‘Jun Jun’ is a big boy now

Si Jun Jun, si Jun Jun! Palagi na lang si Jun Jun!

Sounds familiar?

That happens to be one of the most-quoted lines from local movies, delivered by Vilma Santos to Christopher de Leon while defending their autistic son Jun Jun during a confrontation scene in the classic Viva drama Ipagpatawad Mo directed by Laurice Guillen. In that movie, Christopher couldn’t get himself to love his autistic seven-year-old son, never mind if the boy was cute and lovable in his own way (except when he was throwing things during tantrums), much to the disgust of the doting mom Vilma.

Have you ever wondered whatever happened to Terence Baylon, the talented soulful-eyed child actor who played Jun Jun?

Two weeks ago, my colleague Jojo Gabinete called, asking in jest, "Si Jun Jun, si Jun Jun. Alam mo kung nasaan na si Jun Jun?"

"Eureka," Jojo added, "I found him!"

Well, Jun Jun/Terence is a big boy now, all of 21, 5’9" tall and a Masscom (major in Broadcasting) junior at Centro Escolar University. According to Jojo (who manages a few stars, among them Diana Zubiri and Juliana Palermo), he was in Red Ribbon (Shaw Blvd.) last May when he saw a young man who looked like Terence Baylon. Jojo approached him and asked, "Aren’t you Terence Baylon... si Jun Jun?"

Terence didn’t know that that chance encounter would usher him back to showbiz which he left when he reached the awkward age of 11 after doing Sambahin ang Ngalan Mo where he played the little Tonton Gutierrez.

"They didn’t know whether to cast me still as a boy or as a teenager," said Terence over snacks of pancakes at Heaven & Eggs (along Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City), "so I decided to leave showbiz and resume my studies. I went back to Cebu and finished high school at the Colegio de San Jose Recoletos."

He was a pupil at the Lourdes School in Mandaluyong City when an agent discovered him for commercials; he appeared in around 30 (for Rebisco, Milo, McDonald’s and BPI, among them) before he entered showbiz. At seven, Terence passed the auditions and bagged the role as Charo Santos’ child in Charo’s own Vision Films’ drama offering, Kapag Langit ang Humatol, which also starred Vilma Santos and Richard Gomez, directed by Laurice Guillen. Then came Ipagpatawad Mo, also by Guillen, which won for Terence three Best Child Performer trophies (from FAMAS, Star Awards and FAP Awards), followed by Buddy en Sol (with Eric Quizon and Redford White) and Masahol Pa sa Hayop which earned him a Best Actor nomination from the Urian Awards. (The trophy went to Gabby Concepcion.)

"At that time," said Terence, "the Urian Awards didn’t have a Best Child Actor category so I was put in the Best Actor competition."

Among his fond memories as a child actor was his scene in Ipagpatawad Mo with Christopher who, in a fit of rage, accidentally pushed him and sent him rolling down the stairs. Asked if he got hurt, Terence smiled, "A stuntman ‘doubled’ for me." But he learned a lot from Vilma and Christopher. "Mahusay sila mag-motivate."

His batch included the likes of Jaypee de Guzman, RR Herrera, Atong Redillas, L.A. Lopez and Aiza Seguerra (who survived her own "awkward period" and successfully reinvented herself as a singer).

Didn’t he miss showbiz during his self-imposed "vacation"?

"I did," said Terence. "But I never thought I’d be coming back. My plan was to shift to a Business Management course and put up my own business after graduation."

And then he crossed paths with Jojo Gabinete (now his manager).

"Well," conceded Terence, "I guess it’s in the blood."

Jasmine’s album out

Here’s a piece of good news for fans of Jasmine Trias, from reader Aaron Reyes:

Jasmine Trias, the Filipino-American who placed third in last year’s edition of the popular Fox 11 show, American Idol, will have her self-titled debut album in stores July 12. Her new CD introduces an edgier rhythm and blues-based sound. From the single Excuses (already No. 4 in the Philippines) to Sexy Boy, with its playful relaxed grooves, Jasmine soothes her listeners into forgetting about the hustle surrounding their busy lives from the moment they hear her soulfully comforting voice.

Jasmine has quickly become a triple treat artist, expecting to play a singer and drummer in the film entitled All Girl Band, written by a scion of the Academy Award-winning Sherman brother, Jeff Sherman. Richard and Robert Sherman’s works include scores for Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Jungle Book and The Parent Trap. The album’s executive producers, Debbie Hammond, Clockwork Entertainment and Gary Greenberg, have had success with acts like Dream, TQ, Fantasia, and Bone Thugs N Harmony.

Jasmine’s debut album is being distributed throughout the United States, Philippines, and Japan by Universal Music and Aloha Music International. It contains 14 songs produced and written by multi-platinum industry leaders like Diane Warren, Vincent Herbert, and features a remake by Sean "P. Diddy" Combs.

You will be able to find Jasmine’s tour schedule and places to buy her CD on her official fan site www.allthatjas.net or her official site www.jasminetrias.net. Jasmine posts her personal updates on www.myspace.com/Jasmine_Trias

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