Manny Villar’s showbiz roots - FUNFARE by Ricardo F. Lo

On the very crowded campaign trail packed full with celebrities of all kinds (shining stars, fading stars, would-be stars and not-quite stars), Senatoriable Manny Villar is among those who stand out decidedly because of his height (5’9") and good looks which could have been his passport to showbiz stardom had he opted to hitch his wagon to that kind of star.

After all, the former Speaker has showbiz in his genes, former LVN actress Evelyn Villar being his aunt and the older sister of Manny’s father, Manuel, Sr. At LVN Pictures in the ’50s, Evelyn was paired with the likes of Mario Montenegro, Armando Goyena and others. She was the counterpart of Sampaguita Pictures’ contract star Norma Vales who, like Evelyn, is now happily settled with her family in the States.

Because of his TV plugs (you know, the "ST" thrust – "ST" as in Sipag at Tiyaga), his catchy radio jingles and attractive posters very prominent with those huge "V" letter, Manny draws crowds everywhere he and his party-mates (the Administration’s People Power Coalition candidates) go, his handshake and autograph as "in demand" as those of such PPC Senatoriables as Ralph Recto ("Mr. Vilma Santos") and Kiko Pangilinan ("Mr. Sharon Cuneta.").

Asked why he didn’t try acting, Manny said that, despite his matinee-idol looks, his direction veered more towards public service – and, eventually, politics.

A member of the UP Batch ’70, Manny is a "veteran" of the historic "First Quarter Storm" which saw him in the midst of anti-Marcos rallies (some of them violent due to rude police dispersal).

It was inevitable that he would land in politics, with his "one great moment in history" etched in public memory when he read the impeachment charges against former President Erap in his capacity as Speaker of the House.

"Until then," Manny told a dozen movie writers over snacks at Annabel’s Restaurant, "I was more known as a businessman (involved in housing) than as a politician."

You see, one swing of the gavel could change the course of history and the direction of one man’s life.

"It used to be that I had one foot in politics and one foot in business," said Manny. "It was only after the impeachment trial did I decide to run for Senator. Now I have both feet in politics."

His low-cost housing business is now handled by a group of trusted friends.

Born on Dec. 13, 1949, in Moriones, Tondo, Manila, Manny is a self-made man, starting his inspiring success story as a vendor in Divisoria. But through sipag at tiyaga, now his battle cry, Manny was able to rise from his humble beginnings and proved not only to himself and relatives but to everybody that poverty is not a hindrance to a person’s pursuit of his goals.

Come to think of it, whatever happened to his plan (announced early last year) to have his life story done into a movie?

Smiled Manny, "The best chapter of my life is yet to be written."

It will be a happy ending, that’s for sure.

Two new beauty contests coming up

To be formally launched at a presscon today is the new international beauty pageant called Miss Earth, with the local search (Miss Philipines) along with it. The Miss Philippines contest promises to be the "only truly nationwide" beauty search, the winner of which will compete with, as of last count, 50 other worthies from the same number of countries. Miss Philippines 2001 will be crowned on April 28 (TV coverage is by RPN 9) and Miss Earth 2001 on Nov. 17 later this year.

The Carousel Productions, which ran the Mutya ng Pilipinas search and the Miss Asia-Pacific Quest from 1992 to 2000, is behind the twin contests. Carousel is headed by Ramon Monzon (president), with his wife, Lorraine Schuck (herself a Mutya titleholder in 1979), as vice-president. Other officers are Joji Felix Velarde (also vice-president), 1977 Mutya-World Peachy Veneracion (project coordinator), Sofia Velasco (events manager), 1999 Mutya and Queen of the Year Raquel Uy (Peachy’s assistant), 1998 Mutya Rochelle Ong (Sofia’s assistant) and 1999 Mutya Ritchie Ocampo (Lorraine’s assistant).

Lorraine and company decided to put up the Miss Philippines and Miss Earth pageants after the Mutya and Miss Asia-Pacific Quest franchise was awarded to GMA 7 which will start conducting the twin searches this year. Carousel’s contract with Mutya-MAPQ wasn’t renewed.

Like Manny Villar, Lorraine Schuck also has showbiz "roots," having ventured into acting after her reign. Lorraine starred in several movies, including Kapag Lumaban ang Api (with FPJ), Anak ni Zuma (with Max Laurel), Titser’s Enemy No. 1 and Carlo J. Caparas’ hilarious comedy Andres de Saya (with Vic Vargas and Gloria Diaz). She was also in the TV shows Victoria Hills, Anna Luna, Chicks to Chicks and Chika Chika Chicks.

Lorraine and company were inspired to put up an environment-friendly beauty pageant by a letter to Carousel from "A Concerned Filipino" who suggested that beauty contests (then Mutya and MAPQ, as handled by Carousel) be converted into cause-oriented projects with "environmental consciousness to save Planet Earth."

Loads of prizes await winners in both contests: P250,000 in cash and other prizes for Miss Philippines; and $20,000 in cash and other prizes for Miss Earth.

(Those interested in the twin contests may contact Carousel at 633-15-75, 633-15-80 or 633-15-81.)