Unlike mothers, unlike daughters

Curtain-raiser:

Our condolences to Santiago brothers Raymart, Rowell and Randy (and the rest of the family) whose mother, former actress Cielito Legaspi-Santiago (photo, at her prime), died of pneumonia yesterday morning. Cielito was one of the bright stars of Larry Santiago Productions in the early ‘60s when she met the late director Pablo Santiago. Like her LSP colleague Guia Gomez (now San Juan City Mayor) when she met (now Manila Mayor) Joseph Estrada, Cielito also quit showbiz in favor of marriage. Her remains were cremated also yesterday. Viewing will be held at the La Salle Greenhills Chapel until Sunday.

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What do upcoming singer Marion Aunor and her mom, Maribel “Lala” Aunor (of the ‘70s teen foursome Apat na Sikat with Winnie Santos, Dondon Nakar and Arnold Gamboa), and Maribel Lopez and daughter Mara Lopez have in common?

They are poles apart — you know, unlike mother, unlike daughter.

“Magka-iba kami,” said Lala, now a successful businesswoman, adding in half-jest, “masa ako at medyo class siya,” referring to Marion having graduated with a Communication Technology Management degree from Ateneo (business course). “Even our looks, magka-iba.”

Managed by Vehnee Saturno, Marion, however, is musically-inclined like Lala. Marion’s aunt is the Nora Aunor, her father is a pianist and her 84-year-old grandmother, Mamay Belen, is the foster mother who trained/coached Nora the way she’s now training/coaching Marion.

Because she’s an Aunor, Marion is pressured into getting out of Nora’s shadow and making a name of her own. She’s starting right, starting with winning Best New Female Recording Artist at the recent PMPC Star Awards For Music. Last year, she placed third in the Himig Handog competition and got signed up by Star Records. In tomorrow’s Himig Handog (at the Araneta Coliseum), Marion will sing the Jungee Marcelo composition Pumapag-ibig with Rizza and Seed in the stiff competition among 15 bets, among them Jobert Sucaldito’s alaga Michael Pangilinan (photo) who will interpret Pare, Mahal Mo Raw Ako, Jovinor Tan’s controversial entry about a guy falling in love with his male friend.

Asked what tips she’s giving Marion, Lala (who has another daughter, Ashley, a budding songwriter) said, “Before bedtime, we sing together. I always remind her to feel her song, to sing from the heart.”

What about Maribel and Mara?

“Our concerns are different,” said Maribel. “I’m more into making money, kaya tanggap ako nang tanggap ng offers, and she’s more into art, kaya she keeps on turning down roles which she thinks are not ‘artistic’.”

Acting-wise (and Maribel concedes), Mara has scored early in her career, having won Best Actress in Palitan, a sex drama that competed in the Cinema One Awards. “Beauty-contest”-wise, Maribel beats Mara, having won (a very controversial) Bb. Pilipinas-Universe in 1982.

Now 57, Maribel has retained her winning looks, thanks to Skin Rejuve (#27 Timog Avenue corner Scout Torillo, Quezon City) which is, according to Maribel, “already my second home” where Mara also goes for her beauty needs. That’s also where Maribel spent her recent birthday with, among other guests, fellow Bb. Pilipinas winners Joyce Ann Burton and Alma Concepcion who will be Maribel’s co-mentors (with 1972 Miss World first runner-up Evangeline Pascual and 2005 Miss International Precious Lara Quigaman) in the upcoming GMA reality search Beauty Academy. Maribel is in the cast of the GMA soap Ang Lihim ni Annasandra and in Lorna, Sigrid Andrea Bernardo’s Cinema One entry.

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When Catherine Zeta-Jones told the whole world that she was bipolar, the word became “fashionable” among local celebrities who also claimed that they suffered from the same illness, as if it was a badge of honor.

When Robin Williams took his own life due in part to depression, local celebs admitted that they too were depressed, as if it was an award to be flaunted.

When, first, on his knees Dingdong Dantes proposed to Marian Rivera, followed by Sen. Chiz Escudero to Heart Evangelista, “publicly proposing” became a fad. The latest to jump into the “Gaya-Gaya, Puto Maya” bandwagon was John Prats who, also on his knees, proposed to Isabel Oli flash-mob style at a mall — you know, the better to draw the attention of the public and the media.

By the way, the flash-mob gimmickry is not new. The first to do it was Zoren Legaspi when he surprised Carmina Villarroel not just with an instant proposal but an instant wedding as well (cooked up in secret by the couple’s managers and some sponsors).

So what’s the next fad?

Stay tuned.

The ‘Gaya-Gaya, Puto-Maya’ mentality

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected].)