Regal Films doyenne marks 40th year in RP cinema

Regal Films’ “Mag-Ingat Ka Sa Kulam” may be about a curse, but it could bring fortune to Mother Lily Monteverde. The movie got a grade of A from the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB) last week—a fitting gift for Mother Lily who is celebrating her 40th year in Philippine cinema.

Regal Films’ doyenne is not afraid of box office gremlins haunting her horror movies. She has produced quite a number of them – The Shake, Rattle & Roll series, Aswang and Impaktita are just three of them. With Kulam, she has Judy Ann Santos and Dennis Trillo to cast a spell on the viewers.

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Everyone was caught by surprise by the announcement last week of Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. that the Philippine representative to the 2008 Miss World beauty pageant, Janina San Miguel, has resigned.

In a statement it issued, Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. explained that the death of Janina “among other personal reasons, has caused her undue stress, thus hindering her from fulfilling her duties for the said title."

Despite the official explanation, the buzz has persisted that Janina was pressured to relinquish her crown because her chances of winning the world title were greatly diminished by her difficulty in expressing herself in the English language.

The choice of Janina as Binibining Pilipinas Miss World was greeted with controversy because of her tentative and incomprehensible answers to the questions she was asked as a finalist. Her glaring mistakes were highlighted in a video posted on YouTube.

Janina will be replaced as Philippine representative to the pageant on December by first runner-up Danielle Castano, a Fil-American who speaks fluent English.

Janina’s manager Jonti Martinez refuses to speculate on the reason her charge resigned. Ms Martinez has reportedly said that she called up Janina but she didn’t respond.

The manager also revealed that Janina found the training for the world pageant too strenuous.

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Joyce Jimenez says her accident last Monday may have something to do with a show about spirits she was taping in Baguio.

Joyce, who just got married, had finished taping for the Philippines ’ Scariest Challenge and was returning to Manila when her van swerved off the highway in Pangasinan as her driver tried to avoid an oncoming bus. The van ended up in a ricefield. She and her companions Cathleen Transporte and Diosdado Espiritu Jr. and their driver Sandy Juno were shaken but were not otherwise badly hurt.

Joyce suffered a small gash on her forehead and bruises on her shin.

In a television interview, she said she must have “disturbed” some spirits while doing the taping. “On the way back to Manila, I had that heavy feeling, as if something was wrong,” she said.

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What was the “magic word” that Sen. Bong Revilla whispered to his father Ramon Revilla Sr. while Revilla Sr. was recovering from a stroke? The stroke left Revilla Sr. partly paralyzed, responding only through eye movements. Bong told a TV interview that his dad responded favorably when he told him the magic word.

When the interviewer pressed Bong to reveal what the word was, he replied with a wry smile, “Secret.”

Bong also said he informed his father about the birth of his newest great-granddaughter, Alexa Daniella del Rosario. She was born to Inah, Bong’s daughter, and her husband Vince on September 30.

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A father and his son shared the spotlight at the Gawad Urian last Wednesday. Sid Lucero, who won the best actor award for his role in the indie film Selda, received the trophy from his dad, Mark Gil, who won the same plum from Gawad Urian last year.

Sid shared the award with Jason Abalos, who shone in his role in another indie film, Endo. Cherry Pie Picache took home the best actress trophy. Tirador got the judges’ nod as best picture.