Kim Chiu’s relative was a ghost bride in real life

When director Chito Roño makes a movie, it is always a cause for celebration. Direk Chito is known for making thought-provoking and relevant movies that is certain to leave its mark on moviegoers. Some of his popular films include “Dekada 70,” “Bata Bata Paano Ka Ginawa,” and “Badil” to horror hits like the two “Feng Shui” movies. We can even describe his films unusual and out-of-the-box, if not controversial.  

Direk Chito is back in the horror genre via Star Cinema’s “The Ghost Bride” where he is reunited with Kim Chiu, who was his star together with Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto in “The Healing” five years ago.

Written by Charlson Ong and Cathy Camarillo, “The Ghost Bride” explores a very different kind of wedding practice rooted in ancient Chinese culture and tradition.

The movie is centered on Mayen (Kim), a Filipino-Chinese who will gamble her life in a secret tradition that stems from Chinese culture upon the advice of a mysterious matchmaker named Madame Angie Lao. In order to help her family, Mayen will enter a bizarre and unfamiliar world where she will have to marry the dead in order for others to live.

At the movie’s press conference last Tuesday, Kim revealed that a relative of theirs agreed to become a ghost bride in exchange for a fortune that enabled her to pay off all family debts. Said relative is the cousin of her grandmother from whom she learned of the story.

Being a ghost bride is a big responsibility, according to Kim. The Cebuana actress said she might also probably agree to be a ghost bride if she was not in showbiz, if only to help her family get out of dire financial straits.

For those who love horror movies, “The Ghost Bride” is the perfect film for you. The movie is scary, which is the trademark of a Chito Roño horror film.

Kim said she considers it a big honor to be working again with Direk Chito. She admitted being scared because Direk Chito is known to be strict, but they had a fun set because he was always in a good mood.

“The Ghost Bride,” in theaters November 1, also stars Matteo Guidicelli, Christian Bables, Robert Sena, Jerome Ponce, Kakai Bautista, Beverly Salviejo, Luz Fernandez and Ina Raymundo.

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President Rodrigo R. Duterte, Vice-President Leni Robredo, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Bato dela Rosa and other leaders supported the World Pandesal Day celebration on October 16 by the 78-year-old Kamuning Bakery Cafe at Judge Jimenez St. corner K-1st Street, Quezon City.

President Duterte sent a special message supporting #WorldPandesalDay, which honors the Philippines’ humble yet popular pandesal bread, also a reminder of society’s goal to alleviate poverty and hunger.

World Pandesal Day started Oct. 16, a Monday, at 9 a.m. with Vice-President Robredo, PNP Gen. Dela Rosa, Quezon City Police District chief Senior Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar and Kamuning Bakery Cafe owner Wilson Lee Flores who led the ceremonial giving of free 50,000 pugon-baked pandesal breads, free Mega sardines, free Fly Ace & Hobe noodles, free King Sue hams, Ok Koolers juices, etc.

Gen. dela Rosa spoke for two hours and answered all questions of local and international media at the non-partisan Pandesal Forum of Kamuning Bakery Café. He spoke frankly about improving peace and order, the status of the anti-drugs war, his personal life story surviving poverty, President Duterte’s reformist leadership, the possibility of him entering politics, and his hope that the media will balance reports with accounts of policemen casualties.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Sereno – who grew up as a public school student at nearby Quezon City High School and bought pugon-baked pandesal, pan de coco and Spanish breads at Kamuning Bakery Café –also spoke at the non-partisan “Pandesal Forum.”

Apart from Kamuning Bakery Café’s annual celebration of #WorldPandesalDay, its yearlong donations of breads to orphanages and other non-government organizations, its hosting the non-partisan and issues-focused Pandesal Forum, writer and realty entrepreneur Wilson Lee Flores has announced that 100 percent of the profits from this pioneer bakery in Quezon City shall be donated to charities focusing mainly on non-traditional education and cultural causes like its donations of public schools to poor rural barrios.