Untold Stories

[renkai]

---

[br]Posted on: June 14, 2007, 08:55:03 AM_________________________________________________U ntold Pinoy Story No. 5
This Child of

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 and breast augmentation, among other things.

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.

[renkai]

hahahay...

kung mobasa lang gyd mo ani nga story for sure mangita gyd mo og lain...

[enroe]

hala ahaka gud ani brd...

nice lage ni...

karon pa gyd ko kabalo ani dah...

siya d i ni?

[lana21]

taasa pud oi...kapoy basa

[batibot]

post pa renkai... giganahan kog basa dah... hehe

[YJOB]

and then Kristina Bernadeth met Juan Pedro Calunsod Yap ;D

[lana21]

cge ako cya ingnon na post na pud cya

[renkai]

another untold story...



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 standard: 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 reportedly 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 reportedly a first mistress who ranked above her mother. It was being talked about that 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. But it was never proven.

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…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: Maria Ligaya Carmen Imutan Salonga.

Most of us know her simply as Lea Salonga.

And most of you know about her amazing journey to West End and Broadway.

[renkai]

BEyoND SIBLINGS RIVALRY....

nice one.....dont amazed....



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 one of 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 José MartÃ*n 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 MarÃ*a 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 film 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.

[renkai]

another one....



ANAK NG PASAY

Do you remember these songs?

Tina

Sealed with a Kiss

The Birds and the Bees

When Summer is Gone

Save your Heart for Me

The Night Has a Thousand Eyes

If you do, then you must have been one of those screaming teens who trooped to the Araneta Coliseum in the mid-60s when the 22-year old singer who popularized these songs had a successful concert with his band, the Playboys. This young singer was named after actor Cary Grant but his birth certificate erroneously recorded his name as Gary. Yes, this young singer is Gary Lewis, the son of Hollywood comedian Jerry Lewis.

During Gary Lewis and the Playboys’ concert at the Araneta Coliseum, one of their back-up dancers was a pretty Filipina named Gemma. At the rehearsal, Gary complimented Gemma for her good looks. But Gemma surprised Gary with her response: “You must meet my sister�.

The next day, Gemma dragged her morena-complexioned sister, Jinky, to Gary’s dressing room. When Gary set his eyes on Jinky, Gary momentarily forgot that he came to Manila for a concert. Less than a year later, Jinky Suzara officially became Mrs. Gary Lewis.

Yes, Gary Lewis married an ordinary Filipina teenager at the height of his popularity.

Gary and Jinky’s love story inspired the brilliant comics novelist, Mars Ravelo, to write a comics novel about them. Mars Ravelo was the author of such popular comics novel as Darna, Dyesebel, Captain Barbel, Bondying, Wanted:Perfect Mother, Maruja, among many others.

Entitled Haydee, The Brown Girl and the White Idol, the illustrated comics novel about Gary and Jinky appeared in Teen Agers’ Songs and Shows comics (later shortened to TSS comics). TSS comics is a comics-sized magazine filled with showbiz articles and illustrated novels in Taglish.

The comics novel immediately gained popularity. Aling Miling Blas of Lea Productions (named after her daughter, not the Broadway star), one of the major film companies at the time, immediately bought the rights to Mars Ravelo’s comics novel to turn it into a movie. Lea Production’s resident director, the late Lino Brocka, was tapped to direct the movie.

Aling Miling Blas hyped up the movie’s production by conducting a search for the actress who would play the role of Haydee which was based on the real-life character of Jinky Suzara. Director Lino Brocka wanted a fresh face to play the role opposite TV host Ed Finlan who would play the role of Gary Lewis.

The long quest for Haydee finally ended when Lino Brocka brought to the studio a young woman who had just won a beauty competition. Her name was Marilou Destreza. Although Marilou Destreza lacks the sophistication of Jinky Suzara, her beauty is undoubtedly stunning.

However, there was a little problem. Marilou’s mother was the epitome of a stage mother. She was overly protective of her daughter. One day, Marilou's mother handed Lino Brocka a long list. It was a list of conditions relative to Marilou's appearance in the movie. Some of these conditions were too outrageous to be taken seriously.

Lino Brocka finally got fed up and declared that he could not work with Marilou if her mother would not stop meddling with her daughter’s affairs. In a rare act of defiance of Aling Miling Blas, Lino Brocka dropped his new movie’s leading lady. Marilou Destreza was suddenly out of the picture, literally and figuratively. Lino Brocka started a new search for a fresh face to essay the role of Haydee.

Lino Brocka’s search brought him to the slums of Pasay City. While roaming among the cardboard houses of Leveriza, Lino’s attention was captivated by a 13-year old mestiza who was fetching water from a poso. Lino Brocka wasted no time. He immediately approached the charming mestiza. The 13-year old mestiza’s real-life story was worthy of a film itself. The 13-year old mestiza’s mother was abandoned by her American husband when the 13-year old mestiza was still a toddler.

Despite Aling Miling’s protestations, Lino Brocka signed up the 13-year old slum girl to play the lead role in a major film by a major film production company. Showbiz insiders thought that it was insane. But Lino Brocka was firm in his decision. He did not want anyone else to play Haydee.

The 13-year old mestiza from the slums of Leveriza was finally launched as a major star, heralding the return of the mestiza glamour of movie stars of the old which came to a halt with the entry of the diminutive morena and plain-looking Leonora Cabaltera Villamayor a.k.a. Nora Aunor to her legion of fans.

The actor’s director that he was, Lino Brocka trained the 13-year old mestiza slum girl to act. And she turned out to be a terrific actress. Even Lino Brocka was impressed.

The 13-year old maestiza slum girl’s name is Susan.

In the movie, Santiago, the teenage Susan acted with the king of Philippine movies, Fernando Poe, Jr. Susan played the role of a deaf-mute girl. While filmimg this movie, they even inserted dirt inside Susan’s fingernails for authenticity. But all her sacrifices in this movie paid off. Susan got the attention of the critics. She even won the FAMAS award for best supporting actress for this movie, besting several veteran actresses. This award also gave Susan the distinction of being the youngest recipient of the FAMAS best supporting actress trophy.
Susan was paired with a shy but goodlooking actor who grew up with his adopted parents. But they were regarded as only a minor loveteam. They could not compete with the phenomenal popularity of the loveteams of Guy & Pip (Nora Aunor and Tirso Cruz III) and Vi & Bot (actress-turned-mayor-turned-governor Vilma Santos and actor-turned writer-turned-TV director Edgar Mortiz who ended up marrying another Santos, Millette Santos, who is the younger sister of ABS-CBN executive Charo Santos-Concio).

But in a later movie, Cherry Blossoms, which was Lea Productions’ entry to the Manila Film Festival that year, Susan was paired with a young man named Nicholas Hammond. Anyone who has seen the movie, The Sound of Music, would remember Nicholas Hammond. Yes, Nicholas Hammond was the young boy who played the role of Friedrich von Trapp, the eldest son of Christopher Plummer (who played Captain von Trapp) in The Sound of Music.
Just like other good actors, Susan has her share of acting quirks. To get herself into the movie character that she plays, Susan would stay in her van before a shoot. She would hold a mirror and stare at herself. By the time she emerges from her van, she has morphed into her movie character.

Since then, Susan had established herself as a major dramatic actress in Philippine movies. Susan gained international recognition when one of her most memorable films, which was shot in the slums, was screened at the Cannes Film Festival to rave reviews.

Susan’s star soared to great heights.
Meanwhile, starlet Marilou Destreza plunged to oblivion.

Susan also appeared in a memorable Lux soap TV commercial which was reminiscent of the house of mirrors climactic scene in Orson Welles' movie, The Lady from Shanghai which starred Rita Hayworth and which will have a remake starring Nicole Kidman to be directed by Wong Kar Wai. Susan's TV commercial came out way after Claudia Cardinale's and way before Michelle Pfeiffer's similar endorsements, to mention a few of the other beautiful women around the world who appeared in a Lux TV commercial.

But Susan does not only possess one of the most beautiful faces in Philippine cinema, notwithstanding her exceptional acting ability. She is also a smart girl who knew the value of education. Despite her enormous popularity and hectic film schedule, she managed to finish a degree in International Studies at Maryknoll College (now Miriam College). As if that was not enough, Susan even completed her Masters Degree in the same school.

At a very young age, Susan secretly married an equally brilliant actor. But Aling Miling Blas guarded this secret with the ferocity of a lion in order to protect Susan’s booming career. Susan and the actor had one biological daughter. They also adopted a couple of kids.

But Susan’s marriage with the briliant actor did not last. Later, Susan’s brilliant actor ex-husband decided to live with another brilliant actress who also hailed from the slums, like Susan.

On the other hand, Susan had a series of failed relationships. Her succeeding children were fathered by different men. But they were mostly intelligent and decent men. From actor to businessman to doctor.

Susan’s only biological daughter with her brilliant actor ex-husband lived with Susan’s businessman ex-husband and his new wife (a popular ramp model-turned TV sitcom actress-turned housewife) while she was taking up a nursing course in the United States. Later, Susan’s businessman ex-husband was found lifeless while resting on a couch in his house.

Despite her failed relationships with different men, Susan has kept her integrity as an exceptional movie actress.

If you ask any respectable film critic for a list of all-time ten best film actresses of Philippine cinema, Susan would definitely be on top of that list.

But they would probably not list her by her real name, Susan Reid.

Instead, they would list her by her screen name.

They would list her as Hilda Koronel.

Yes, Hilda Koronel is the screen name of Susan Reid.

And most of you know the rest of her colorful life story.