“GOMBURZA,” referring to Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora who were executed during the Spanish rule in the Philippines, is a historic Filipino film that is directed by Pepe Diokno, who will direct Ricky Lee’s “Himala The Musical,” a Metro Manila Film Festival entry this December 2024.
According to Canada-based Judy Garcia Fernandez: “My late father was Dr. Bienvenido Zamora Garcia. His mom was Carlota who was once the ‘Perlas de Quiapo’ and was the only daughter with six brothers. They are related to the Filipino priest Jacinto Zamora. I hope to watch this movie as requested by my siblings.”
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This year’s Circle of Excellence awardees for the entertainment sector on August 10 at Teatrino Promenade in Greenhills, San Juan City (thanks to Richard Hinola) included Elizabeth Oropesa, Marissa Delgado, Manila Vice Mayor Yul Servo, William Thio, Angelique Lazo, Dr. Joseph Lee and Daria Ramirez.
The Empowered Men and Women 2024 from showbiz were Daisy Reyes-Tobias, Jak Roberto, Vandave L. Paragas, Janeena Chan, Roldan Frias Castro, Marissa Sanchez, Eraseph Winters, Hannah Precillas, Catherine O. Camarillo, Dingdong Avanzado, Bianca Umali, Aubrey Carampel Aricheta of GMA7, Arnold Reyes, Papa Ahwel Paz, Sugar Nabas Amper, Japper Ril, Nanet Bandola of Sparkle GMA Artist Center, Jimsen Jison, beauty queen-TV host-news anchor Emma Tiglao, beauty queen-actress Bianca Manalo, Ashley Rivera, Renz Verano, John Fontanilla, Jessa Zaragoza, Daryl Ong, Meg Siozon, Arthem Basierto, Donna Cariaga & Ely Cellan, Iyah Mina, Maricar de Mesa, Bigboy Villariza, Gianna Margarita Llanes, Alexander John Fong and many more.
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Josie Cruz Natori, a Filipino-American fashion icon, loves the energy of New York City but she and her husband also have a weekend home in Westchester, New York. She loves promoting the Philippines, as she said to me when I first interviewed her years ago for The Philippine Star. Last year, I visited her in her mother’s home in Quezon City.
Shirley Halili-Cruz is Josie’s sister-in-law and she is the founder of Halili School of Ballet where I saw the graceful grit of Pia Allones (talented daughter of Department of Migrant Workers Undersecretary Atty. Ma. Anthonette Velasco-Allones) through countless hours of training and learning. Five years ago she participated in the 21st Asia Pacific Dance Competition in Bangkok, Thailand and got honorable mention in a very tight section with 14 competitors.
Pia, who studies Economics at the University of the Philippines Diliman, placed 1st in classical ballet solo in All Dance World Competition in Orlando, Florida in 2021. She also won 1st place (double platinum) in solo jazz and 1st place (double platinum) in contemporary solo at the 2023 Get the Beat Competition held at Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig City in Metro Manila.
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During his teen years at La Salle Greenhills, Atty. Jose Ferdinand Mendoza Rojas II used to do buy-and-sell of different kinds of goods. He would sell them to the parents of his classmates and to the offices where his father Jose Agreda Rojas would go during summer time. Later, he was exposed to real estate business after graduating at the University of Massachusetts where he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree, majors in Economics and Political Science, cum laude, in 1988.
He graduated at Ateneo de Manila University Law School in 1994 with Juris Doctor of Law. In that same year, he passed the grueling bar exams. After that, he tried working in a private law firm, the De Borja Medialdea Ata Bello Guevarra & Serapio Law Office as an associate from 1994 to 1995. Then he became a partner at Rojas Sales De Leon Tecson & Desiderio Law Office. In 2000, he put up his own law office, the Jose M. Rojas II Law Office, which is engaged in the general practice of law.
Though he has been into business and legal works, he has his other side: the visual artistry in him. His artistic journey has continued at the ArtistSpace situated at Ground Level, Ayala Museum Annex, Makati Avenue corner De La Rosa Street, Greenbale Park, Makati City for the 8th solo exhibit sometime in August this year.
He says he gets inspiration from the places, whether in the Philippines or abroad, usually in Japan, France, Spain and other European countries. He creates and innovates with his naturally gifted independent mind. He paints and paints most of the time in his rented studio in Pasig City.
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I was a recent guest by Guia Cruz Buenaventura in her program Coffee Tea on MHE, Mondays to Fridays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Media House Express, the Philippines’ first radio-television situated in Mandaluyong City. MHE is headed by Allan Afable Hobrero and it is an awardee in the 2nd Philippines’ Finest Business Awards and Outstanding Achievers in September 2024.
Guia, an educator from Philippine Normal University, has been supporting A Smile from Heaven (ASFH), a nonprofit organization in memory of her husband Dan that assists our less fortunate brethren and gives livelihood projects.
Assisting her in Coffee Tea on MHE are technical director Cris Janmille Hernandez, creative director Jewel B, and interns Cierus E. Suarez, Jeizelle R. Duarte and James Martin B. Tan.
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Years ago, I met the CGN (Carmen Guerrero Nakpil) Friends group for the first time days after the passing on of Chitang Nakpil, a noted and respected Filipino essayist, historian, and journalist. Artist-writer Mav Rufino told me they meet there Wednesdays during lunch time and they had been doing this since 2004. Now they have transfered to Kashmir (an Indian restaurant) in Taguig City’s BGC as the group’s meeting place.
Former Tourism Secretary Gemma Guerrero Cruz-Araneta, CGN’s eldest daughter and first Filipino and Asian to be Miss International in 1964, took over the helm of CGN Friends and she led briefly a moment of silent prayers for her affectionate mom whom she took care of during her last remaining days on earth. She vividly remembers that her mom did not allow her to join the movie world but she was encouraged to enhance Philippine history. In later years, however she hosted a daily radio program and a weekly TV show.
Nonon Padilla, director and theatre arts professor at De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, said his aunt Chitang spoke Spanish very well and was “formidable and aloof” but was caring, thoughtful and humorous. It was he who organized the Guerrero family reunion in 1993.
For Consul General Lynn Gavino, Chitang has been her best friend and mentor since 1984, the year she was assigned as First Secretary and Consul at our embassy in Paris, France and Chitang was our ambassador and permanent delegate to the UNESCO.
She said that Chitang had a very keen memory. “Her memory was prolific. While riding with me in the car, she would remember the street names and the direction as to where we were. When we’re inside a restaurant, she could remember who is our waiter. She could even draft and edit her works in her mind so that time would not be wasted.”
She fondly remembers: “Chitang asked me the difference between a drunkard and a non-drunkard. She said that a drunkard would drink her red wine like a coke and would finish it right away while a non-drunkard would sip it slowly and finish it but you can take as many glasses as you want. Everything would be observed by her. Being with her as a friend, you feel like you were in a finishing school. I learned how to write my report, how to be proper and correct and most important how to be always punctual.”
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This year’s Film Academy of the Philippines’ LUNA Awards was well organized and finished at 9 p.m. (it began at 6 p.m.) at the University of the Philippines Diliman’s performing arts theater, the IBG-KAL Theater in Quezon City.
“Gomburza,” a Philippine historic film, won Best Picture. Roderick Paulate and Maricel Soriano (both starred in the film “In His Mother’s Eyes”) were declared Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively. Pepe Diokno, son of Filipino lawyer and educator Chel Diokno, won Best director for the film GOMBURZA.
Best supporting actor and actress were LA Santos for “In His Mother’s Eyes” and Ana Abad Santos for “Third World Romance,” respectively. Other winners were as follows: Jun Lana for best screenplay in “About Us, But Not About Us”; Carlo Mendoza for best cinematography in “Gomburza”; Marya Ignacio for best editing in “Third World Romance”; Ericson Navarro for best production design in “Gomburza”; Albert Michael Idioma/Janina Minglanina/Emilio Bien Sparks for best sound in “Gomburza”; Jesse Lasaten for musical scoring in “When I Met You in Tokyo.” Mary Liza Dino-Seguerra was the recipient of the Fernando Poe Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award.
The FAP is headed by Manny Morfe, its OIC director-general. It will send soon an official Philippine entry to the International Feature Film Award category of the 97th Academy Awards (The Oscars).
Thanks to FAP’s special projects officer Raymond Diamzon for the assistance.
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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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