Why Du30 should retain Toto V. as MTRCB chief

A few names are being tossed around in the movie circles as “possible” replacement for Eugenio “Toto” Villareal as chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) which has been led by the likes of the late Gimo de Vega (with his widow Chuchi taking over after his death), Maria Kalaw-Katigbak, Armida “Tita Midz” Siguion-Reyna, Jesus Sison, Etta Silos, Manoling Morato and Grace Poe who quit when she decided to run for senator in 2013.

Since his appointment, Toto has been doing a good job. The position requires somebody with impressive credentials, preferably with a legal background, and Toto has been living up to the demands and requirements which somebody less qualified might not be able to.

Anyway, most industry people The STAR has talked to are hoping that Pres. Du30 will retain Toto. It might help Pres. Du30 know Toto better once he knows that, as culled by this paper’s researcher… 

Bong Daza with little Isabelle Daza (left) and Isabelle’s sister Ava and brother Rafael. Top: Bong in a 1992 photo with ex-wife Gloria Diaz. Above: With Isabelle in one of his last photos. — Photos courtesy of Isabelle Daza

Villareal teaches legal philosophy, legal technique and logic; partnership and agency; and legal counseling at the Ateneo de Manila University Law School. He holds a professorial chair granted by the Nippon Foundation and is the founding partner of the law firm of Sen. Francis Escudero, the Escudero Marasigan Vallente & E.H. Villareal where he handles litigation and labor referrals.

Villareal graduated as the high school class valedictorian from Colegio de San Juan de Letran in 1980. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree Major in Legal Management from Ateneo in 1984. He then obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree, Second Honors, from the Ateneo de Manila Law School in 1988. He also completed a two-year course on Moral Philosophy and Ethics from the Philippine Foundation for Cultural and Educational Development, Inc. in 2000.

Villareal is a resident Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) Lecturer of the Ateneo Center for Continuing Legal Education and Research. He also teaches in other similar institutions Legal Writing, Legal Ethics, Pre-Trial Skills and Trial Skills. He teaches Civil Procedure and Evidence at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Law and Philosophy of Law and Jurisprudence and the Values for Development Foundation at the Philippine Judicial Academy (Philja)?

In an interview with STAR, Toto, an Opus Dei member, said that he watches all kinds of films with The Sound Of Music among his favorites, a feel-good film that he has watched over and over again, “to keep my spirits up when I’m feeling low.”

Who will be 2016’s Blessed Teresa of Calcutta awardee?

Not many people perhaps know that retired actress Tina Revilla has raised two beautiful, accomplished children with husband Serge Valencia: Julio (Gio), 30, an AB Development Studies graduate from Ateneo who has been a Philippine Airlines (PAL) pilot for three years now; and Jordana (Jana), 27, who just completed an MBA in Harvard.

Gio is the 2016 chairman of the 29th National Search for the Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Award (dubbed as the premier humanitarian award), a joint project of the AY (Alfonso Yuchengco) Foundation, Inc. and the JCI Philippines-Manila (which is the premier and most awarded chapter of the Junior Chamber International in the world).

Said Gio, “The Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Award, formerly known as the Mother Teresa Award, is dedicated to the late Blessed Teresa of Calcutta — Nobel Peace Prize Winner in 1979, and known worldwide before her death in 1997 as the ‘Living Saint’ because of her selfless humanitarian work and the ideals which she embodied in her entire life.”

The award’s search and selection committee is seeking individuals regardless of race, gender, nationality or religion, who have fully and selflessly dedicated at least 25 years of their lives to humanitarian work amongst “the poorest of the poor” of Filipinos in the Philippines. In addition, they should have served, and shall continue to serve, as an inspirational, living example to the world, just like Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. As a reward, or rather as thank you for their service to the nation, a total of P1,500,000 worth of cash and good and services will be given to the winner and his or her chosen charity.

“This year is a special year for the awarding since it marks the last Blessed Teresa of Calcutta awards and opens the new chapter — the Saint Teresa of Calcutta,” explained Gio. “This is because she is finally going to be canonized on Sept. 4, the living Saint’s birthday.”

Among the past winners: Dr. Helena Benitez (2003), educator, legislator, diplomat, civic leader and a promoter of art and culture, and a true servant of the poor; Jaime Cardinal Sin (2004), who work for the poor and downtrodden and did not hesitate to voice his opinions when the rights of the poor were trampled; Lucina Alday (2005), an advocate of the underprivileged youth and women for over 65 years; Fr. Ruben Villote (2007), a dedicated priest who founded the Center for Migrant Youth (CMY) in 1982; and Dr. Fe del Mundo (also in 2007), pediatrician, scientist, educator, public health advocate for over 60 years who founded several children’s health and welfare institutions, most notable of which is the Children’s Memorial Hospital.

(For more information on the nomination process, visit www.btca.com.ph or on Facebook by logging on www.facebook.com/BTCAward. The deadline for nominations is July 30. This awarding will be on Sept. 26.)

Isabelle on dad Bong: Generous to everybody

Isabelle Daza fondly remembers her dad, Bong Daza, who passed away at 5:45 Thursday morning at the ICU of Makati Med where he was in coma for more than one week. He was 65. Isabelle reported that her dad was found “unresponsive” in the morning of July 4. “Doctors tried to revive him before he was transferred to the ICU of Makati Med,” Isabelle recalled. “They told me to say goodbye to him. He might have suffered brain damage because he was without oxygen for 30 minutes after he suffered a heart attack.”

Isabelle’s mom, Gloria Diaz (Bong’s ex-wife), said, “He was hypertensive and he has stopped taking his medication more than a year ago.”

Bong died on the day of the French Revolution. “Very timely,” said Isabelle who texted Funfare the following recollection:

I have so many fond memories with my dad. But one time, we went on a trip, just the two of us. He took me to Hong Kong to meet his good friend. He didn’t tell me really who he was. It was my first time to stay at the Four Seasons and I kept wondering why everyone in the hotel knew my name. My dad was laughing, saying, “That’s how it is in five-star hotels.”

We spent one whole day shopping and going around eating delicious Peking Duck. Later that night, we had dinner to meet his friend whose name was Christian Courtin whom I started to call Uncle Christian.

Uncle Christian told me all the fun times he had with my dad. He said that when he didn’t have much and he was stressed out concocting lotions for women in his small studio in Paris, my dad would take him out to relax and treat him to champagne and good dinners. Uncle Christian valued my dad and loved my dad.

I went back to our room to find a huge basket filled with Clarins products, Thierry Mugler perfumes, etc. The basket was so tall that from my bed it reached the ceiling. I asked my dad, “Where did this come from?” My dad told me that it was from Uncle Christian who, I would learn, was the CEO and founder of the Clarins Group.

My point in telling this story is that my dad had all sorts of friends who loved him dearly and my dad didn’t care if you were rich or poor; he was that kind of a man. He taught me how to eat steak medium rare and how to be on time is the easiest way to show people that you respect them. My dad’s language of love was gift-giving. He was extremely generous to the people around him, so generous that he kept nothing for himself. Every single friend of his told me that the best times of their lives were when my dad was around. He was part of so many families. He was also so beloved. And I can only dream to be half the person that he was.

Bong’s remains were cremated Thursday night at the Sucat Loyola Crematorium. The one-day wake was held yesterday at the Capilla de San Francisco, San Antonio Parish, Forbes Park, Makati City. He will be buried today.

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