Is Jullie leaving ABS-CBN? - FUNFARE by Ricardo F. Lo

So you think the merry-go-round (some people call it the "rigodon") at ABS-CBN has come to a halt? Think again.

Your and my favorite Friday evening show, Jullie, hosted by Jullie Daza, will soon fade out of the ABS-CBN screen but it won’t be gone for long. According to Funfare’s "roving DPA," Miss Jullie will resurface in ABS-CBN’s sister station, ANC Channel 21 (whose flag carrier is Boy Abunda’s Private Conversations).

Initially being eyed to take over Jullie’s timeslot is a new show to be hosted by Katrina Legarda (now hosting her own show called By Demand on ANC Channel 21) and Randy David (remember when Funfare predicted several issues ago that he’d be playing an "important role" in ABS-CBN’s News and Public Affairs Department, remember?).

"But then," added the "roving DPA," "Katrina and Randy’s show won’t be pushed through for whatever reason."

The good news for followers (this one included) of Ces Oreña-Drilon is that her Pipol show will be moved from its Tuesday evening timeslot and to Jullie’s to-be-vacated timeslot.

Now, just like Jullie, Pipol is a very interesting show with lots of exciting features done in a comprehensive style that only Ces and her staff can, so let’s expect Pipol to give us more of the same stuff week after week, Friday after Friday.

"Ces hasn’t really been ‘left out’ in the rigodon," revealed the "roving DPA" who is very obviously a Ces fanatic. "She’ll host a new show called Pointblank on ANC Channel 21 starting first week of April. Pointblank is a 30-minute daily show, Monday through Friday, 11 to 11:30 p.m., and Ces will host it Ted Koppelstyle. It’s something to look forward to."

Well, win some, lose some. When God closes a door, He definitely opens a window. Right, Ces?

Lance plays hero

Funfare received the following letter from a reader who identified herself only as "Claudia" who has such an interesting (oops! that word again!) story to tell that I can’t help printing it in full. Read on:

Dear Ricardo,

Before flying back to the US, I thought I’d write you this letter and share with you an awe-inspiring story. This had only been my third time in the beautiful Philippine Islands. I was here in 1985 and 1999 before visiting again this year. I always thought of your country as a very exotic and lovely place, that’s why all my visits have been very pleasurable. Before flying to Manila, a colleague of mine suggested the Philstar.com web site for me to keep myself posted on the current events in the Philippines. That is where I encountered you and your column. So, I thought it would be appropriate that this letter be sent to you because, depending on whether my hunches are correct, my story may or may not have something to do with Philippine entertainment.

In late 1999, I was here for a short vacation. My colleagues and I had to go to Hong Kong. But before going back home, I decided to take a side trip to Manila for a week because my 1985 visit was such a pleasure and I wanted to re-live the experience. I was in a taxicab on my way to Alabang and in one of the traffic-jammed crossroads, a thin old man suddenly lost his balance while walking in the middle of the road. He grabbed his chest and looked like he was having an attack. I was stunned by what I saw, but what stunned me more was the fact that none of the people in the cars even bothered to help the poor man. The traffic enforcers were just working as usual and some of the cars were just slowly driving past this man. I wanted to go down and help him but the taxi driver stopped me, thinking that I was gonna run off without paying the fare.

Then from the other side of the road, a car pulled over and a very beautiful Filipino boy came running toward our direction and risked being hit by the speeding cars just to help the man. He did not have the usual Filipino features. He had ivory skin and brown hair. I was watching in awe as this boy risked his own life just to save this man. I could tell from the way he looked that he was probably a rich kid who parties a lot and does not give a damn about things other than sports and girls. But he had a look of such genuine concern that was so sincere. That face of his had been immortalized in my mind like a photograph. He instantly changed my perception of today’s youth. His face never escaped my mind over the past months and whenever I hear about acts of heroism or see movies with similar scenes, I think of this handsome nameless young boy.

Now, I’m back in Manila. I visited the new mall at Alabang and as I was taking my cab ride, I had a visual recollection of the incident with the old man. The face of the boy was very vivid in my mind. At the Alabang Town Mall, I decided to go to Tower Records and get myself some authentic Filipino music to further immerse myself in your culture. Shock of all shocks! At the racks containing Filipino records was a CD that had on it the very face that has been constantly creeping into my memory since 1999. I was in a state of total amazement and disbelief! The handsome young boy who saved the poor man on the road is a celebrity! His name is Lance Raymundo. His pictures on the CD are in black and white and all I am relying on is a one-year-and-a-half memory but I’d bet my money that it’s him.

His email address is printed on the sleeve of his CD. I tried emailing him but when I checked my mailbox today, the mail bounced back. His inbox must be very full. I have no other way of confirming if the boy at the crossroad and Lance Raymundo are one and the same person. But I have read his dedications on his CD and he thanked God before anyone else. He also used up all the space at the back of the sleeves to thank everyone from his family to the drivers and even the technicians at the studio. That made it clearer to me that Lance is probably that boy.

I’ve had a very tarnished view of today’s youth and most of all, today’s celebrities. They all strike me as God-less young, spoiled brats who are full of themselves. You hear bad stories here and there where celebrities are concerned. They feel as if they are miles and miles above the rest of humanity. I’ve also felt the same about beautiful people. Being a plain Jane myself, I feel as though the beautiful people feel as if they have the world at the palm of their hands. They boss people around and just enjoy being who and what they are.

That is the reason why I had been so fascinated with that boy. I did a short internet research about Lance and found out that he had only been in showbiz for a few months. That means he was just an ordinary citizen when this thing at the crossroad happened. That also goes to show that there is such a thing as good karma.

Do good to others and goodness will come your way. I hope I did not bore you with a letter so long, Ricardo. Some things that seem trivial to one person mean a whole lot to others. This experience with The Boy/Lance changed me a lot so I thought I’d share it with you before going back to the real world... home. I hope to one day confirm whether Lance is indeed that Boy.

If you come across him, please ask him if he remembers ever rescuing a poor man from being hit by cars in a crossroad. If you have any information, you can email me at this address: [email protected]

– Very truly yours,

Claudia

(Yes, Claudia, it was, indeed, Lance who, when contacted by Funfare about your letter, recalled that the incident happened last year while he was on his way to fetch his girlfriend. Lance said that he helped the poor man get up and supported him as he limped toward a a group of barangay tanod. Lance left only after he saw to it that the poor man was in safe hands.)

What’s up?

• Ed Manguiat conducts the University of the Philippines Singing Ambassadors (UPSA) in a mini-concert/exhibit to commemorate UPSA’s 21st year this afternoon at 4:15 p.m. at the Jorge B. Vargas Museum, UP Diliman, Quezon City. UPSA recently represented the country in a highly acclaimed performance at the Sydney Opera House during the World Voices Australia which was participated in by 18 choirs from 11 countries. UPSA is currently preparing for its forthcoming European Tour in July this year.

The exhibit, aptly titled "21 in 2001 A 21st Anniversary Exhibit", will run from March 16 to 30. Concert Admission is free.