Well-crafted ‘Thelma’ gets ‘A’ rating

Maja Salvador and director Paul Soriano

We gave “Thelma” an “A” rating at the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB). It’s well-crafted and it touches all the right places of the heart. Kudos to Direk Paul Soriano and the superb cast for such an unforgettable film.

Direk Paul sent me this text message: “I’m speechless! I’m so happy that Thelma was graded “A” by the CEB. I worked so hard on the film. I’m overwhelmed  by the board’s comments. It made all the hard work worth it.”

Hopefully, more people will take time to watch Direk Paul’s masterpiece. It’s a welcome change from some Filipino films that are all fluff and no substance.

Boycott Carla

Press people at the studio of “Paparazzi” were quite appalled when Carla Abellana said in a “mataray tone” in her VTR interview that after her clash with my colleague Mario Bautista, she has stopped reading write-ups about her. If that’s the case, maybe we should not write about her anymore.

Guess list

A furniture supplier was shocked when a top celebrity called off the deal to provide stuff for the new house in a ritzy subdivision which he was dead-set on buying. It turns out that his funds are dwindling due to his expensive “extracurricular” activities so he can no longer afford to buy the mansion he was eyeing. With the way he spends, it might be the end. He must bear in mind that it’s not how much we earn but how much we save that matters.

Looks like an actress is back to her old ways. She is fast becoming a major headache in her shoots. Hopefully, she snaps out of it soon or else no amount of damage control can save her. But that can only be possible if she gets rid of an “undesirable” in her life. But how can codependents survive without each other?

Mysterious bag

Direk Joyce Bernal told me the horror movie of Kris Aquino and Dingdong Dantes which she is directing will center on a mysterious ladies’ handbag. “May sumpang taglay ang bag,” she says.

BAGabag is it!

Second life

Joseph Bitangcol is on his way to full recovery after his vehicular accident last August. When I saw him at the dressing room of TV 5, he was in high spirits.

“Konting therapy na lang, makakapag work na ako,” he said. “Nakakainip na nasa bahay lang kasi di ako sanay na di nagtratrabaho since breadwinner ako. I’m so thankful na sobrang daming tumutulong sa akin kaya mapapabilis ang pagbalik ko sa normal.”

On his second lease on life, Joseph should always put safety first.

Surprise visit

I paid my Tito Mon Jimenez (the new tourism chief) a surprise visit at the Senate. He was at the office of Senator Lito Lapid while waiting for the tourism department’s budget hearing to start. Mark Lapid was also around.

It was nice to see the Lapids in “action” sans horses and fight scenes. Tito Mon teased me. “I only see you on TV now. It’s good you came over.”

I was so touched when Sen Lito expressed his gratitude for my mom’s help. He said that it was my mom who paved the way for him to venture into politics because his fellow Kapampangans would often see him in my ma’s show, “Eye to Eye,” doing relief operations in Pampanga. Too bad my ultimate crush, Bongbong Marcos, was not in his office that day so I just posed by his framed picture in the hallway.

When I tweeted about it (via [email protected]  to [email protected]), I was pleasantly surprised when Bongbong replied: “Thank you, Dolly.”

Swooning fan

I turn into a swooning fan every time I talk about Bongbong. Being at the Senate reminded me that there’s a thin line between politics and show biz. Every now and then, politicos put on an act while actors have mastered the politics of war (Philippine Senate style).

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