-turned-Michael Garfinkel endorser
Fe de los Reyes.

Angeli decided to become a full-time wife to Gary, baby
Paolo's Mom and Gary's talent manager.

Meanwhile, the pain of losing Gary has left Gary's former
girlfriend in deep shock. Gary and his new bride tried to
comfort her
but Gary's former girlfriend was inconsolable.

PLAY: Gary Valenciano's most inspired and most popular
composition was first heard as the theme song of a
Vilma Santos movie before it became the title of an
Aga Muhlach-Lea Salonga flick and later, the title of a
Kim Chiu-Gerald Anderson TV soap opera.

The haunting melody and melancholy lyrics of this
beautiful song make one wonder where Gary drew the
passion and longing for lost love which every line of this
song clearly evokes.

Listen:

Sana maulit muli
Ang mga oras nating nakaraan
Bakit nagkaganito
Naglaho na ba ang pag-ibig mo?
Sana'y maulit muli
Sana bigyan pansin ang himig ko
Kahapon, bukas, ngayon
Tanging wala ng ibang mahal
Kung kaya kong iwanan ka
'Di na sana aasa pa
Kung kaya kong umiwas na
'Di na sana lalapit pa
Kung kaya ko sana
Ibalik ang kahapon
Sandaling 'di mapapantayan
Huwag sana nating itapon
Pagmamahal
na tapat
Kung ako'y nagkamali minsan
'Di na ba mapagbibigyan
O giliw, dinggin mo ang nais ko, oooh...
Kung kaya kong iwanan ka
'Di na sana aasa pa
Kung kaya kong umiwas na
'Di na sana lalapit pa
Kung kaya ko sana
Ito ang tanging nais ko
Ang ating kahapon sana maulit muli
Kung kaya kong iwanan ka
'Di na sana aasa pa
Mahal pa rin kita
O giliw, o giliw ko, oooh...

This song was originally written by Gary in English.
Ironically, the one who translated it to Tagalog was
Gary's wife, Angeli.

FAST FORWARD: Now, Gary has three grown-up children
with Angeli. On the other hand, Gary's former girlfriend
is now known as Mrs. Buizon. She occasionally hosts a show
on TV.

The pain has eased. Somehow. Even if the former lovers get
to see each other regularly. They meet at her Mom's house
during important occasions:

Christmas. New Year. Birthday of Mrs. Buizon's mother.
Mrs. Buizon's
birthday. Gary's birthday. Holidays.
Easter Sunday. Every Sunday, in fact.

Gary's equally famous in-laws were witnesses to the former
lovers' meetings. But they do not mind at all.

Gary's wife, Angeli, does not make a fuss over it.

Even the family matriarch, retired public school teacher
Mommy Emma, is not bothered by it.

But the truth is, they could not prevent the former
lovers from seeing each other.

Because Gary's former girlfriend has to join her
mother, siblings and in-laws during important family
occasions.

And because Gary's former girlfriend was Felichi
Buizon.

And because before she got married, Gary's former
girlfriend was known as Felichi Pangilinan.

And yes, because Felichi Pangilinan-Buizon is the younger
sister of Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano.

And none of us would probably ever know the rest of
this intriguing triangle's story.

[frootloops]

*Untold Pinoy Story No.2*

It Could Happen Only in the Movies

These two women move in different circles but they
seem to lead parallel lives.

Barbara C. Gonzales is the great-granddaughter of
national hero, Dr.Jose Rizal. Her great-grandmother is
Dr. Jose Rizal's elder sister, Maria, a liberated woman
who was separated from her husband Daniel.

Barbara is more popularly known by her nickname, Tweetums.
She once appeared in a Del Monte tomato sauce TV commercial
featuring three generations of women in the kitchen.
Yes, that was Tweetums with her daughter,  Panjee, and
Tweetum's mother whom they fondly called Mamu. Tweetums
was married to Ramon Tapales, a successful businessman.
Their daughter, Panjee Tapales ( a.k.a. singer
Panjee
Gonzales), was co-host of ABS-CBN's daily morning show,
Alas Singko Y Media (now Magandang Umaga Pilipinas) and
its defunct Sunday morning game show with Roderick Paulate
and Eric Quizon. Panjee soon became the second wife of
ABS-CBN chairman, Gabby Lopez. (But that's another story.)
Tweetums writes about art and culture in her column for
the Philippine Star.

She has published a couple of books consisting of
collections of her essays from her newspaper column.
She remains a highly-respected media personality, being
the president of a major advertising company.

Socorro Alicia R. Quirino is the granddaughter of
former president Elpidio Quirino. More popularly known by
her nickname, Cory, she hosts a lifestyle show on TV.
Her kidnapping ordeal a few years ago was made into a
movie entitled, The Cory Quirino Kidnap, which was
directed by massacre king Carlo J. Caparas. Cory was
married to
Roman Cruz, Jr. who was the president of
Philippine Airlines and head of Government Service
Insurance System (GSIS). Cory writes a regular column on
fitness and health for the Philippine Daily Inquirer. She
also published a series of health, beauty and inspirational
books. She remains a highly visible media personality with
her radio and TV programs.

While Tweetums and Cory were both successful in their
respective  careers, their personal lives were not as rosy.
Tweetums Gonzales and her husband, Ramon Tapales,
eventually decided to lead separate lives. Likewise, Cory
Quirino and her husband, Roman Cruz, Jr., soon parted ways.

Indeed, Tweetums and Cory seem to lead parallel lives.

Then, in a strange twist of fate, the unthinkable happened.
While geometry teaches us that parallel lines can never
intersect, the parallel lives of Tweetums and Cory did
intersect.

Tweetums Gonzales got married to
Cory's former husband,
Roman Cruz, Jr.

Meanwhile, Cory Quirino got married to Tweetum's former
husband, Ramon Tapales.

Just like in the movies.

And you know the rest of their story.

[frootloops]

*Untold Pinoy Story No. 3*

Her Mother's Joy

Her mother has always been proud of her. Mighty proud.
And rightly so.

In the spring of 1991, Julia Roberts graced the cover of
People Magazine's special issue featuring its annual list
of The 50 Most Beautiful People in the World. Together with
Julia Roberts in this ultimate list of the most beautiful
people were Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Madonna, Mel Gibson,
Whitney Houston, Michelle Pfeiffer, Isabella Rossellini,
supermodels Claudia Schiffer & Naomi Campbell and oops!..
a
Filipina?

Yes, People Magazine's 1991 list of The 50 Most Beautiful
People in the World included a true-blooded Filipina who
was born, raised and educated in the Philippines.

Unlike most beautiful Filipinas who were the products of
mixed marriages and who have therefore acquired foreign
physical features, this Filipina was born to a Filipina
mother and a Filipino father. It is no wonder that she
does not typify a beautiful woman by any standards:
She is short, standing only 5'2". She has a huge and deep
acne scar on her forehead. She has that distinct Asian
nose (read: flat). She uses only Avon cosmetics (gasp!)
and applies makeup by herself.

During her pre-Inno Sotto days, her clothes were not made
by known couturiers: They were lovingly sewn at home by
her mother who is a dressmaker. She does not even
have the right genes to inherit beauty from: Her mother
was plain, even stern-looking.
Her father was a dark-skinned
guy with the tough facial features of a hardened military
man.

Although both the first names of her mother and
father means happy in two different languages, their
union was not as joyous. Her mother and father were never
married, making her and her only brother illegitimate
children.

In the mistress hierarchy, her mother was not even
her father's second woman. Her father had a first mistress
who ranked above her mother.

She and her brother only belong to their father's third
family. And yes, the gay club performer who once appeared
on national television was indeed her half-brother. She
couldn't therefore be faulted for not talking about her
father. In contrast, too much has been known about her
mother. Her mother was always visible, too visible for
comfort.

Her mother gave her the name Carmen and raised her in a
province north of Manila. However, when it
was time for
her to go to school, her overprotective mother brought
her and her brother to Manila to give them the best
education. Carmen studied in Preciosa Soliven's
Operation Brotherhood Montessori in Greenhills where
she emerged as the school's valedictorian. However,
Carmen's academic rival protested the school's decision
to award Carmen the school's highest honors, claiming that
she had better grades than Carmen.

Carmen's rival even revealed that the school's owner, Mrs.
Soliven, was only fond of Carmen because she always
performed in school programs which gave Carmen an edge in
extra-curricular activities. But academically,
Carmen reportedly did not really rise above her rival.

Lured into show business, Carmen became part of German
Moreno's inane daily afternoon TV show,
That's Entertainment, where she got paired with comedian
and now Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert "Bistek"
Bautista. (Some
say that Vice Mayor Bautista was so
enamored with Carmen that he later refused to marry his
partner despite their having a child.) As one of the
countless stars of Kuya Germ's That's Entertainment,
Carmen's talent was overshadowed by the ridiculous
mass appeal of the triumvirate of Sheryl Cruz, Manilyn
Reynes and Tina Paner.

Later, Carmen made a couple of forgettable films
which were big flops.

Unsuccessful in local show business, Carmen enrolled as a
BS Biology student in Ateneo de Manila, hoping to become
a doctor. However, the lure of fame and fortune shattered
her medical ambition. She followed her other dream and
landed in a ¦Dreamland! Yes, instead of comforting
innocent and fresh-smelling babies in a hospital, she
ended up entertaining horny, sweaty and foul-smelling
drunken men in seedy bars.

When Carmen was a little girl, a local manghuhula
predicted that she would be crowned Miss
Universe.
Her mother, legally known as Miss Imutan, was ecstatic
upon hearing this. Sadly, the prophecy did not come true.

However,when Carmen was 18 years old, she bagged a beauty
title. But it was farfetched from a Miss Universe crown.
Carmen became Miss Saigon.

Yes, the only true-blooded Filipina who was included
in People Magazine's The 50 Most Beautiful People in the
World in 1991 is Feliciano Salonga and
Ligaya "Joy" Imutan's only daughter: Carmen Lea
Imutan Salonga.

Most of us know her simply as Lea Salonga.

[frootloops]

Untold Story No. 4       
                                 
At a tender age of 17, Marcial was a war correspondent for
The Manila Times. Marcial's war experience provided him
with a treasure chest of stories which inspired him to
write a movie screenplay.
His screenplay was made into a
movie, starring Jaime de la Rosa and a 16 year old actress
named Dorothy. Helmed by renowned director Lamberto
Avellana, the movie was a huge success. During the first
FAMAS award ceremony in 1952, Dorothy received the first
FAMAS trophy for best supporting actress for her role in
the movie.

The only child of a US soldier and a Filipina, Dorothy was
also a semi-finalist in the 1952 Miss Philippines beauty
contest. It was therefore not surprising that Marcial got
so enamored with Dorothy that he did everything to court
her. Marcial even carried Dorothy's make-up kit during
movie shootings. Marcial became Dorothy's dakilang
alalay.

Dorothy studied pre-Law at the University of Santo Tomas
but her booming movie career made it impossible for her to
continue.

Likewise, Marcial took up Law at the University of
the Philippines but the lure of journalism ended his

dream of becoming a lawyer.

Marcial became known for his gift of gab and political
skill. This led to his victory as a town mayor at a young
age of 22. Meanwhile, Dorothy became popular for her acting
prowess and dancing skill. This led to her victory in
several acting derbies.

Marcial's younger sister was the director of the movie
which won for Dorothy her last FAMAS best supporting
actress award.

But while Philippine politics and show business naturally
intertwine, political kingpin Marcial and movie queen
Dorothy were not destined to be together.

Dorothy married a man named Victorino who fathered her
only daughter. But their union did not last. After a series
of unsuccessful relationships, Dorothy finally tied the
knot again with an American B-movie actor-singer.
In contrast, Marcial remained faithfully married all his
life to an American-educated woman who bore his only son
and four
daughters.

But while Marcial survived the Korean War which he covered,
he did not survive the war on the home front. Likewise,
Dorothy did not survive her own war at home.

Both Marcial and Dorothy suffered violent deaths.
Marcial was shot. Dorothy was stabbed several times.
Committed 18 years apart, the separate murders of
Marcial and Dorothy made headlines several years ago.
However, both murders remained unsolved to this day.
Some say that identifying their killers is not
the issue because everyone, except the authorities,
seems to know the identity of their respective killers.
Rumors even abound that the masterminds in the murders of
Marcial and Dorothy were related to them by affinity.
But the real mystery lies in the fact that the
perpetrators of these high-profile crimes remain
scot-free to this day, despite the enormous clout which
the victims' respective family wields.

Some say that
Marcial's death was a result of his
being branded a communist by the government. This is ironic
because the screenplay which Marcial wrote and which won
for Dorothy her first FAMAS trophy was the second in a
trilogy of anti-communist movies which were produced by
LVN Pictures in support of the government's efforts to
fight communism.

Dorothy's shocking death led to embarrassing revelations
about her painful personal battle. Marcial's equally
shocking death led to well-deserved recognition of his
heroic political battle.

Dorothy was killed amid rows of cars in the covered
and dark parking lot of the Movie and Television Review
and Classification Board (MTRCB) building. Despite his
escorts, Marcial was killed amid rows of airplanes in a
wide open space in broad daylight while descending
down the tarmac of what was then known as the Manila
International Airport (MIA).

Of course, we all know
Dorothy as Dolphy's TV wife,
Marsha.

And we all know Marcial as Cory's real-life husband,
Ninoy.

Yes, Dorothy Jones was the real name of Nida Blanca.
And yes, Marcial Bonifacio was the fictitious name
on the passport of Benigno Aquino, Jr. on the day that he
was murdered.

And you know the rest of their stories.

[frootloops]

Untold Pinoy Story No. 5

She was born on the day of hearts, February 14. But her
parents did not name her Valentina. Not even Venus or
Aphrodite. They opted for the holy-sounding Kristina
Bernadette. But she did not turn out to be a saint.

Being the youngest, Kristina Bernadette captured the
heart of her father. Father and daughter were inseparable.
Until tragedy struck.

Kristina Bernadette's father was sent to prison. His
heart ailment grew
worse there.

On February 14, 1974, Valentine's Day, Kristina
Bernadette celebrated her third birthday with her father
in prison. On the same day, a man was exchanging hearts
with a southern belle in nearby San Juan church.

Nine years later, on August 21, the man who got
married in San Juan church was celebrating his birthday
with his basketball buddies. On the same day, Kristina
Bernadette's father was killed.

Kristina Bernadette and the married man never knew
each other. They lived very different lives. But in 1994,
Kristina Bernadette and the married man met at work.
Their first meeting blossomed into deep friendship.
Some said that she longed for a father figure. But the
friendship blossomed into romance which went beyond
control. Kristina Bernadette used her heart, not her head.
She decided to live with the married man.

Kristina Bernadette's mother was furious at the
relationship. How
could Kristina Bernadette's mother
like a man who celebrates his birthday every year on the
death anniversary of her murdered husband?
But more than this was the fact that the man's heart
already belonged to someone else. In fact, he has a
grown-up daughter in New York who was nearly Kristina
Bernadette's age.

Despite her religious mother's efforts to put an end to
Kristina Bernadette's adulterous affair with the man,
Kristina Bernadette had her way. It didn't matter to
Kristina Bernadette that her decision prevented her
from receiving church communion because she was openly
living in sin.

It did not take long before Kristina Bernadette gave
birth to her love child who was the spitting image of her
live-in partner. But Kristina Bernadette's son was born
with Attention Deficit Hyper-Activity Disorder.
Her son's birth softened the heart of Kristina Bernadette's
mother who announced that Kristina
Bernadette's son was
her favorite grandson. When Kristina Bernadette first
planned to have a liposuction, her mother tried to stop
her, warning Kristina Bernadette that she (the mother) was
too old to take care of Kristina Bernadette's son if
something happened to her during her surgery. But as in
the past, Kristina Bernadette had her way. She went on
with her liposuction.

But Kristina Bernadette's relationship with her
live-in partner was not meant to last. In her Ateneo
accent, Kristina Bernadette would  always correct her
live-in partner's grammatical lapses. Her live-in
partner also got annoyed whenever Kristina Bernadette
would hand him a stick of Milagrosa candle every time he
used the bathroom.

According to Kristina Bernadette, the candle helped
drive away the stinking smell of her live-in partner's
crap. Kristina Bernadette confessed that she learned this
trick from her mother. And when
Kristina Bernadette's
live-in partner stopped pursuing his petition
for the annulment of his first marriage in San Juan
church, Kristina Bernadette began to express doubt about
her live-in partner's sincerity in marrying her.
Kristina Bernadette's heart was hurt.

Their relationship turned for the worse.

Kristina Bernadette finally realized that her
live-in partner could never be her savior. She decided to
leave the father of her son and her live-in partner for
many years: Philip Salvador.

Yes, Kristina Bernadette is the youngest daughter of
President Corazon (means heart in Spanish) Aquino and the
late Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr.

And yes, Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino is the
full name of Kris Aquino.

And everyone knows the heart of her story.

[frootloops]

Untold Pinoy Story 6

East and West

The Story of the Muslim Princess

Suppose that there was a Muslim princess from the flood
capital of the Philippines, Malabon, who has just finished
her degree in Mass Communications from the University of
the Philippines with Latin honors (cum laude).
Suppose that she decided to work for Discorama.
Remember the Saturday afternoon show on GMA Channel
7 with former Senator Tito Sotto, his brother Vic Sotto
and comedian Joey de Leon as hosts?

The Muslim princess was assigned to host the Tough Hits
segment of the show. As Tough Hits girl, she did the
weekly countdown of popular songs with bastardized lyrics
to elicit cheap laughs. Her mother, who was an executive
at the Philippine National Bank in Escolta, just shrugged
her shoulders whenever her colleagues would
ask about her
favorite daughter's TV show.

Soon, a female newscaster of a major TV network introduced
the Muslim princess to her brother, a flight steward. After
a whirlwind courtship, the Muslim princess married the
flight steward who used to be a child actor whose only
claim to fame was playing the role of a toddler Bongbong
Marcos in a Marcos bio-flick. After a couple of months,
the Muslim princess and the flight steward quietly
separated.

But career-wise, lady luck smiled at the Muslim princess
when she was given a big break by the major TV network.
She bagged the plum assignment of delivering the evening
news while at the same time hosting a successful TV
magazine program which was pitted against a similar
program in a rival TV network hosted by her former UP
professor. However, the Muslim princess was such a
perfectionist that it was reportedly not uncommon to see
objects flying whenever
she was unsatisfied with her
TV staff's work.

Later, the Muslim princess got married again, this time
to a well-known local politician from a province south of
Manila. The namesake of her father, her politician
husband had grown-up children close to the Muslim
princess' age and it was being talked about that his first
wife lived in the same condominium building where the
Muslim princess and her new husband occupied the penthouse. The
Muslim princess'husband also reportedly decided to become
a Muslim so that he could have more than one wife.
They were blessed with two sons.

The Muslim princess' husband soon retired from
politics and became contented with being a magician and a
human toothpaste applier for his Muslim princess'
toothbrush. (Incidentally, the Muslim princess once
appeared in a Close-Up Toothpaste TV commercial.) Now, the
Muslim princess and her magician husband (He could
make a big
Coke bottle disappear before your eyes.)
are happily separated. Later, the Muslim princess'
husband was accused of being responsible for the
disappearance of his close friend.

The Story of the Black Nazarene Devotee Suppose that
there was a  Black Nazarene devotee from the tamaraw
capital of the Philippines who claimed to have graduated
with a business degree from the University of the East
despite his critics' contention that he just bought his
college diploma from the sidewalk of C. M. Recto Avenue.
He worked as a radio reporter for a major radio and TV
network. With perseverance, he was given a Sunday
morning radio show. Later, he would occasionally
pinch-hit for announcers whenever they would not show up
for their radio program.

He also hosted a daily radio serialization of movies
for a program dubbed as Sineradyo.

His biggest TV break came when a TV network hired him for a
top-rated
showbiz-oriented TV show called See-Tru. The
show was hosted by gossip queen, Lourdes Jimenez-Carvajal
who was more popularly known as Inday Badiday or Ate Luds
to her legions of fans.
The Black Nazarene devotee's appearance was only through
voice-over (and he was never really seen by the TV
audience) and it was always preceded by his usual line:
"Ate Luds, may phone-in question po tayo rito galing
kay...". Yes, his job involved reading TV audience's
phone-in questions to Inday Badiday's movie star guests.
However, despite the TV show's enormous popularity, it was
immediately cancelled after one of the show's female
guests hurled an ashtray at another female guest.

Later, the Black Nazarene devotee married a lady
executive of the radio and TV network where he had moved
up to become the host of its early morning radio show.
They adopted a girl and had a younger son later.

Never The Twain Shall Meet


Suppose that the Muslim princess and the Black Nazarene
devotee met in the same office where they both work.
Suppose also that the Black Nazarene devotee personally
chose the Muslim princess as one of the principal sponsors
for his adopted daughter's wedding to one of the members
of the staff of his widely popular TV program.

Suppose further that both the Muslim princess and
the Black Nazarene devotee became elected government
officials and they both decided to run for the same
government office on the same year.
They both run for say, the presidency of the Philippines.
No, that's being too  ambitious. Okay, suppose that they
both run for the position of Vice President under
opposing political parties. Who would you vote for?

The Muslim princess or the Black Nazarene devotee?

If you would vote for the Muslim princess, you just
wasted your vote.

If you would vote for the Black Nazarene
devotee,
you are good at spotting a winner (but it does not mean
that you did not also waste your vote).

Because the honorary Muslim princess is former
Senator Loren Legarda who lost her bid for the
Vice Presidency of the Philippines in the
2002 national elections.

And yes, the Black Nazarene devotee who helps carry
the replica of the Black Nazarene image barefoot and
wearing only a white undershirt (sans bullet-proof vest)
during the annual Quiapo procession as part of his
religious devotion (yes, he still does it up to this day)
is Noli de Castro, current Vice President of the
Philippines.

[frootloops]

Untold Pinoy Story No. 7

Pure Innuendoes

They were the best of friends. They were always seen
together around the University of the
Philippines (UP)
campus in Diliman: one was undoubtedly a very good-looking
guy and the other was unquestionably a plain-looking guy.
Opposites really attract. Hey, but they're both
brilliant students. Well, birds of the same feather
also flock together. Indeed, they were very close to each
other. Unusually close.

They were the perfect tandem. Like suman and ripe mango.
Or nuts and bolts. Peg and a hole.

They were both protégées of then UP Student Council
chairman Chito Gascon. Soon, the good-looking guy took the
helm as UP Student Council chairman. But the best friends
seem to follow each other's  path. The plain-looking guy
also ran for the same position with the all-out support of
his good-looking friend. He won, of course.

The good-looking guy was the crush ng bayan of the
iskolars ng bayan.

During lunchtime, students of all persuasions flocked to
the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)
cafeteria to catch
a glimpse of the good-looking guy. Even singer-actress
Regine Velasquez  later admitted on national television
that she had a big crush on the good-looking guy.

But loveless Regine's daring admission did not earn
her even just a movie date invitation from the good-looking
guy;instead, the good-looking guy merely flashed a demure
smile in response to desperate Regine's thinly-veiled
date invitation.

But after finishing college, the best friends went their
separate ways. (Or so it seemed). The plain-looking guy
pursued his law studies and later taught law courses.
The good-looking guy delivered the evening news on TV,
hosted a TV quiz show and wrote analytical articles on pop
culture. His good looks, intelligence and impeccable
manner endeared him to televiewers.

Despite their divergent career choices, the good-looking
guy and the plain-looking guy really seemed to follow
each
other's path. But this time, their path led to a nice
little apartment near the Ateneo de Manila campus.
And they shared that nice little apartment. Just the
two of them.

Yes, the plain-looking guy and the good-looking guy
lived together.

Those gifted with wild imagination got titillated at
the mere thought of these two young men sharing a lovely
apartment. The moralists out there shook their heads at
the mere thought of the goings-on beyond that
innocent-looking apartment door amid rows of middle-class
houses in Loyola Heights in Quezon City.

But the pair would not budge from their nest. Nor
would they yield to any pressure. Not even from the
plain-looking guy's bible-reading siblings who berated
him for living with another guy. The plain-looking guy's
own family started to cast doubt about his masculinity.

All telltale signs which have accumulated all those
years could no longer
be ignored. People started talking
openly about the two guys.

Speculations about the true nature of the pair's
friendship became a daily fodder for gossip mongers.
The academic freedom which alma mater UP's oblation
symbolizes seemed to have gone beyond the duo's lust for
knowledge.
 
In order to prove to his family that he was not what
they thought he was, the plain-looking guy suddenly
announced that he was getting  married. His family jumped
with joy.

But the plain-looking guy's marriage did not dispel
wild speculations about his sexuality; instead, it only
succeeded in erasing any remaining doubt about his alleged
agenda of using his wife to finally succeed in his failed
initial crack at pursuing his lifelong dream.

And it was well worth his efforts. Because this
former loser's desperate act finally triumphed. Thanks to
his wife.

However, the plain-looking guy's deep
friendship
with his good-looking friend took a backseat as a result
of the former's new civil  status. The plain-looking guy
did not want to hurt his new wife's flourishing career nor
spoil his newfound success.

That's why he played his role as a good family man to the
hilt. However, he had not forgotten his good-looking best
friend at all. As a token of their undying friendship,
the good-looking guy stood as one of the
godfathers of the plain-looking guy's first baby,
together with Edu Manzano, Cesar Montano, Cherie Gil,
Ciara Sotto, Angeli Valenciano, Fanny Serrano and a host
of other household names.

Of course, the plain-looking guy's wife was clueless about
her husband's past.

But the plain-looking guy's wife had her share of dark
past. She is a single mother who parted ways with her
good-looking "first husband" after she discovered that
her good-looking "first husband" was already married
to
another woman when she hastily married him after
she got pregnant at a young age. This meant that her
marriage to her good-looking "first husband" was not
legally binding after all.

Now, the plain-looking guy was her knight-in-shining-armor
who rescued her from the stigma of being an unmarried
mother.

Ironically, while her non-binding marriage with her
good-looking "first husband" was solemnized by several
high-ranking priests at the cavernous Manila Cathedral
amid countless clicking cameras and thousands of shrieking
admirers several years ago, her supposedly legitimate
marriage with the plain-looking guy was officiated not by
a Catholic priest but by a pastor in a cramped living room,
with only few relatives and friends as witnesses.

Later, the good-looking guy reportedly got married
also without fanfare. They said that his bride was a
creative consultant for ABS-CBN Interactive. However,
some
women still believe and hope that he is still unmarried
to this day.

The good-looking guy soon rose to become ABS-CBN
News Channel's ANC) Director for Current Affairs.
He has been circling the globe as host of ANC's weekly
travel show, Executive Class.

Yes, the good-looking guy is David Celdran.

And the plain-looking guy is megastar Sharon Cuneta's
husband, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan.

[keating]

I met David Celdran during my college days because my close friend became one of his student and friends also where he teach in St. Scholastica. We even chill out watching Side A's gig in Arts Venue in Manila.

He was a very nice guy, down-to-earth and good conversationalist also. No comment about his sexuality.

[indie boi]

Celdran is very down to earth and an over all nice guy. First time I met him was at the LFS tambayan in UP. We were not even introduced to each other. We just sat together while waiting for people. We met again almost a year after in ABS-CBN. My group was there looking for people to interview and Celdran greeted me first when he saw me and asked me if I needed any help. It was amazing that he remembered me when we didn't even talk to each other. He was already hosting Cafe Bravo then with Apa Ongpin and Tweetums Gonzales.

Contrast that to Karen Davila, who was my classmate for almost four years in UP but who pretended that she did not know me when I bumped into her at an event. Not that I introduced myself. She actually introduced herself but with an air of "hey I"m a bigtime TV personality, and you are?" What an *ss.

I've been hearing about that sexuality issue when I was already working in ABS-CBN and it actually persisted until a few years ago when it suddenly died.

Great series of "stories" Frootloops. Can you post more of these?

[Noel_Vera]

He's gay, he's not gay, not surprised either way.

indie, when you mean 'interview,' do you mean you were part of the crew interviewing people for those quick segments in Cinema One? I remember when they used to ask me for some comments. Remember exactly how that stopped, too.

[Chito C.]

WOW!

[keating]

I wonder how will my friend react now if she read the post above. She went crazy over David even thinking of wild ideas and invited him to her debut but he didn't come. Imagine her frustrations when David didn't arrive. She dropped on his class but managed to graduate in 1994.

I kept on teasing her during those days when I would frequent St. Scho.....he's not worthy and you have many opponents in that one........just the Side A gig is enough. 

[indie boi]

He's gay, he's not gay, not surprised either way.

indie, when you mean 'interview,' do you mean you were part of the crew interviewing people for those quick segments in Cinema One? I remember when they used to ask me for some comments. Remember exactly how that stopped, too.

Haha! Nope. I was still at school then, it was for a Journalism project. I worked for Skycable when Cinema One was at its infancy. Ronald Arguelles was the head then. I think they started that interview segment after I left. It would've been cool had I interviewed you though.

[oweidah]

gary v. - tuhog king!
c angeli kahawig ni betty boop 

[jeckjeck]

very nice stories... more more more! 

[Noel_Vera]

Haha! Nope. I was still at school then, it was for a Journalism project. I worked for Skycable when Cinema One was at its infancy. Ronald Arguelles was the head then. I think they started that interview segment after I left. It would've been cool had I interviewed you though.

I'd be your best ever interview. You'd have a hard time cutting anything out.

Ah well, I warned them, but they didn't listen.

[Munskie]

nice stories!!! 

[halvert]

hey, all these are in a blog http://untoldpinoystories.blogspot.com is frootloops the owner of that blog? if not, i hope he/she credits the writer of these stories

[keating]

Aside from SANA MAULIT MULI, HUWAG MO NA SANANG ISIPIN by Gary V. was used as music in Elwood Perez' IBULONG MO SA DIYOS which starred Vilma Santos in 1988.

[Noel_Vera]

hey, all these are in a blog http://untoldpinoystories.blogspot.com is frootloops the owner of that blog? if not, i hope he/she credits the writer of these stories

That sounds serious. Are these stories being plagiarized?