The Year of the Rabbit might suggest a prolific season albeit in a wasteland as it brought forth, ironicaĺly, equally, a half-filled if not barren cornucopia of events, both happy and sad.
First, the bad news around a merry Christmastime was when I came across a socmed post that veteran and well-loved actor Ronaldo Valdez was announced dead by the police on December 17 an alleged suicide by shooting;
Erstwhile entertainment writer now Canada-based Rod Cantiveros--a Baby Boomer along with Gen X televiewers--lamented in multimedia the passing in December of his classmate in college at Philets of UST, Channel 7's "Anna Liza" director Gil Soriano who was in critical condition as early as September, according to his daughter Gia;
Oh no! The legendary producer, director, and writer Jun Urbano--the son of the legend, Manuel Conde, a National Artist for Film--died in the last quarter of the year after he received the prestigious Gawad Plaridel of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UPCMC) in October;
The world of theater, cinema, and television got jolted by the sudden demise of its young and vibrant artist Joey Paras who died of a heart condition, also in the same month;
TV news and current affairs not only of GMA Network but of all broadcast media orgs mourned the death of anchor and executive Mike Enriquez in August;
On July 16, former youth-oriented tube show "That's Entertainment" member Ricky Rivero breathed his last because of cardiac arrest;
Then I never thought it was the last time I would see celebrated multimedia entertainment journalist Mario V. Dumaual alive during the special screening of the Mario O'Hara classic film "Bulaklak sa City Jail" on the third week of May at the GSIS Theater as part of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)'s Icons program.
Mario covered the lead star of the film, Nora Aunor, who was emotionally wheelchair-bound being serenaded by her avid fans.
In the crowd, I just managed to wink at Dumaual, who after more than a month, barely three weeks before his birthday, died of septic shock;
On the third day of July, popular action star John Regala, John Paul Guido Boucher Scherrer in real life, passed on due to diabetic complications;
The last week of the first quarter was a bitter truth when youth was wasted on the young as Andrei Sison, teen Sparkle talent perished in a car accident on March 24 that shocked his fans out of the Gen Z;
Tragedy marked the nearing Valentine's Day when award-winning screenwriter Lualhati Bautista ("Nena," "Bulaklak sa City Jail," "Dekada '70," "Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa?" etc.) passed away due to a lingering illness on February 12.
Breakups, LQs, marital woes, separations, and other leavings are also bad news that before 2023 ended, Kathryn Bernardo bravely if not conveniently announced the end of her off-cam love story with longtime boyfriend Daniel Padilla.
Not to be outdone by their decision to publicize the split, Kim Chiu, in the tradition of fellow Star Magic talent Kathryn, divulged in her social media spaces "the end of her--instead of a--love story" with Xian Lim after a dozen years of romance.
Although there's no official word from the main cast themselves, showbiz denizens, much more their kin, like Annabelle Rama, had spilled the beans however indirectly that her son Richard Gutierrez and daughter-in-law Sarah Lahbati had parted ways;
Asia's Timeless Diva Dulce had called it quits with her man Bernard Cruzata after long years of togetherness;
Queen of All Media Kris Aquino officially cut romantic ties with Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste obviously in deference to her health situation;
Failure of "Iti Mapukpukaw (The Missing)," the Philippine entry to the 96th Oscars Best Foreign Language Film in the short film category.
On the collective side of television production, Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon and their loyal "dabarkads (groupie)" had bolted out from TAPE (Television and Production Exponents), Inc., the producer of the longest running daily noontime variety show "Eat Bulaga" in May as they weren't beamed on TV;
TVJ moved to TV5 with a court case of copyright ownership of the program's title retained by the Jalosjoses in GMA Network only to be taken back by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in favor of the petitioner.
Reunions are good news when Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion staged their blockbuster concert "Dear Heart" successively in Manila and Cebu which also marked the public appearance of KC Concepcion in her mom and dad's show;
The fierce rivalry between ABS-CBN and GMA Network ended when the two major stakeholders in TV prods collaborated in the teleserye "Unbreak My Heart" that carried on to the airing of "It's Showtime" in GMA's GTV;
The perennial tandem of Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon returned and reunited in the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival official entry "When I Met You in Tokyo";
Weddings are indeed good tidings in 2010 Miss Universe Fourth Runner-Up Venus Raj and her Christian husband North Orillan whom she has been sharing spirituality;
Abby Viduya, formerly known as Priscilla Almeda, wedded her dream boy Jomari Yllana in Las Vegas;
2016 Binibining Pilipinas-Universe Maxene Medina tied the knot with businessman Timothy Llana on two separate dates, first in Antipolo City, then in Palawan;
Film director Cathy Garcia removed her second name Molina and replaced it with Sampana when she married cinematographer Louie Sampana in Zambales Beach in May 2;
Cosplay Queen Alodia Gosiengfiao married Christopher Quimbo on Valentine's Day;
Gay couple Nica del Rosario, composer of Leni Robredo's "Rosas," said "I dos" with Justine Pena in the most unorthodox way in Indang, Cavite;
GMA Network's contract artist Carlo Gonzalez and News and Current Affairs anchor Luane Dy got married at the Shrine of Therese of the Child Jesus Church in Pasay City;
Glaiza de Castro and Irishman David Rainey after their Great Britain's garden wedding held their second wedding in Zambales;
Maricel Laxa and Anthony Pangilinan's daughter Ella married Enrique Miranda in a Filipiniana regalia;
Lovi Poe and British film producer Monty Blencowe tied the knot in London while 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach had a beach wedding with Jeremy Jauncey in Africa;
LJ Reyes, for the first time, experienced walking down the aisle with Fil-Am businessman Philip Evangelista in New York.
Quezon City 1st District Congressman and actor Arjo Atayde settled down in a dreamy matrimony with Yaya Dub Maine Mendoza in a supposedly quiet event in Baguio City in July but many of their friends in and out of showbiz showed up to share their joyful moments;
Maja Salvador and businessman Rambo Nunez got married first in the Philippines but took another ceremony in Bali, Indonesia with newlyweds Arjo and Maine in attendance immediately after their Baguio union;
Gretchen Barretto and Tony Boy Cojuangco's daughter Dominique Cojuangco and Michael Hearn exchanged "I dos" in historic San Agustin Church in Intramuros;
Vin Abrenica wedded Sophie Albert in Tagaytay.
Making public their romance is bliss that made Ricky Davao and Malca happier;
Cristine Reyes and Marco Gumabao are more inspired.
International appreciation of local talents reeks with pride when Dolly de Leon was invited to join the American Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), the giver of Oscar Award, the mother of All Awards in the world and her wins and triumphs abroad.
Ruby Ruiz was also recognized internationally in films.
In August, Michelle Nikki Junia was voted by the CCP Board of Trustees as the new President of the Center thereby making her the youngest head of the agency in its years of existence.
On the global cinema, Filipino films were awarded, namely Ma-an Dagngalan's "Blue Room" at the 2023 La Femme International Film Festival for Best Film; Mikhail Red's "Deleter" at the Grimmfest in Manchester for Best Scare Film; Anton Juan's "Amon Banwa sa Lawud" at the 2023 Louth Int'l Filmfest in Louth country for Best International Film.
The Philippines has indeed made news in diverse manners.
Happy New Year!
Shorts: At the 49th Metro Manila Film Festival awards held Wednesday night at the New Frontier in Cubao, GMA Films' "Firefly" won Best Picture; Pepe Diokno, Best Director ("Gomburza"); Vilma Santos, Best Actress ("When I Met You in Tokyo"): Cedrick Juan, Best Actor ("Gomburza"); Miles Ocampo, Best Supporting Actress ("Family of Two") and JC Santos, Best Suppodting Actor ("Mallari"). Please follow other editions of OpinYon (Laguna, Region 8, Batangas, Subic-Clark and Rizal) for updates.
#Imagery #BoyVillasanta #2023TheYearThatWasInPHShowbiz #Celebrities #MMFF #Entertainment #OpinYonColumn #OpinYon #WeTakeAStand