The boy with a missing mother

This is a true sob story best suited for Ate Charo Santos-Concio’s top-rated, long-running and multi-awarded drama show, Maalaala Mo Kaya (ABS-CBN, Thursday nights before The Insider):

Once upon a time, 17 years ago, there was a very handsome boy who was born without a mother. How could that be possible? Well, it’s like this: The boy’s parents were not married. When he was born, a tug-of-war over him erupted between his parents’ families, with the boy’s paternal grandmother gaining "custody" over him when he was barely a month old. He grew up to be a Lola’s Boy and he never saw his mother at all. In fact, not having seen her picture nor talked to her, he doesn’t have any idea how she looks like. He won’t even recognize her if they bump into each other in the mall.

Fast-forward 17 years later: The boy, now a star material, joined and won the ABS-CBN noontime show MTB Ang Saya-Saya’s talent search called TV Idol Ur D’Man. He shed buckets of tears as he received his prizes (P500,000 and a one-year contract with the ABS-CBN Talent Center, P200,000 of then money given in cash and the rest he has to work for), saying he wanted to dedicate his victory to his "missing" mother but since he doesn’t know her, he’d rather share it with his father and lola.

That’s the life story of Roche Ahron Villena, a native of Batangas City, who bested four other worthy aspirants in the contest which started a few months ago with more than 30 hopefuls, with the number trimmed down to batches of 10 until only five remained standing after going through elimination rounds where they were made to sing, dance, act and host (an imaginary TV show).

It turned out that Ahron’s mother has been working in Saitama, Japan, for many years now; while his father married another woman and broke up with her after siring a child. Because of his beckoning showbiz career, Ahron has decided to temporarily quit his studies at the Lyceum of Batangas where he’s taking up B.S. Nursing.

I’ll have to put the story "on hold" so as not to preempt Ate Charo if and when she decides to dramatize Ahron’s story on MMK. This much I can tell you: Like most family dramas, this one is headed for a happy ending. You see, last Sunday evening, Ahron’s mother called out of the blue after she saw Ahron’s tearful appearance on The Buzz (presumably via The Filipino Channel), bridging the 17-year gap between them.

"It was the first time I heard her voice," said Ahron, "and I felt awkward. To make sure she’s my mother, I asked her what my birthdate is and other personal facts about me. After a few minutes, we were exchanging jokes already. I ended our conversation by saying, ‘What are you doing there? Come home.’ She was happy with my victory."

Ahron and his long-lost mother will have a much-awaited reunion in March next year when she comes home from Japan.

Asked what’s the first thing he will do as soon as he meets her, Ahron said, "I’ll show her my trophy."

Mayor Vi Like A True ‘Stage Mom’

This is another story of another mother, a hands-on one and not "missing" like Ahron’s mother.

It’s about Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos who was so excited about her and Sen. Ralph Recto’s son Ryan Christian’s TV "debut" last Monday night on the ABS-CBN sitcom OK, Fine, Whatever!, that she took time out to watch the episode in full (and, I guess, have it recorded). Mayor Vi even texted her friends to watch the sitcom.

I did and promised her to write a short "review" of the performance of Ryan Christian who appeared on OK, Fine with his Tito Edu Manzano and Kuya Luis/Lucky Manzano. The episode was "fantasy" and Ryan Christian was cast in a role very much like Harry Potter.

Here’s my short "review":

He bungled some of his lines but so what? He’s cute just the same.

He would look at the camera every now and then but so what? He was cute just the same.

He missed his cues but so what? He’s cute just the same.

In short, he’s cute and isn’t it all that matters for the time being?

Will he grow up to be as good an actor as his mom?

Only the future will tell.

Incidentally, Mayor Vi would like to thank the cast (also including Gloria Romero and Aga Muhlach), the director (Danny Caparas) and staff of OK, Fine for the support given to Ryan Christian.

Lani Impresses Michael Jackson’s Brother

Here’s a short item e-mailed to Funfare by Jackie Regala who used to be Bulletin Entertainment Editor Cris Belen’s assistant and is now based in Los Angeles with her family, still into journalism and producing shows every now and then featuring talents from dear old Philippines:

Marlon Jackson, one of the famous siblings in the Jackson 5 family (Michael, Janet, Jermaine and La Toya), became an instant fan of Lani Misalucha after hearing Lani perform (for the first time) at Bally’s Las Vegas. He even gave Lani some tips on how to further enhance her flourishing career in America.

Marlon currently owns and manages a major cable network called MBC. On the other hand, Lani continues to enthrall audiences in the same show, with the Society of Seven as co-performers.

The show is produced by Rosy Cheeks Entertainment and Group Inc. and also presented by Seafood City Supermarket, The Filipino Channel, Asian Journal Publications, Goldilocks Bakeshop and Century 21/Emerald Financial.

(It’s Jackie who’s handling the show’s marketing and promotions.)

What’s Up?

• Class 1979 of the Colegio de Sta. Teresita, Laoang, Northern Samar, will hold its alumni homecoming on Sept. 30. Members of this batch may call Arnel Dy (0927-9339391) for more information.

• The 2nd Australian Film Festival will be open on Sept. 17 with the screening of Walking on Water, directed by Tony Ayres, which won as Best Feature FIlm at the 2002 Berlin Film Festival. Venue is Cinema 2 at The Podium, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.

• Lav Diaz’s nine-hour film Ebolusyon will have its world premiere at the Visions Program of the Toronto International Film Festival next month, along with 20 other films from 14 countries. Visions focuses on innovation and spotlights works that enter new cinematic territory, use unconventional approaches to story-telling and employ new technologies in distinctive ways.

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