• Readers Cristina Villarta (of Isabela), Perlie (of Carson, California) and many others are asking what the title is of the inspiring (and "eye-opening") book I gave to Kris Aquino who said that she cried while reading it during a recent trip to Singapore. The book is the best-seller The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (also the author of Tuesdays with Morrie). I bought my copy at Borders in L.A. Check out National Bookstore if it’s available locally. "Warning": Have a box of Kleenex ready when you read it.
• Text message from Ruffa Gutierrez-Bektas (a.k.a. Yasmeen): Istanbul has been destroyed in barbaric acts of terror! My heart goes out to the innocent victims of my second home. The HSBC bank in Levent is right across the street from Yilmaz’s office where we do most of our banking. Let’s pray that the perpetrators are captured and that peace will prevail.
• Who’s the bold actor who sets off the alarm system at the airport (any airport) everytime he leaves or arrives (whether on a domestic or an international flight)? The guards ask him to take out all metals in his body (rings, keys, coins, etc.) and put them on a tray. But still, the alarm system goes off. The reason? He has boletas around his private spot.
Anyway, one of the many showbiz people throwing their full support behind FPJ (among the most vocal is Armida "Tita Midz" Siguion-Reyna) is Eddie Garcia who told Funfare several days ago (before The STAR came out with the "FPJ running in 2004" headline last Sunday) that if and when FPJ does run, he will campaign for him.
"He’s a good man," said Eddie. "Very honest, very decent, very generous. He has other good qualities. I will definitely vote for him."
But that’s the deepest Eddie will wade in political waters – that is, help a comrade win votes.
As everybody knows, Eddie has been wooed everytime elections come around, since time immemorial, to throw his hat into the political ring (whether for governor or congressman of his native Sorsogon... he was born in Juban town; or for Senator).
"Politics is not my cup of tea," smiled Eddie who can portray any politician on the big screen (he directed Pinagbuklod ng Langit, the movie that helped Ferdinand Marcos win a reelection). "I’m happy just being an actor."
Already 84 (last May), Eddie has done about (sorry but he has lost count) 500 films in a checkered career that spans more than five decades. Ask him what his all-time favorite starrer is and, after thinking awhile, he’ll mention Lino Brocka’s Tubog sa Ginto (1970) as "it." In that movie, Eddie played the closet homosexual husband of Lolita Rodriguez, with Mario O’Hara as his driver-lover.
In his latest movie, Chavit (co-produced by Golden Lions Films with Starmax International and Velcor Films), Eddie plays the late Ilocos Sur Congressman Floro Crisologo who was killed while about to take communion in Vigan. See the movie (opening tomorrow in Metro Manila) and you’ll be amazed by Eddie’s striking resemblance to Crisologo (whose son Bingbong is played by Tirso Cruz III, with Cesar Montano as former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson).
"Have I met Crisologo in person?," smiled Eddie. "No, I haven’t. I saw him only in the newspapers and in TV newscasts. Carlo (J. Caparas, writer-director and co-producer of Chavit) helped me flesh out the Crisologo persona. Carlo did a thorough research before shooting started."
Come to think of it, if ever the Eddie Garcia story would be filmed, who could give justice to the person (no doubt a living movie legend)?
"My life is boring, very boring," said Eddie. "It’s Holy Week stuff."
Of course, people who know Eddie will think otherwise.
You see, Eddie is not the kiss-and-tell type so the public hardly knows anything about his private life. If Eddie does write his biography, it would be a best-seller.
Hosting an annual fiesta in honor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia is a family tradition for Max and Edith Ricketts at their San Diego, California home.
Sons Alex and Jason are on US Army duty in Baghdad, Iraq. Alex is a member of the US Army Airborne and on duty in Iraq as a member of a Civil Affairs unit, rendering assistance to hospitals, schools and other such community facilities. Sons Christopher and Ronnie were in Manila with their families. Standing in for their dad, Alex, grandsons Jamie and James Ricketts were on hand with their mom, Maribeth Chua Ricketts.
Donations raised during the Mass were sent to the Basilica of Our Lady of Peñafrancia in Naga City. Father Vic Maristella celebrated the solemn garden Mass this year, assisted by Billy and Diane Zarcone, former Ayala Alabang residents. Father Vic’s timely homily was remarkably well appreciated by everyone.
Guests arrived to an opera musicale featuring noted vocalists Diane Caywood and Luigi Leuvano, accompanied by piano and violin. Following Mass, during the moonlight dinner-dance, Edith modeled a stunning gown designed especially for the occasion by Pitoy Moreno, much to the delight of the guests. The flowing electric-blue gown features a glittering peacock. It’s rumored in San Diego that Pitoy may have a gala fashion show in California next year.
Among those present were Lydia Genato and her son, Paul, of Condominium Pushers, Inc. Also on hand were Jules and Lily Rudick, Nini Velasco, Beth Antiporda, Mila Denton, Ron Poorbaugh and Babes Smith, Gus and Betty Nang, Frank and Minda Banaria, Nanshi Ignacio, Sylvia Palomo, Gina Cortez, Lydia Loristo, McKing and Suzie Alanis, David Solivan and Grace Alanis, Tony and Elly Aguilar, Dolly Santamaria Kahn (who flew in from West Palm Beach, Florida), Tonio and Tessie Osmeña and sons, Christian and Peter, Gerry and Maribel Gonzalez, Tom and Consuelo Haire, Sonia Bermejo, Tessie Carangdang and Alphie Ellsworth.
The Ricketts family’s real-estate brokerage company, Naldo-Ricketts Realty, has become one of San Diego’s leading independent realtor firms, representing buyers and sellers of condominiums throughout booming San Diego and southwest Riverside Counties. The Ricketts cater to a diverse national and international clientele via their popular and informative web site www.RickettsRealty.com. The Ricketts also are involved in commercial and investment real estate as well as real estate financing, representing direct lenders.
The recent catastrophic San Diego County fires swept through the Ricketts’ Blossom Valley area and burned a number of their neighbors’ homes to the ground. However, the Ricketts home was spared, although they, like so many others, had to evacuate their home for two days.
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph)