August 20, 1939, the birthday of our all-time favorite Da King (FPJ). He would have turned 83.
I remember that evening of November, 1982 when I received a phone call about 8:30 pm.
“Baby (he never called me Babes), si Kuya Ronnie mo ‘to”, FPJ started our chat. Sabi ko, why did he have to say he’s Kuya R
, when I knew his voice very well – always calm and gentle. “Busy ka?”
Even if I were, why would I not have time for Da King? He rarely made phone calls.
“Oks ba if I request you to invite the movie press to my location sa Ilocos – your Manang Inday (SUSAN) will provide the details ha. Highlights of my scenes in Panday (Ikatlong Yugto). Isama mo sila – mag 3 days kayo. Shooting during the day but party party tayo at night.”
So there we were (around 10 kami) in Ate Sue’s Kombi (a van) – 10 hours to Vigan! The roads were rough and we made a few stops.
“On your way back to Manila, you must make a stop at the grapes plantation, alam yan ng driver. Pabaunan natin ng ubas ang ating mga bisita,” Kuya Ron had added.
The following day, we watched some scenes near the Batac Church and ate lunch on the set, his leading lady Dang Cecilo assisted in entertaining us. She said in a hush, “FPJ pala is so nice, what a gentleman!”
The following morning – ’twas 5:30 a.m. when I heard a faint knock on the door of our inn (there were no hotels yet in the area.)
“Baby, did I wake you up?” Naku, it was Da King, smelling so fresh and as good as a newly opened soap from a box. “Halika, breakfast tayong dalawa, kuwentuhan tayo before your colleagues join us.”
There we were, seated face to face, sharing a small table outdoors – I noticed the crew was beginning to set up.
“Alam mo ba why we’re eating together? Secret ito, wag mong sasabihin,” but I noticed him breaking into a smile (he had a wonderful sense of humor). “I will show you how I make my breakfast,” he stood up and got a can of corned beef. “First step, do not talk while you are opening this,” he was starting to giggle, “kasi pag nagsalita ka hindi sasarap.”
He slowly opened the can and then reached for a fork. “Ganito, slowly,” he held the can up and tried to get a piece by using his fork. “Mas masarap ito straight from the can.” Now he’s laughing. “Dami kong baon niyan, alam ni Inday (SUSAN).
Actually he had my breakfast prepared by the inn. Fried rice with eggs and longganisang Vigan. Our coffee was kapeng Batangas!
“But you are free to share my corned beef, off the record,” tawa na naman sya.
It was 6:00 pm that same day when I noticed a part of his crew was leaving the set, “Ssssh, may surprise ako sa press,” he whispered. He dined with us and even joined in our ride from Batac to our inn.
“Ooops, walang matutulog, may happening,” he announced and led us to a room. Aba! Party time! “Wala ditong disco but look,” he beamed with pride as the door opened to a make-shift bar, full of blinking lights and pulsating music. He danced with the ladies and drank beer with the guys. The crew pala set this up. This fun story was shared by the press to everyone when we went back to Manila. Everyone had a good time and they said finally, they saw this side of Da King! He even sang “My Funny Valentine.”
When FPJ left us in December of 2004, I rushed back to Manila flying directly from Los Angeles.
“WHEN a man as popular and as deeply-loved as Fernando Poe Jr. dies, we can be sure that many will try to claim him as one of their own. But FPJ always knew where he belonged–with the masa. Da King is not dead; he lives in their consciousness…He was their hero, their benefactor, their protector and friend. He gave them hope for a better life, but above all, he showed them what a Filipino in these times could be. Loyal, kind, brave and strong.
He didn’t talk much in his films or in real life. He preferred the casual conversation of his loyal buddies over the rituals of social gatherings. He avoided the limelight not out of snobbishness,but out of shyness.
FPJ remained an intensely private person. As an actor, he shunned all media interviews. He never promoted his own films. Individuals like him measure their worth not by the amount of money they have but by the fidelity of their friends and followers. To the needy, they give not out of pity, but from a deep sense of duty. They expect nothing in return. Their power over their men is not based on acquired or inherited rights but on the grace of their charisma,” analyzed by a popular non-showbiz columnist.
When FPJ was a teenager, he was described as a delinquent during his lo waist gang days. He was so private he shied away from the press. But ask anyone who has worked with him and they will tell you instantly that he’s so kind. If FPJ heard you shouting or cursing the crew members for no reason at all, you are in for trouble because he treated superstars and bit players and plain extras on the same level.
I remember when my dear friend and colleague Pablo Tariman interviewed him in 1994. FPJ seldom gave interviews.
Pablo recalled, “FPJ was midway into his salad and I was finishing a bowl of soup when he started the conservation by recalling filmmaking in the old days…Those were the days when a film director could finish a film in less than a month. That was easy because all preproduction details had been ironed out before the start of actual shooting. Those were the days, too, when movie stars would crown a beauty queen or do a special number in a town plaza for a song.
Times had changed indeed, FPJ had said. On that year we met, movie stars had become part of a multimillion-peso industry and professionalism had gone a long way. Now there is a contract for every movie and a stipulated fee for every out-of-town appearance.”
There was a time, too when Filipino films were shown in only one or two theaters (Life and Dalisay) and snubbed by Avenue Theater which showed mostly Western films. “We fought hard to make Filipino films acceptable in more theaters and we won,” FPJ said. “But now producers are in danger of losing out to foreign films flooding the country mind you, they have a worldwide market the Filipino producer can only take so much.”
He went on to say that when a film grosses P30 million during his time, for example, at least P7 million will go to taxes. Producers have only the tax rebates offered by the newly reconstituted Film Ratings Board to give them relief. If you get an A-rating, you get a 100 percent tax rebate and with a B-rating, you get 50 percent. So that will probably serve as an incentive to produce better movies. But I am fighting for a setup where, if you get those rebates, those involved in the making of the movie, apart from the producer like the storyteller, the scriptwriter, as well as the association to which they belong will also get part of the percentage. Still reflecting on the past, FPJ admitted missing people like actor-director Efren Reyes Sr., directors Gerry de Leon whom he still refers to as Manong, Lamberto Avellana and even latter generation filmmakers like Lino Brocka. They all had different styles and they all had something unique to offer, FPJ had pointed out.. I think they represent a certain era in filmmaking when we were making solid headway in cinema. When they faded from the film horizon, parang maraming nawala sa movie industry.
But The King was not one to pontificate. He knew the ups and downs of the film industry from the point of view of one who had to struggle both as an actor and as a producer.
FPJ himself finished primary education in 1953 at San Beda College. For high school, he went to San Sebastian College, Mapua Institute of Technology, and University of the East. After the death of his father, he dropped out of the University of the East in his sophomore year in order to work to support his family. He worked odd jobs, as a cleaner, a messenger boy and a stuntman, before becoming a full-time actor.
As the undaunted hero of countless Filipino action movies, FPJ could face a hail of bullets without so much as blinking an eye. Off-camera, however, even the man acknowledged he wasnt invincible.
What he enjoyed about his life at that time wasnt so much the financial stability as the fact that he didnt have to look over his shoulder all the time.
“I could tell you straight in the eye that I had no enemies, at least not one that I know of, he said. What is tragic in people is if they enjoy relative prosperity and yet are constantly on the lookout for people who might do them harm. Iyon bang laging nakatingin sa batok at baka may bumaril o sumaksak sa kanila.”
Not that he had no fear of sudden death. He would not hesitate to mix with ordinary folk in whatever setting, he said, but he would be overly concerned if he were face to face with a drug-crazed toughie. Mahirap makatapat ng durog, he added.
Thoughts of the after-life had likewise seized him even before he died.
“At times when I think of death, I ask myself: What is it like being lifeless? What is in store for people who pass away? No, I am not afraid of plane rides. But just like other passengers, I worry: What if something happens? During one campaign sortie, Erap and I were in this helicopter and we ran into bad weather. We exchanged worried looks and to lighten the situation, I told Erap, If we crash and something happens to us, I am sure youll get the lead billing in the papers because you are the vice-presidential aspirant. Erap got back to me, saying, Huwag naman sana akong mauna. Kung ako ang mauna, lalakarin pa kita kay San Pedro.
But seriously, its better to prepare for any eventuality. Its kind of morbid buying all kinds of insurance and memorial plans, but when its time to go, you should at least spare your loved ones the trouble of worrying about expenses for your burial. Of course, we all hope that we will have a beautiful exit.”
We all miss him. I imagine him now with Ate Sue (SUSAN) – gloriously blissful.
The Glitz of Pinoys’ Runway
The wkend’s big attraction held at Toronto’s Nathan Square (on Aug 13 and 14th) celebrated you and me, tayo, our dear country. Studded with the support of gov’t icons, topnotch entertainment (led by songstress Joey Albert) and community leaders, PIDC’s Mabuhay Festival 2022 elevated glitz on the runway as Renee Salud glamorously dressed his models including first-time mannequins (from Toronto’s home-grown beauty plus brains batch).
The show had periods of cultural intervention and patriotic color, makes us proud we’re pinoy. Also happy to see the return of our own Ms International Bea Santiago (2013) on the ramp.
As my publisher Tess Cusipag said, “The beauties Edgar Sulit and I discovered are now part of Renee’s cast.” I agree with her. Di ba? Renee has shown us some high-octane fashion scenes, we hear there’s an encore here in Toronto come September.
Joey’s New Song
At the sme PIDC’s Nathan Square event, we spent some time whwith JOEY ALBERT backstage and she asked us to listen well to her ‘Kundimang Kupas’ which she performed later on stage. This was composed by Robert More, who also composed her hit ‘A Million Miles Away’.
“When I first heard Kundimang Kupas, honestly I was moved to tears. I had not heard words spoken as such, nor felt honesty in a song as I did, in a very long time. I thought what of the new generations of Filipino singers might be missing, not having heard songs like this. So I asked the composer if I could record it,” she said. With passion and purpose, Joey carefully studied the song to make it as worthy of the composer as she could.
We promised Joey we will review this soon. Joey and The Company were the last live performers here in Toronto before pandemic came.
LA AUNOR
Noranians are super excited now that the National Artist has started filming. Entitled Ligalig, the cast members include Snooky Serna and Allen Dizon among others. It will be her first project after having been named National Artist. Ligalig is produced by AQ Prime, described as a hybrid streaming company that offers original and legacy movies to cater to a wide variety of audiences here and abroad. Their dream is to become the most recognized brand in handling Filipino entertainment through excellence, efficiency and innovative services. Surprising to note that they have Korean partners – Seo Byung-yul and Kwangrok Lee. So I guess we can expect AQ Prime to showcase Korean programs as well.
This means that GUY’s health has improved. We had a chat with her on Messenger and she said, “Ok naman po ako, am trying my best to listen to my doctors.”
Meanwhile, Nora’s comadfre, VILMA SANTOS says she is so excited to be the Momsie (grandma) of the babe-to-be of son Luis and wife Jesse. Since she’s neighbors with the couple, she’s very updated on her daughter-in-law’s pregnancy journey. And hear this – she is considering to make a comeback.
“Ayoko muna magsalita unless something is final. I’m excited to do films, too. Or to do a TV show or to do more TV ads,” said Vilma, whose last film was Everything About Her in 2016.
“Ate Babes, do nto forget may usapan tayo ha pag uwi mo. Medyo neighbors tayo,” Ate Vi reminded.
See you in 2 weeks dear readers.