Bibsy meets her ‘deadline’… promptly!

It’s Tuesday but you won’t find the Live Feed column of Bibsy M. Carballo, neither today nor on the many more Tuesdays and Thursdays and Saturdays to come, the days assigned to her column. Did Bibsy miss her deadline? In a way, yes, due to circumstances beyond her control; but she did keep her “deadline” Up There…promptly…as quietly and as unceremoniously as she led not only her writing career but also her personal life.

After a short bout with early signs of dementia (she shunned food, that was why she lost so much weight), Bibsy, as they would say in journalism, wrote 30 a little after lunch last Friday, Dec. 2, at home (after a trip back and forth to the hospital, and a brief stay at a hospice in Pasig City). In the end, it was the Big C that did her in. Her remains were cremated the same day, with a three-night wake at the St. John Church on Pinaglabanan Street in San Juan City, beside the St. John’s Academy which used to be owned by Bibsy’s family and where she had her early education (with, among others, Jessie Ejercito as classmate).

After Mass yesterday morning, her ashes were interred at the crypt of the same church.

We used to tease Bibsy that she took honors at St. John only because her family owned the school (of course, she as a bright student and therefore more than deserving) and she took it with a smile. After taking post-graduate journalism studies at Northwestern University in the US, she worked as associate editor of the Mirror Magazine, the Saturday supplement of The Daily Mirror, sister publication of the (old) Manila Times. She was among the original hippies, moving in the same circle as the likes of BenCab (and his ex-wife Caroline Kennedy, namesake of JFK’s daughter) and other members of the literati. Besides a journalist, Bibsy was a Jane-of-all-trades — art connoisseur (with a collection of prized paintings), filmmaker, teacher (at St. Theresa’s College), etc.

She was a freelance writer before she joined The STAR three years ago.

An only child, Bibsy traveled extensively with her mother until her mom passed away. The last time she toured Europe three years ago, she had Tempo’s Ronald Constantino as traveling companion.

“She was an ideal traveling companion,” said Ronald. “Helpful and fun. Adventurous, too. We were all over Europe and we even flew to Morocco.”

Two of Bibsy’s dear friends: Charo Santos-Concio (left) and Inquirer’s Lifestyle editor Thelma Sioson-San Juan (one of Bibsy’s students at St. Theresa’s College). – Philippine Tatler

Charo Santos-Concio remembered Bibsy as producer of Himala, the classic Ishmael Bernal movie.

“Bibsy was an excellent PRO for several projects that I did for (Armida) Tita Midz (Siguion-Reyna). Bibsy was a no-nonsense, straightforward type of person. Very pragmatic. She shunned the hysteria and drama of the world of showbiz. She also didn’t take anything personally. Hindi pikon. She had a good heart!”

Thelma Sioson-San Juan, Lifestyle editor of The Inquirer and one of Bibsy’s students at St. Theresa’s, said that she owed Bibsy a lot.

“Honestly,” Thelma confessed, “I owe Bibsy my career or the beginning of it. She didn’t only teach us in the classroom but also brought us out — there, where the action was — like we visited the offices of The Manila Times. With Romy Vitug as photography teacher, Bibsy would drive us around Manila for shoots. With her, our teachers then were Lino Brocka and Laurice Guillen. Bibsy’s network was awesome. Also, she gave all my first jobs. I went where she asked me to go — Woman’s Home Companion and Times Journal, and I did exactly as she told me to.”

Toronto-based Baby K. Jimenez, one of Bibsy’s closest writer friends, related a funny experience in Cannes during the 1981 filmfest in which Lino’s Bona was shown. Baby and Bibsy were with Lino, and Bona stars Phillip Salvador and Nora Aunor.

“Lino rented an apartment where all of us stayed together,” recalled Baby. “Lino told us to cook pansit and adobo, and to buy rice at the nearby Vietnamese store. Bibsy and I looked at each other, asking, ‘Can you?’ Cook, that is. Nora said she could cook laing. We told Lino that Bibsy and I couldn’t cook and Lino exclaimed, ‘What????!!!! Hoy, we will host dinner for the media tomorrow night, right here in the apartment. Sige, mga señorita pala kayo. Okay, buy food at the Vietnamese restaurant and pretend that you cook them.’

“But, and that’s the Big But, Lino added, ‘You and Bibsy are now in charge of cleaning up after dinner.’ Shucks!!! Bibsy and I stayed until 2 a.m. washing 130 dishes, bearing in mind Lino’s warning…or else!...not to break a single piece since we only borrowed them from the restaurant. We were so tired that we overslept and almost got late for the pictorial the next day.”

Goodbye, Bibsy. You must be having a happy reunion with Lino and the rest, updating each other on goings-on Down Here and Up There. But, please, don’t forget to send “live feed” from where you are for your T-TH-S deadlines.

PAMI bans Baron and Direk Arlyn

You must have heard about the “peeing incident” involving Baron Geisler (photo) and Ping Medina during the shoot of their movie directed by journalist Arlyn dela Cruz. Here’s the update:

The Professional Artist Managers, Inc. (PAMI) has called for an emergency meeting in response to the letter of complaint received from actor Ping Medina dated 30 November 2016 regarding an incident that happened during the shooting of a scene for the film Bubog, involving his co-actor, Baron Geisler.

Ping Medina wrote that “Baron urinated on my torso and face without my permission.” PAMI strongly condemns this disgusting act and behavior of Geisler.

After a thorough discussion and deliberation during the meeting, in the presence of Geisler’s manager and PAMI member, Arnold Vegafria, PAMI unanimously arrived at the decision to inhibit all our artists from working with Geisler in any movie and television projects for an indefinite period.

PAMI received Vegafria’s assurance that he will refuse to accept any projects until such time that Geisler is mentally fit and psychologically stable to resume his work as an actor.

In addition, Vegafria filed a formal complaint questioning the capacity of the movie’s producer/director, Arlyn dela Cruz, to exercise control and assume full responsibility on the set, that could have prevented this regrettable incident to happen.

As managers, when we send our artists to the set, it is with our complete trust that the producer and director will protect and ensure the safety of our artists. Therefore, we have also unanimously agreed to inhibit all our artists from accepting any projects involving Arlyn dela Cruz.

As always, PAMI is together with the industry in aspiring for a healthy, safe and professional working environment.

Air Supply Dec. 8 show moved to March 2017

From Danee Samonte, the producer, this announcement about the Air Supply concert:

We regret to inform you that the Air Supply concert at the Newport Theater on Thursday, Dec. 8 has been moved to March 2, 2017, due to an urgent medical situation that needs immediate attention for lead singer Russell Hitchcock. A special souvenir item will be given to ticket holders who hang on to their tickets. For those who seek a refund, please get in touch with Ticketworld or any of its outlets. Thank you very much.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)