STILL trying to move on from the sudden death of famed director Wenn Deramas, the Philippine entertainment industry is again faced with the passing of another colleague.
Francis Xavier Pasion, director and screenwriter of top-rating primetime dramas for such as On The Wings of Love, Princess and I and My Binondo Girl; was found dead last Sunday, March 6, in his home. Apart from television, the 38-year-old Pasion has also been recognized internationally for his critically acclaimed indie films, including Bwaya and Jay.
With two brilliant directors dead due to cardiac arrest in a span of less than two weeks, people are now looking into the working conditions of all of those in the showbiz industry.
Film director Quark Henares pointed out specifically that it is time to change the working hours and conditions of those who work on television. In his social media post, he wrote, “I think the reason a lot of TV director like Wenn Deramas and Gilbert Perez, now Francis Pasion are getting cardiac arrests is because of the horrible working hours and conditions in television.”
Perez is a TV and movie director who also died due to a heart attack in 2008.
Henaras added, “And it’s not just directors: stuntmen, ADs, crew people and cameramen all go through similar situations. This should really change. And I don’t know how it will, considering that this entails losses for the networks. But it really is time.”
Direk Francis was a Cum Laude Communication graduate at the Ateneo de Manila University and started his career as a designer’s apprentice for director Marilou Diaz-Abaya in the film Muro Ami in 1999. He then became a scriptwriter for movies Crying Ladies and Volta, and a script consultant for Feng Shui and Milan.
Before directing on TV, he became a headwriter and producer for a public service-drama program in 2006, and wrote for the drama anthology Maalaala Mo Kaya. On the Wings of Love was his last project, which ended on February 26, 2016 — nine days before his death.
Our condolences to the family of Direk Francis.
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It was a case of “she said-she said,” when it comes to the current controversy between two sexy stars (one older than the other though). Just last week, actress Vivian Velez made a surprising announcement that she would be resigning from her current TV show, due to a conflict with one of its stars.
On her Facebook she posted, “With much trepidation, I would like to tender my immediate irrevocable resignation, effective immediately, from the show, ‘Tubig at Langis.’ I have never been so upset and humiliated by an actress in my entire career spanning four decades!”
Of course, since Vivian initially didn’t mention who the culprit was, many speculated it was Isabelle Daza. The veteran actress quickly defended Isabelle and said that it wasn’t her. Later on, reports came out saying that it was the show’s lead star Cristine Reyes, who was being rude for the whole month that they worked together. Vivian explained that the last straw was when Cristine kicked her out of a dressing room that they shared and continued to provoke and shout at her.
A lot of netizens had their own opinions about the whole matter. Some sided with Vivian, saying that she wouldn’t last in the industry if she didn’t have good work ethics, and agreed that the young actress has a track record of making “trouble” with the people she work with. Others, however, believe that there are two sides in a story.
Eventually, Cristine did give her side, saying that she didn’t realize that she was being disrespectful towards Vivian. In fact, she added that she herself was stressed out because of the conditions of her dressing tent, which she willingly shared with her co-star.
After a talk with the ABS-CBN management about this issue, Vivian has agreed to come back to shoot some of her unfinished scenes on one condition: she has requested not to work on any scene with Cristine.
She also stands by her words that she will not support any lead actress like Cristine ever.
Maybe there’s a way for these two actress to make their peace to each other — once the heat dies down.
