(From left) Anjo Yllana, Julia Montes, Coco Martin. Images: FILE PHOTOS
It has been an explosive week in the entertainment scene as Anjo Yllana claimed that TAPE still owes him several months’ worth of salary in 2019, while Coco Martin confirmed his longstanding relationship with Julia Montes.
Meanwhile, Michael Pacquiao revealing his struggle with depression, Cesar Montano’s Mother’s Day celebration with his partner Kath Angeles and ex-wife Sunshine Cruz, and Nora Aunor’s 70th birthday gift from Snooky Serna also caught the attention of avid showbiz watchers.
If you’re not yet in the loop, be sure to check out the hottest entertainment news that covers the week of May 19 to 25.
Anjo Yllana’s unpaid salaries from TAPE
Anjo Yllana. Image: screengrab from YouTube/INQUIRER.net
After learning that TAPE had paid its debt to Vic Sotto, former “Eat Bulaga” host Anjo Yllana also expressed his desire to receive his unpaid salary, as he claimed that the production company still owes him five to seven months’ worth of compensation for 2019.
In an interview for DZRH News last May 12, Yllana said that TAPE owes him several months’ worth of his salary even as he thanked Vic and Tito Sotto for stepping up to address the matter.
According to Yllana, TAPE’s chief finance officer Bullet Jalosjos informed Manzano that the actor-TV host’s salaries were already paid based on their records.
“This is precisely ‘yung sinasabi ni Tito Sen na bakit sa BIR declared na ‘yung VAT, ibig sabihin bayad na,” Yllana stressed. “Kung hindi lumabas ‘yung sinabi ni Tito Sen at ni Pareng Vic, walang maniniwala sa akin na may utang pa sa akin.”
The production company, Yllana recalled, then asked for his bank-account details during the pandemic and later deposited P200,000 as payment.
“Tapos, paunti-unti na yun kada kinsenas. Minsan wala pa, maliliit na ‘yun—mga 30, minsan 20 — but hindi abot ‘yon sa total na kulang sa akin,” he said, disclosing that the company stopped depositing money into his account when he resigned from the noontime show.
“Kung talagang wala, ika nga ni Bossing (Vic), ‘Sige edi wala.’ E kaso parang meron naman ngayon [kaya] baka sakali lang naman,” he added.
Yllana initially quipped that he would talk to his lawyer regarding his unpaid salaries, but later stressed that he does not want to take legal action on the matter.
Coco Martin and Julia Montes’ relationship
(From left) Julia Montes, Coco Martin. Image: Instagram/@abscbnpr
Coco Martin recently unintentionally revealed that he’s been in a relationship with Julia Montes for 12 years, putting an end to longstanding speculations about their romantic status.
Martin made a slip of the tongue on ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol last May 23, when he confirmed their relationship during their appearance together at the red carpet screening of the series “Unbreak My Heart.”
The “Batang Quiapo” also maintained that he and Montes wanted to keep their relationship private, saying they find value in keeping their romance away from the public eye.
“Basta kami, hindi naman na kaming mga bata. Kung ano ‘yung nakikita at iniisip ng mga tao, ‘yun na ‘yun. Mas masarap ‘yung pakiramdam na pribado ang buhay namin, tahimik. Walang mga issue. Ito, masaya kami,” he continued.
Martin and Montes were pressed if their relationship had started back in 2011, but both could only laugh in response, with the actor quipping to the reporter, “Ang galing mo d’un ah.”
This, however, drew observers to do the math: that the now 28-year-old Montes was only 16 years old in 2011 when he went out with Martin who was already was 29 at the time. Martin will turn 42 in November.
Though the couple didn’t disclose how their romance began in the interview, they first worked together in “Ligaw na Bulaklak” in 2008. They were then launched as a loveteam in the 2012 show “Walang Hanggan,” and starred in the film “A Moment in Time” a year after.
READ: Coco Martin confirms 12-year relationship with Julia Montes
Michael Pacquiao’s bout with depression
Michael Pacquiao and Manny Pacquiao. Image: Instagram/@pacquiao.michael
One would have thought that any child of Manny Pacquiao would never have experienced bullying, but that’s what his son Michael claimed to have happened to him that resulted in him struggling with his mental health at such an early age.
Michael opened up about being bullied for his appearance and family background during an interview with Julius Babao, which was uploaded on his official YouTube channel, saying that he struggled with depression and self-harm at an early age.
The younger Pacquiao said that despite his family’s fame and wealth, he never fit in with the rest, and that he was even backstabbed by people who were supposed to be his friends.
“Not really physical, more of emotional and mental [bullying], I guess. Other people [would] make fun of me, ‘saka they would make fun of my face, my name, tsaka backstab me. Talk behind your back,” he continued.
When asked about going through depression, Pacquiao revealed that he was struggling mentally at an early age, saying that he even thought about ending his life when he was only 16 years old. The rapper then said that he felt “unhappy” because he was unsure of his direction in life. Despite this, he expressed his gratitude to his parents for comforting him during a difficult time in his life.
“Yeah, ending my life. I felt alone. It was one time, sa room ko lang ‘yun, it was kind of like a charger wire thingy, and then naisip kong ‘yun. Na-set ko ‘yun, naisip kong huwag na” he said, adding that he quashed the idea when he thought of how his parents would feel about it.
Michael also stressed that while he and his family are living a comfortable life, he eventually realized that money can’t buy happiness after all.
Following his bout with depression, the boxer’s son hoped that his peers would remember that they are not alone, especially when it comes to struggling with depression.
READ: Michael Pacquiao says he was bullied for his appearance, family background
Cesar Montano’s Mother’s Day with Kath Angeles and Sunshine Cruz
From left: Kath Angeles, Cesar Montano and Sunshine Cruz
Cesar Montano spent Mother’s Day with his “hot mamas” — partner Kath Angeles and ex-wife Sunshine Cruz, but Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Dolly Carvajal had an intriguing idea that sent the actor in stitches.
During the interview, Carvajal pointed out that Cruz once famously jested while she and Montano were still together, that, “‘Di ako ipagpapalit ni Buboy, magdadagdag lang s’ya.”
So, fast forward to today, Cruz is not only openly accepting of Montano and Angeles’ relationship, but is actually approving of the latter as partner of her ex-husband. This led Carvajal to tease the actor, “So, will you also invite Sandra Seifert (mom of his son Coco) and Teresa Loyzaga (mom of his son Diego) to your next blended family gathering?”
Montano shot back saying, “Kumbaga sa movie, complete casting!”
Carvajal said that if his life were to be made into a movie, the title would be ‘To All the Girls I Loved Before.’”
READ: Cesar’s Mother’s Day lunch with Sunshine and Kath
Nora Aunor’s gift on her 70th birthday
Nora Aunor with an enlarged copy of a photography by noted lensman Romy Vitug. Photo by Alex Brosas
Superstar Nora Aunor received a most memorable gift from Snooky Serna when the former celebrated her 70th birthday last May 20 at a hotel in Quezon City.
The gift came in the form of a framed photo taken during the shooting of one of her iconic movies, “Atsay,” and which was photographed by renowned photographer and award-winning cinematographer Romy Vitug. The national artist has long been looking for a copy of that photograph as keepsake of her award-winning performance for the movie.
In the 1978 film, Aunor played a woman who went to the city in search of her fortune, but would end up suffering from harsh treatment by her employers. The film, directed by the late Eddie Garcia, won for Aunor the Best Performer Award at the Metro Manila Film Festival.
This would become the only film to have won such a citation in the history of the MMFF when, at that time, the film fest organizers decided to forgo separate awards for male and female performers.
Also at that time, the MMFF award was hotly-contested as Aunor was being pitted against another equally excellent actress, Vilma Santos, who was vying for the same honor with her movie Rubia Servios, directed by premier director Lino Brocka.
The award would eventually go to Aunor, who during her acceptance speech said, “Mamay, mali ang hula nila! (Their prediction is wrong),” seemingly nettling a then popular practice of having fortunetellers predict which actors would bag certain awards.
The film veteran’s celebration also gathered her five children, her biological son Ian de Leon and four other children Lotlot de Leon, Kiko, Kenneth, at Matet de Leon together, who the veteran actress adopted alongside her then partner, actor Christopher de Leon. EDV
READ: Nora Aunor receives rare photo as birthday gift from Snooky Serna