What I want to see in Charo's Maalaala Mo Kaya

After more than 800 episodes in the 20 years that her show, Maalaala Mo Kaya (MMK), has been ruling the ratings and winning awards, what I’d like to see on the show is its host Charo Santos-Concio’s life story. She has been in showbiz for 35 years, fresh from graduating Masscom at St. Paul’s College and right after her reign initially as Baron Travel Girl and later as Miss Green Revolution.

I’ve known Charo for 37 years. Between the time she was renting a modest apartment on K-G Street on Kamias Road, Quezon City, and today when she sits at the top of ABS-CBN (where she did her On-The-Job training) as its first lady president, Charo has been living a colorful life fit for five (or even more) episodes on MMK to mark its 20th anniversary next month.

Asked at the presscon last week if she liked the idea, Charo blushed, “It’s not yet time.” Maybe when MMK celebrates its 40th anniversary, by then retitled Naalaala Mo Pa Ba, Lola Charo? (since she’s even now, as she happily announced, already a grandma at 50-something). “Maybe,” said Charo who was speechless when asked how many leading men her bio-miniseries would require. I have a good idea but I won’t tell you.

In the meantime, MMK is presenting five new episodes for its two-decade anniversary, all based on true stories just like past episodes: Palawan, directed by Brillante “Dante” Mendoza, with Angel Aquino as a principled, vision-challenged mother who risks her life in her effort to stop mining in that province, on Oct. 1; Happy Feet, the Bukidnon episode directed by Dado Lumibao, about the Pilipinas Got Talent dancing duo Ramon and Bambi’s struggle to get their family out of poverty, with Ariel Rivera playing the father of John Prats and Nash Aguas, Oct. 8; Barcelona (filmed in Barcelona, Spain), directed also by Lumibao, with Jake Cuenca in his first gay role Louie who strives to please his father, played by Ricky Davao, in order to be accepted, Oct. 15; and two “surprise” episodes airing Oct. 22 and 29 to complete the special package.

“MMK makes up a big part of my 35 years in showbiz,” said Charo who proceeded to retrace how she got to where she’s now.

Back then, Lino Brocka asked Charo if she wanted to audition for the role of Teresa in Itim, Mike de Leon’s directorial debut. She impressed the hard-to-please Mike enough for him to cast her in another film, Kisapmata (based on Nick Joaquin’s Free Press article The House on Zapote Street), right after Charo won Best Actress (for Itim) in the Asian Film Festival, and then in Kakabakaba Ka Ba? Charo and Mike had a falling-out when they bumped heads when, then already a producer, Charo got Mike to direct one of her projects.

“When I was young,” added Charo, “I was a movie fan; ang dami kong inidolong artista at hanggang ngayon ay marami pa rin akong iniidolong talents. We were living in Mindoro then at wala pa kaming TV noon. I followed the programs of Tia Dely and Kuya Cesar on our transistor radio. I listened intently how they dramatized the stories of letter-writers. Hanggang naging artista ako sa program ni Helen Vela na Lovingly Yours, Helen,” not knowing that she would host a similar show and outlast that of Helen’s and other drama anthologies.

Of course, as an actress, Charo has done memorable performances, notably in Kaya Kong Abutin ang Langit and Kontrobersyal in which she played a scheming producer, perhaps agreeing to do steamy bed scenes with Phillip Salvador (as her lover) only because it was Brocka directing the movie.

“MMK contributed a lot to me as a person,” continued Charo. “Natuto akong makita ang perspective ng mas malawak na mundo, and my own problems get smaller when I read the letters of televiewers talking about their problems, some of which we choose and dramatize on the show. Nai-inspire akong harapin lahat ng mga pagsubok na dumadaan sa sarili kong buhay. MMK gives me the inner strength and courage to face the realities of the world to see what’s beautiful instead of what is dark and negative.”

Of the more than 800 MMK episodes so far, what sticks to Charo’s mind is the story of a mother (played by Gina Pareño) whose three children suffered from insanity.

“As a mother myself,” admitted Charo, near teary-eyed, “I could feel what the mother felt.” The good news is that the three children have recovered.

Still and all, what I want to see on MMK (aired early evenings on Saturdays) is the life story of Ma’am Charo. I assure you that it’s so colorful and so dramatic that it will top the 47-plus highest rating reached by the show so far.

But that episode would have to include a “disclaimer” and, to protect the privacy of the many people involved, names of the real-life characters should be changed, especially those of the leading men, some of them have “crossed the bar.”

Briefly noted

• So what’s eating Erik Santos? How come he’s badmouthing Backroom, Inc., the talent agency that built him up and covered up for many of his misgivings, including his personal indiscretions concerning his private life? Could it be true that when he heard that Duncan Ramos was joining Backroom, Erik told him, “Magpa-manage ka na sa iba, huwag lang Backroom?” Duncan didn’t listen to Erik’s “advice.” This item is just a teaser. In his Direct Line column tomorrow, Boy Abunda, former Backroom head, will answer the issues head-on. First time I heard the usually cool Boy got so angry, all because of an ungrateful talent who was actually “dropped” and not, as Erik may be claiming, resigned.

• 2011 Mrs. Philippines Universe Erilene Tumali (top, right) bagged two major awards at the grand finals held recently in Sogia, Bulgaria — the Mrs. Universe Limited Recognition Award and the Mrs. Universe Sponsors Choice Award. Forty delegates competed. She was also chosen by the organizers to keynote next year’s event (in Caracas, Venezuela) to share her views on VAW (Violence Against Women), her favorite advocacy. Also, Brenna Cassandra Gamboa (above, left), the reigning Bb. Unibersidad, is in Fiji Island for the 2011 Teen Super Model of the World contest. The 5’9” Fil-Am student of Olivarez College Tagaytay is competing against 30-plus teen models. Finals will be held on Sept. 30. — Reported by Funfare’s ‘beauty experts’ Felix Manuel, Joey Cezeare, Gery Yumping and Francis Calubaquib.

• From reader May Jimenez:

Dear Mr. Ricky Lo,

I would like to make some corrections to your article “Theater actor also makes djembe drums,” published last Sept. 12, 2011.

It is not true that djembe was only introduced in the country for the past three years. Even during the boom of world music in the late 1980’s to early 1990’s, where reggae and tribal / folk music was slowly going mainstream, there were a lot of Filipino musicians who play and make djembe drums. 

Joey’s band has been playing djembe for decades. Musicians who have provided Boracay’s soundtrack even back when it was just “gubat” and not a luxurious resort were playing djembe. Pinikpikan played the djembe ever since they started playing music together. Heck, Brownman Revival, a relatively “young” band (and has mass youth appeal), have been playing djembe for almost a decade!

Your subject (Romeo Ed Abaigar) might have only discovered the djembe and brought his own djembe-playing and djembe-making craft three years ago.

Best,

May Jimenez

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