Mega Kapatid

SHARON Cuneta with manager Vic Del Rosario, who says the transfer is “not about money.” facebook photo

Sharon Cuneta was set to sign up with TV5 on Tuesday. A highly-placed source told the Inquirer that the “official” contract signing was supposed to take place in Hong Kong later this week between the singer-actress, known in the country as “Megastar,” and network big boss Manny V. Pangilinan, but that it had to be fast-tracked after the Inquirer confirmed the transfer on Sunday.

A Hong Kong ceremony is still pushing through, said the source.

Speculation

There has been much speculation about Cuneta’s TV5 deal—with figures like P1 million per taping day, to a P600-million package, to a whopping P1-billion, five-year contract going the rounds.

Viva Entertainment big boss Vic del Rosario, who is also Cuneta’s manager, told the Inquirer that the TV5 contract would be “commensurate with her stature in the industry.”

Del Rosario quickly pointed out, however: “It’s not about money. It’s about being happy and being able to do the kind of shows that she wants. It’s the whole package.”

Nightly talk

According to the Inquirer source, Cuneta is set to do a nightly prime-time talk show with TV5. “It will have different components—one is ‘Wish Upon a Mega,’ in which Sharon will fulfill the dreams of chosen viewers.” Another source said TV5 is “carefully studying” the format.

Del Rosario explained: “[Cuneta] was happy with ABS-CBN, her former station, but she no longer has a contract.”

Pressed about the terms of the TV5 contract, Del Rosario noted, “She certainly deserves it. It’s hard to quantify the worth of a Sharon Cuneta to a network. Iba ang stature niya.”

He conceded that the announcement of the transfer took longer than necessary because the country’s top TV executives, including Pangilinan, had attended the just-concluded four-day Ad Congress held in Camarines Sur.

Major change

Del Rosario said that Cuneta is ready for a major change. “She will have her first back-to-back concert with Martin Nievera at the Araneta Coliseum on Feb. 11 and then at the Waterfront Cebu on Feb. 14. Also early next year, she will shoot her reunion movie with Gabby Concepcion and then later, another movie with Judy Ann Santos, both under Viva Films.” Del Rosario said Cuneta will play an active role in these projects, via her own Mega Productions.

An insider told the Inquirer that it was not an easy decision for Cuneta to leave ABS-CBN, her home network for 23 years. It was agonizing, said the insider, considering that Cuneta almost literally grew up on that studio lot. “She was a newly separated single mom struggling with her career when she joined ABS-CBN. She grew in popularity at the same time as ABS-CBN. They became successful together.”

Fresh start

The insider likewise claimed that TV5 didn’t require the singer-actress to give up a planned Star Cinema movie and Lifestyle channel show (both under ABS-CBN), but that she really wanted a fresh start.

What will happen to her Sharon magazine, published by ABS-CBN Publishing? “She is determined to continue that, with or without ABS-CBN,” said the highly-placed source.

In an interview, Cuneta told the latest issue of Star Studio mag, also published by ABS-CBN: “The decision is something I’ve been praying very hard about. The outcome for me has brought tears of sadness and tears of joy. In the end, you would want to go to a place where you’re totally appreciated and respected… As I’ve always said, I [thrive] in an environment where I feel I am loved.”

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