It’s a show for every member of the family

Curtain-raisers:

• A couple who looked like my favorite showbiz couple (well, they are a couple in a manner of speaking) was spotted by my DPA inspecting a house worth P12.8 million in a posh village somewhere in Alabang. I wonder, is my favorite couple buying that house? If they are, I wish them all the happiness in the world. You see, they (especially she) have been through tough/rough times and all sorts of trials and they deserve to live in peace and contentment – if they can. If they really love each other, I say go ahead, enjoy yourselves and let the rest of the world talk to death about you. By and by, rumor-mongers will get tired of talking, I’m sure!

• From my e-mail: My name is Corito Cuadrado, the youngest sister of Eddie Arenas. I’m writing to let you and your readers know that my brother passed away last Monday, March 31, after a stroke and having been in a coma for a week. His remains are at the Funeraria Nacional on Araneta Avenue, Quezon City, Chapel 2C. The burial Mass will be on Saturday, April 5, at 9 a.m. and then the cremation will follow. I know he had many friends in the industry but I don’t know how to reach them. Maybe they’d like to pay him their last respects.

• The Rolling Stones didn’t cancel their show in Singapore (March 25-26) after all. Thanks to readers Maria of Singapore, Jonathan Sanchez, Reden Lantican and Precious Sheehy for pointing it out to Funfare. The Rolling Stones will have another show in Bangkok on April 8.

• Yes, Juan Perez (New York), you’re right: Ruffa Gutierrez will be converted to Islam and not to Muslim as Funfare mentioned. Ruffa’s husband Yilmaz Bektas is a gallant Turk and not a gallant Turkish as Funfare also wrongly described him.

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Because they all have happy families, Arriba, Arriba stars Sandy Andolong, Edgar Mortiz and Johnny Delgado see to it that their ABS-CBN Saturday night sitcom comes up with wholesome episodes fit for every member of the family. Sandy plays Isabel Arriba, wife of Edgar as the Arriba patriarch Sodi and Johnny as Sodi’s carefree friend-cum-business-partner Yani.

Arriba, Arriba, directed by Jerry Sineneng, is marking its third anniversary in November yet. It has been given, as Johnny jokingly put it, "extreme sanction" three times and those must have pumped new life to the show which temporarily suffered in the ratings game when Jolina Magdangal quit and moved to GMA 7. The show is sold as a package – you know, as a "family-oriented" show – unlike other shows that topbill standard bearers (such as Cesar Montano and Maricel Soriano for Bida si Mister, Bida si Misis; or Dolphy for Home Along da Riles, etc.).

Arriba, Arriba has been in fighting form since then and its stars (also including Ai-Ai delas Alas, Heart Evangelista, Camille Prats, John Lapuz and Bentong) are having lots of fun keeping it that way (never mind if GMA 7 has moved the Bong Revilla sitcom Idol Ko Si Kap to the same timeslot, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturdays).

"We are not comedians," Johnny spoke for Sandy, Edgar and himself, "but actors doing comedy."

Doing comedy is not new to Sandy who, once upon a time, starred in such sitcoms as Sandy’s Cousin and Hapi House.

"Everytime Boyet (Christopher de Leon, her husband) watches Arriba," said Sandy, "he’d tease me, ‘Kung kailan ka nagka-edad saka ka naman nagwala.’ Because of Arriba (beamed to Filipino communities in various parts of the US, Middle East and Asia through The Filipino Channel, or TFC), nagkaroon din ako ng maraming fans sa States. Before, it was only Boyet whom they knew. Now, it’s me that the kids call out for. You know, si Arriba, si Arriba, o!"

A noted movie drama actor, Johnny seems to simply breeze through his scenes in Arriba, saying in jest that he reports to the set week after week "just to see Bobot (Edgar)." Seriously now, according to Johnny, "Arriba clicks because of its barkada/family concept" which shines through in the rapport among the cast.

"We are aware of our kiddie audience," said Johnny, "so we try to inject values in a subtle way, such as using ‘po’ or ‘opo’ when talking to older people. When I read the script, I make sure that there’s no foul language, not a single bad word."

Countered Edgar, "We play for truth. We don’t resort to slapsticks for laughs. ‘Yung comedy namin nasa eksena, sa situwasyon. We don’t hit our companions on the head or in any part of the body para lang magpatawa."

Well and good. No wonder Arriba, Arriba is a "must-see" among many families.

Sandy and Boyet have five children – Rafael (Sandino), 20, a Multi-Media student at St. Benilde; Miguel, 17, Digital Arts senior at Southville International School; Gabriel, 13, high school (Southville); Mariel, 9, grade 3 (Southville); and Mica, 6, grade 1 (Southville).

Johnny and wife Laurice Guillen have two daughters – Ana, 21, a Conservatory of Music graduate from UP; and Ina, 16, a Creative Writing graduate from Ateneo, an ice-skater and now member of the Bayanihan.

Edgar and wife Millet Santos have four children – Frasco, 24, a Fine Arts UP graduate; Albert, 22, a UP Advertising graduate; Calin, 21, a Marketing graduate from the Colegio de San Lorenzo, Quezon City; and Camille, 20, a Masscom student at Miriam College.

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