Ynez: The trauma/phobia remains

She has learned to smile again. When she talks, her voice hardly echoes the "harrowing experience" she went through more than a year ago, a "set-up" trauma that devastated her and drove her career to near ruin. You remember what happened then, don't you? The Correspondents led her into a trap at a room in a Quezon City hotel, with a hidden camera recording her every move. What happened next turned into one of the biggest scandals on national television.

Hadn't Ynez Veneracion identified herself (as she was prodded to by her former manager who was with her in that "set-up" incident) as the woman pictured to be "selling" herself to a "client," would things have turned out differently?

"There was no other way," Ynez said when Funfare bumped into her a few days ago at the Paco's Grille (Bohol Avenue, Quezon City). "I could be easily identified by my family and relatives even if my face was darkened; side view ko lang, kilalang-kilala na. I wanted to protect myself, I was concerned with the feelings of my family and relatives, so my career was the farthest thing from my mind noon."

To make a long story short, Ynez's career hit rock bottom but she never gave up. Since then, she has done only two movies, in one of which (Maryo J. delos Reyes' Sa Paraiso ni Efren) she ably proved her acting ability without shedding a stitch (oh, well, she did but that wasn't the highlight of her performance).

"I have started picking up the pieces," added Ynez (who's going steady with character actor Mon Confiado, a "plus factor" in her life). "Through prayers," I have recovered myself after more than eight months of depression. Pumi-pick-up na rin ang career ko."

Ynez has just come home from a month-long stint in Japan where she was such a hit that she's going there for more shows very soon. She's drawing moral support from her family (her father died in January last year when Ynez was caught up in the aftermath of that "set-up" incident) whom Ynez continues to support, financially and otherwise.

But the trauma/phobia remains.

"Although I am stronger now," said Ynez, "I have become careful about people, especially strangers."

She has also become wary about hotels (not only that hotel).

"When I negotiate for shows or for a movie," said Ynez, "ayoko na sa hotel. Anywhere but a hotel."

She has learned her lesson.

The Golden Globe has given out its awards for 1999 and the Oscars will follow sometime in March. Soon, local award-giving bodies will also do the same one after the other, with the list of nominees and winners predictably identical.

Before everybody else does, The Young Critics` Circle has already come up with its list of winners, to wit:

* Best Picture -- Sisa (Good Harvest Productions), besting other nominees Pila Balde (Jeffrey Jeturian, director), Phone Sex (Joey Javier Reyes) and Bulaklak ng Maynila (Joel Lamangan)

* Best Director -- Mario O' Hara (Sisa)

* Best Screenplay -- Mario O' Hara (Sisa)

* Best Performance of the Year -- Elizabeth Oropesa (Bulaklak ng Maynila)

Also cited for best performan-ces are Christopher de Leon (Bulaklak ng Maynila), Lester Llansang (Saranggola) and Jhong Hilario (Muro-Ami).

The Young Critics` Circle also listed down its choices of 10 Best Films of the Decade, namely:

* 1990 -- Andrea, Paano Ba ang Maging Ina (Gil Portes)

* 1991 -- Sa Kabila ng Lahat (Lino Brocka)

* 1992 -- Ikaw Pa Lang ang Minahal (Carlitos Siguion-Reyna)

* 1993 -- Hindi Kita Malilimutan (Joey Javier Reyes)

* 1994 -- Pangako ng Kahapon (Joel Lamangan) and Vampira (Joey Romero)

* 1995 -- Nena (Ike Jarlego)

* 1996 -- Mumbaki (Jose Antonio Perez)

* 1997 -- Batang PX (Joey Javier Reyes)

* 1998 -- Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa? (Chito Roño)

* 1999 -- Sisa (Mario O' Hara)

(Note: The 1999 winners will be honored at the 10th Circle Citations for Film on Feb. 11, 2 p.m. at the UP Film Center.)