Letran offers Rebecca full scholarship

I never expected a lot of people to be touched by my story about Rebecca Lusterio (Bikay: After graduation, what?), the seashell vendor at a beach in Bohol discovered by Cesar Montano for the movies, introduced in Cesar’s starrer Muro-Ami as a child actress (and winning a Best Child Actress award for her performance as a diver) and cast in another Cesar movie, Panaghoy sa Suba (for which she won a Best Supporting Actress award at the 2004 Metro Manila Filmfest).

Rebecca helps support her poor family and financed her way through high school by selling seashells (mostly to tourists), graduating last month from the Saint Agustin Academy in Panglao, Bohol.

"Bikay should be a role model for the young," said Rebecca’s friend Leo Udtohan who filed the story for Funfare. "She didn’t let herself be affected by showbiz and she remained as humble as ever; she doesn’t have any airs at all."

Among those who responded was Rev. Fr. Edwin A. Lao, O.P., rector and president of Colegio de San Juan de Letran, who is offering Bikay full scholarship.

Here’s Fr. Lao’s letter to Funfare:

Dear Mr. Lo,

Greeting from Colegio de San Juan de Letran.

This letter is sent in relation to your article written last April 20 where you featured Ms. Rebecca Lusterio, seashell vendor from Bohol, who finished her high school education recently.

Touched by your article, I am now writing you to invite Bikay to study here in Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Intramuos, Manila, where she would be given a full-scholarship grant. Bikay can also stay in our dormitory. I understand that she wants to pursue her showbiz career so I can refer her to enroll in our Institute of Communication Arts, Broadcasting, Advertising, Public Relations and Journalism. Our Institute of Communication is one of our flagship courses here in Colegio de San Juan de Letran, considering the numerous and consistent awards we have received from the Student Catholic Mass Media Awards and other international and national award-giving bodies in the field of media and communications.

Since we do not have contact with Bikay, kindly do us a favor of extending our invitation for her to join the Letran community. We will be very glad to see her here in Letran.

God bless.

Sincerely,

Rev. Fr. Edwin A. Lao, O.P.

Rector and President

I relayed Fr. Lao’s message to Rebecca and by this time, I hope they have met already.

Another good Samaritan is reader Habuiah Angel who said he’s willing to shoulder part of Bikay’s expenses, "say about P2,000 a month," and writing to some of his friends so they can "pool some money" and help Bikay pursue her dream (of finishing college).

There’s also reader Reginald Salanga (whom I met at the Los Angeles airport PAL lounge two years ago), who’s offering financial help "for whatever it is worth."

Oh well. Just when you thought that the world has run out of kind-hearted souls...

Thank you very much, Fr. Edwin Lao (and generous/charitable readers like Habuiah and Reginald). May your tribe increase!

Congratulations to Golden Lions couple Carlo J. Caparas and wife Donna Villa for winning at this year’s Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation, Inc. (GMMSF) Awards held last night at the Gen. Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City.

For the first time in the 36 years history of the Box Office Entertainment Awards, the GMMSF, Inc. gave a Special Presidential Citation for Outstanding Value Formation Television Program of the Year and Top Crusading Television Teleserye of the Year awards. Carlo and Donna are the recipients of both awards for the tearjerker entitled Diyos Ko...Mahal Mo Ba Sila? (for Value Formation), aired on Channel 4 and re-aired on ANC Cable TV; and for the Krusada Kontra Krimen series (for Top Crusading), aired on Channels 13, NBN 4, RPN 9 and the ANC News Channel.

"Carlo and I were surprised by the awards," said Donna. "We’re very thankful for the recognition."

"It will inspire Donna and me even more," said Carlo when he received the award notice from the executive committee of the GMMSF, Inc., chaired by Corazon M. Samaniego. "It’s a great honor. I’m sure that the actors, actresses and other workers on our two shows are very happy. Donna and I want to share the awards with them and the televiewers who, we hope, have in one way or another been not only entertained and informed but inspired to give whatever little share they can in making our country a better and more peaceful place to live in."

The anagram contributed to Funfare by Liberty Ilagan has inspired readers to contribute their own.

Here’s one from a reader too shy to give his name:

• Public relations – Crap, built on lies

• Evangelist – Evil’s agent

• Internet chat rooms – The moron interacts

• Board meeting – I get bored, man

• Debit card – Bad credit

• Clint Eastwood – Old west action

• Playmate of the year – Ahoy, a pretty female

• The Public Art Galleries – Large picture halls, I bet

• Alec Guinness – Genuine class

• George Bush – He bugs Gore

And still another one, from Jennylyn Mercado (namesake of the actress, I presume):

Rearrange the following phrases to form the names of celebrities:

1. Best in prayers

2. I’m a jerk, but listen

3. Over-talentless sly

4. On any screen

5. Why shout in tone?

6. Top? Only lard

7. Ocean idol or a dip

8. I am only a lass

9. Rated worst

10. Indian Model

Answers:

l. Britney Spears

2. Justine Timberlake

3. Sylvester Stallone

4. Sean Connery

5. Whitney Houston

6. Dolly Parton

7. Leonardo DiCaprio

8. Alyssa Milano

9. Rod Stewart

10. Neil Diamond

And did you know that if you rearrange the letters of the sentence "Tried to catch it on a tin pot, but semen fell on a dress. Life, eh!" it will read, "The President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton"?

(Note: Interesting, interesting! More, more, more!)

• Did you know that Nora Aunor has just starred in her first digital movie entitled CareHome, shot entirely in the USA where she’s on "rehab" after she pleaded guilty to a drug charge? According to Lito Ibañez (of San Francisco, Bay Area), head of the Ka Nora egroup, CareHome, which is about caring for someone you love, had a successful premiere last April 23 at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater in San Francisco. Nora attended the affair, together with Suzette Ranillo who directed the film. Ibañez was also present, along with Ka Nora egroup co-heads Ruben Sta. Ana (of Palm Spring) and Michael Roldan (of Los Angeles).

• Tristan Bayani, a young Filipino chef, won a silver medal plus a diploma on Three Appetizer Course Menu at the recent Seoul International Culinary Competition on Seoul. Other contestants came from the USA, Russia, China, South Korea, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, etc. Bayani is one of the chef consultants of Club Industry (Tomas Morato Ave., Quezon City). He was trained by chef master Ed Quimson of Teak Bistro (Powerplant) and got a scholarship from the Korean government. He’s staying in Seoul for six months.

• Here’s Fr. Corsie Legaspi’s healing schedule for May:

• May 1, Monday – Karakol in honor of Sto. Bambino de Aracoeli, Mass at 2 p.m. at the Coming Home Retreat and Meditation Center in Binakayan, Cavite, to be followed by a procession to Freedom Park in Kawit, Cavite.

• May 2, Tuesday; May 5, Friday; and May 9, Tuesday – Also at the Coming Home Retreat and Meditation Center in Binakayan, Cavite, 1 to 5 p.m.

(For further inquiries, call 046-434-8759 or 046-878-0069, look for Philip, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.)

E-mail reactions at [email protected]