Actress and television executive Charo Santos-Concio and fellow TV, movie and stage thespian Raquel Villavicencio have been colleagues and friends for decades.
Charo and Raquel's professional and personal ties started during the filming of "Kakaba-kaba Ka Ba?," a Cinema Artists' production in 1980.
Santos-Concio was one of the lead stars of the film together with Nanette Inventor, Armida Siguion-Reyna, Sandy Andolong, Johnny Delgado, Buboy Garovillo, among an all-star cast.
Villavicencio was one of the screenwriters of the film with its director Mike de Leon and Clodualdo del Mundo, Jr.
Charo and Raquel were again together in the triumvirate writing team of Villavicencio, de Leon and del Mundo in "Kisapmata," another Cinema Artists masterpiece which starred Vic Silayan, Charito Solis, Jay Ilagan, Juan Rodrigo, among a few cast members directed by Mike in 1981.
From then on, the two pretty stars in their own right, were already chummy sisters from different mothers keeping each other company when they had time, sharing laughter and tears over stories of high and low on both their public and private lives, savoring secrets and other exciting events that involved themselves or other people.
Years had passed and both Charing (Charo's pet name) and Kelly (Raquel's nickname) were already achievers in the industry--Charo as president of ABS-CBN and Raquel as prolific actress and writer.
When Santos-Concio officially retired as prime mover of ABS-CBN, she was offered a leading role in the successful Kapamilya Network action drama, "Batang Quiapo" and she became a household name as Tending.
To sustain the narrative of the series, numerous stars are being featured in the stellar cast, one of them Raquel Villavicencio.
"Noong una kasi, maghiwalay ang landas namin ni Charo dahil naging presidente nga siya ng (Our paths diverged when she headed) ABS-CBN.
"Pero nang isama nila ako sa cast, kahit na maikli lang, nagkasama muli kami ni Charo kahit kontrabida niya ang papel ko (But when I was included in the cast even short-lived she and I were together again even if I played villain to her)," Villavicencio chuckled.
"Sa set, kuwentuhan kami nang kuwentuhan. 'Yon bang 'naalala mo no'n, si ganito, si ganyan.' Tawanan kami nang tawanan (On the set, we were bringing back stories like 'do you remember this and that. We would laugh out loud)," Kelly broke into guffaws.
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