RS goes back to his first love

Curtain-raiser:

• Just when his career was about to take off (he is in Inday Always Love You at GMA News and Public Affairs program), Juancho Trivino (left) would blow it when his dirty-finger act (said to be against Alden Richards, right) went viral and left poor Juancho being bashed to pieces by Alden’s supporters. Juancho promptly apologized and Alden readily forgave him, saying “No big deal.” If you didn’t know, the two Kapuso live in the same subdivision in Sta. Rosa, Laguna where they were schoolmates but belonged to different groups. According to reports, back then Juancho was already bullying Alden. Despite Juancho’s apology, the Kapuso guys are still trying to find ways to minimize the damage to Juancho’s (career). Moral of the story? As Pia Wurtzbach would say, Think before you click. Or, don’t “dirty finger” before a videocam.

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After winning Best Actor (for Bhoy Intsik, as a gay small-time felon) at the PMPC Star Awards For Movies, Raymond “RS” Francisco is seriously thinking of taking time off from making movies and going back to his first love — theater.

“Hinahanap-hanap ko, eh,” admitted RS, hinting that he might reprise an iconic role he played years ago when he was 18. “The character is middle-aged and now that I’m about that age, I guess I could give the role justice and more credibility than I did before.” (Just between us, the guess is that the play is M. Butterfly for which RS is dearly identified.)

RS first won Best Actor (for the same movie) at Sinag Maynila Film Festival. He said that he didn’t expect it, even if direk Joel Lamangan assured him during a shoot at a cemetery (with newcomer Ronwaldo Martin) that he would win.

“Bhoy Intsik is my first-starring movie,” explained RS, “so I wasn’t expecting anything. But when I was nominated by the PMPC, I had a feeling that I would win.” His win was memorable because he was pitted against such heavyweights as Aga Muhlach and Dingdong Dantes (for Seven Sundays), Derek Ramsay (All Of You), Robin Padilla (Unexpectedly Yours), Vic Sotto (Meant to Beh), Jericho Rosales (Siargao) and Piolo Pascual (Last Night).

RS flashing the K-Pop ‘love sign’ to welcome guests

“I told direk Joel that after Bhoy Intsik, rest muna ako sa pelikula,” said RS. “Balik-teatro muna ako.”

Anyway, as they say, when it rains it really pours.

Besides his PMPC victory, RS is also basking in the big success of Frontrow, “a dynamic and rapidly expanding direct-selling company in the health, beauty and wellness industry in the Philippines” which he, as president, put up almost a decade ago with Samuel “Sam” Verzosa (CEO) and Richmond “Mon” Yu (company mentor).

Frontrow now counts more than 500 members nationwide and is endorsed by celebrities like Ellen Adarna (for Instabright, a skincare product) and KathNiel (Kathryn Bernardo for Dynamic Duo Stick [BB and CC Cream Hybrid/Instant Skin Perfecting Stick] and Daniel Padilla for the whitening supplement Luxxe White) who were introduced recently at a two-day event that attracted hundreds at the SMX Convention Center that required several security guards to maintain order as the queue formed around the venue, with the crowd filling up the entire Block 12 of the MOA Concert Grounds.

Frontrow’s newest endorsers KathNiel

Frontrow celebrity gems who graced the event included Solenn Heussaff, Raymond Gutierrez, Marco Gumabao, Chris Banchero, Bianca Manalo, Fabio Ide, Phoemela Barranda, Tim Yap and Roxanne Barcelo. Raffled off on the first day were three sports cars (a Red Mustang, among them) and two sports cars on the second day. Marlon Stockinger opened the first day, driving a racecar before the cheering audience.

The big revelation is that, according to RS, Frontrow is producing five films this year, with a horror film starring Solenn Heussaff as maiden offering.

“It will be directed by Joel Lamangan,” added RS. “We are planning to enter it in the Cannes Filmfest.”

RS and his PMPC Best Actor award.

Miss Tapia needs help

Remember Mely Tagasa who is known as Miss Tapia in the sitcoms Baltic & Co. and Iskul Bukol?

The sad news is that two weeks ago, Mely suffered a massive stroke. For the first three days, she was brought to a hospital in Antipolo, near her house, but was later transferred to Cardinal Santos Medical Center in Greenhills, San Juan. She remains in a coma up to this day.

Her daughter, Lani Montreal, had flown all the way from Chicago over a week ago, to be by her mom’s side. Lani is the younger sister of award-winning screenwriter Gina Marissa Tagasa, the eldest daughter of Mely. Funfare learned from STAR contributor Leah Salterio that Lani, a mommy’s girl (certified by an “Anak ni Tapia” tattoo on her upper left arm), teaches writing at the Malcolm X College in Chicago.

“It’s hard to make decisions for the matriarch who taught us to be decisive,” Lani posted on Facebook.

Mely ‘Miss Tapia’ Tagasa with daughter Lani Montreal and Gina Marissa Tagasa (right)

At 82, Mely remained an avowed workaholic. She refused to be idle. She was still overseeing dubbing duties of a Korean telenovela at the time of her stroke. Last year, she even shot a TV commercial with Vic Sotto for a brand of paint.

Meanwhile, Gina is also hanging on and keeping the faith for a miracle. She posted on her Facebook account:

Seeing my dearly, beloved mother in her probably worst condition ­— in comatose stage — after a massive stroke and a series of painful medical procedures, is like killing me everyday.

The most influential woman in my life, my prayer warrior, a breath of fresh air that soothes my spirit during down moments, my “bestest” friend who calms me each time I think less of myself, the wind beneath my wings now lies weak, in deep slumber, unresponsive, almost helpless. She’s holding on… until when? Only God knows.

Pain has never been this fierce for me and my family. Faith never leaves us. Hope keeps us strong and love for our Mom makes each day a test of patience and endurance. We love you so much, Mommy. The Lord will see us through, I believe.

Leah, who visited Mely at the hospital the other day, said that Lani has a message on her Facebook to those who want to contribute to Mely’s medical expenses:

I just want to thank friends and family who contributed/want to contribute to Mommy’s medical expenses. It’s been tough on that end, too, as the Philippines does not have free or affordable quality healthcare.

The ICU support alone was almost $1,000/day (or P50,000). She has since moved to a more affordable room. My mom is a proud woman who does not like asking. She is used to being the generous one who gives to others, the quintessential Godmother, sometimes to the point of breaking her bank.

I realized this when I was trying to create GoFundMe and I kept having technical difficulties. To those of you who still want to help, you can send through my PayPal Gmail account at mmontreal27.

(P.S. a few hours after the issue of Philippine Star hit the news stands, Miss Tapia was reported to have died.)

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)