THE movie and music industries in the Philippines are saddened deeply with the loss of scriptwriter/director Peque Gallaga and singer/actor/councilor Sonny Parsons as both passed away within days of each other early this month.
Gallaga, who directed the 1982 opus “Oro, Plata, Mata,” passed away on May 7 due to pneumonia after being admitted to the hospital on May 5 due to his past health conditions. Parsons, meanwhile, was said to have died of a heart attack while riding his motorcycle in Lemery, Batangas on his way to Quezon province last May 10.
Peque Gallaga was an award-winning director, scriptwriter and production designer.
He majored in commerce and liberal arts at the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod, and taught theater and film there.
A member of the Film Academy Classification Board in the 1980s, Gallaga was known for his professionalism, generosity, love and kindness to people that he worked with and mentored, including actors and fellow directors.
Among his more famous and recognizable movies aside from “Oro, Plata Mata” include “Scorpio Nights,” “Virgin Forest,” “Hiwaga sa Balete Drive,” “Darna: Ang Pagbabalik,” “Magic Temple,” “T’yanak,” “Seduction” and perennial Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Shake, Rattle & Roll,” where he directed or co-directed certain segments in the film series’ first four iterations.
In various news reports and social media posts, some celebrities posted tributes to the late director.
Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo said she will forever be grateful for having the chance to work with Gallaga.
“Your passion for your craft is undeniable in so many ways… your wisdom in many things, your honesty, professionalism, genuine love and kindness to everyone around you, your hugs and laughter I will miss the most… thank you for allowing me to know you personally,” Santos-Agoncillo said in her post.
Comedy queen Ai Ai delas Alas said goodbye to the director in an Instagram post, while adding “Halos lahat ng shake rattle and roll ay kasama ako dahil gusto mo ako ksama direk maraming salamat sa iyong napaka ganda at napaka husay na kontribusyon sa sining ng pelikulang pilipino.”
Pepe Diokno, meanwhile, lauded the director for his generosity and for being true to himself.
“He was larger than life and unapologetic, and I wanted to be like him one day,” Diokno said in a social media post. “Years later, as I was struggling w/ my first film, he took my call and gave me advice. He was so generous. RIP, Direk.”
Sonny Parsons was a member of the popular group Hagibis – the all-male group that spawned the hits “Lalake,” “Legs” and “Katawan,” among many others. Hagibis dominated local airwaves with their hits and were regular guests on local television programs and variety shows in the late 1970s and 1980s. It is said that Hagibis was the Philippines’ first boy band and were later recognized as The Village People of the Philippines (in reference to the all-male U.S. group which spawned the hit “Y.M.C.A.”).
Parsons was among the many musicians who was able to translate his talents to the fields of acting and politics.
Starting with the 1981 film “Legs Katawan Babae” which featured the Hagibis members, Sonny made appearances on films and television series, most of which were in the action genre. Among the films he appeared in were “Condemned,” “Sparrow Unit,” “Salisi Gang,” “Uzi Brothers 9mm,” “Walang Sinasanto Ang Bala Ko,” “Itumba si Angel Delgado” and “Paracale Gang.”
His most recent acting appearance on TV was in the ABS-CBN series “FPJ’s Ang Probinsiyano” in 2017. “Agila,” “Coney Reyes on Camera,” “Magpakailanman: Hinagpis ng Kamatayan (The Sonny Parsons Story,” “Ysabella” and “Pepito Manaloto” were some of the soaps and shows he appeared in.
Condolences to the families of Peque Gallaga and Sonny Parsons!
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Many fans were heartbroken when James Reid and Nadine Lustre (known as JaDine to their fans and showbiz watchers) called it quits early this year.
But it seems that the split is really amicable between the two stars.
In an article in The Philippine Star, Nadine posted a recent birthday greeting to her erstwhile screen and real-life partner on her Instagram account. She posted a photo of them together on top of a hill, with only a seedling emoji as caption while also tagging James.
Reid turned 27 on May 11.
That has seemed to spur hope among their fans that not all is lost between the two stars getting back together again. The post garnered likes and heart emojis. The same photo from a different angle of the two stars in Mt. Ulap in Benguet from a January 2020 trip can also still be seen on Reid’s Instagram account.
When James and Nadine broke up early this year, they released a statement saying, “After quiet and mature conversations, we decided to focus on ourselves not only for our careers but more for our personal growth as we are still young and we want to achieve as much as we can.”
