Phillip steers clear of ex-gf

Bong is one of the most diligent workhorses in the Senate. He has authored or co-sponsored many bills that have been passed into law, like the minimum wage tax exemption bill for ordinary workers, the bill lowering amusement taxes that will benefit the ailing local film industry, the juvenile justice act for comprehensive juvenile and welfare system, the biofuels act, magna carta for small and medium enterprises, the human security act against terrorism, and many more. Recently, he also went to the Parola Compound in Tondo to give free school supplies and scholarship assistance to the students of Musmos Day Care Center, which was put up by his friend, Jun Ducat, who held some kids in a bus last year to dramatize the need for support for the education of his wards.

We asked him if he's really running as vice president. "Malayo pa naman ang 2010 but if ever I do, I think I'm capable kasi before I became a legislator in the senate, I handled executive positions in Cavite as vice governor, then as governor. I was also chairman of the Video Regulatory Board for which I won awards abroad in my efforts against film piracy. Pero kung tatakbo si Gov. Vilma Santos o si Pareng Jinggoy Estrada, I'd willingly give way, kasi maliit lang ang film industry at ayoko namang mahati pa ito. But we can't tell yet what will happen. Ako, naniniwala sa destiny. Pana-panahon lang yan, e. And malay natin, baka panahon ko pala ang 2010. If even I'm elected, the first thing I'll do is fight corruption. Kasi yan ang pangunahing cause ng poverty sa ating bansa."

How come he doesn't have an entry in the December filmfest?

"Marami ngang nagtatanong niyan. But I already committed myself to Star Cinema. Gagawa ako ng one movie with them this year. Sila ang hahanap ng material, basta sabi ko, I want viewers to see a different Bong Revilla. Nagpapasalamat naman ako sa GMA-7 kasi they allowed me to do a movie with Star Cinema. Actually, akong star ng very first movie na ginawa nila, 'Adan Ronquillo, Tubong Cavite, Laking Tundo,' with Sheryl Cruz."

Have he and OMB Chairman Edu Manzano made up?

"Not yet. But I'm confident in due time magkakaayos din kami. I meant no harm naman when I said something about OMB. Ako pa nga ang nag-recommend sa kanya for that position. We're together sa fight against piracy kaya dapat united kami."

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The presscon proper for "Maalaala Mo Kaya" with Gretchen Barretto as special guest had already ended when the leading man, Phillip Salvador, came straight from the airport. "I just came from Gen. Santos City," he says. "We played an exhibition basketball game there."

He has worked with the country's best actresses, from Vilma Santos and Nora Aunor to Gina Alajar, Lorna Tolentino and Hilda Koronel, so how will he rate Greta's performance?

"I've worked with her three times but this is her best so far. Noon kasi, parang naglalaro-laro lang siya. But this time, bumilib ako dahil mas focused na siya sa craft niya. Maski kayo, you'll like her performance. Nagulat nga siya when she saw me sa taping. She requested for me pero hindi pala sinabi ng staff na pumayag ako kaya nagulat pa siya nang makita ako sa set at agad akong niyakap."

How's his son Josh? "I love Josh at lagi kaming nag-uusap," was his short reply.

What can he say about the conflict between former girlfriend Cristina Decena and Rey Malonzo?

"As much as possible, I don't want to comment on that dahil labas naman ako sa problema nila. I'm just hoping na whatever it is, sana maayos nila for the sake of their respective families. I want all people concerned to be happy. I'd rather keep my mouth shut about them dahil at this point in my life, all I want is to praise God. Marami rin akong pinagdaanang storms sa buhay ko, but God is really good and He'll never forsake us. Basta ako, ayoko ng may kaaway at kagalit. I wish everyone peace and harmony."

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Writers at the presscon of "Loving You" kidded JC De Vera for being so desirable that Yasmien Kurdi (his current ka-love team), Pauleen Luna and Michelle Madrigal (his ex-girlfriends) are said to be feuding over him. "What is it that you have na dahilan para hindi ka nila malimutan at pag-awayan ka?" they ask him.

"I don't know," he laughs. "Hindi naman siguro ako ang dahilan kung totoo mang nagdededmahan sila at may word war pa raw. Ayoko namang makialam at baka lumala pa. Naguguluhan nga ako, e. Anyway, sinabi na naman ni Yasmien na hindi siya nagseselos kay Michelle o kay Rhian Ramos. I just pray na sana, kung anuman ang gusot between them, maayos na. Wala na lang mga away at intriga."

But what can he say to Yasmien's statement that her love team with Rainier Castillo is more appealing to the fans?

"I asked her about it and she said hindi naman ganun ang pagkasabi niya. Like me, she believes it's best na pahinga muna ang love team namin so people won't get tired of us easily. Doon nga sa makaka-miss sa tambalan namin on TV, they can watch us in our first movie together na 'Loving You.' Iba naman ito kaysa sa TV."

How different is it? "Well, for one thing, may scene kami rito na naka-two piece bikini si Yas at naka-boxer shorts naman ako. First time namin ginawa 'yun. The story is something na pampakilig at nakaka-in love talaga, about childhood friends who have feelings for each other but can't express it. First time din namin to work with director Don Cuaresma, who's from ABS. Nakakatuwa nga kasi si John Prats lang ang kasama niya rito from ABS. All the other stars like Polo Ravales, Jean Garcia, Kris Bernal, Aljur Abrenica at kami ni Yas, puro taga-GMA na. But we got along fine kasi very supportive siya sa mga artista. He calls our attention 'pag may mali even sa small details, pati sa damit namin hanggang sa acting and even sa dubbing."

Yasmien is a vegetarian. Will he be willing to be one also?

"Ay, hindi ako puede kasi I work out, I have a very active lifestyle. Kaya hindi puedeng wala akong meat."

What qualities of Yasmien does he like?

"I like her being so professional. We've done three soaps on TV at maaasahan mo siya when it comes to professionalism on the set. She also brings out the best in her partner. She always delivers kasi, so you're also forced to deliver in every scene you do with her."

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Sharon Cuneta is celebrating her 30th year in showbiz with a grand concert at the Araneta Coliseum on 8/8/08 (August 8, 2008). ABS-CBN is also preparing a TV special for her in line with this.

Do you know that Shawie is Judy Ann Santos' personal choice to be her matron of honor when she finally walks down the aisle with fiancé Ryan Agoncillo? They became close when they did the movie "Magkapatid." Juday herself asked Sharon to be her matron of honor in her wedding when she and Ryan guested in her show recently and Sharon quickly said yes.

Sharon's interview with the couple was truly revealing. Ryan divulged that right on the very first day of their formal relationship, he already resolved in his mind that Juday is the woman he wants to be with for the rest of life, and this is confirmed by his growing love for her as the days pass by. He said he was warned by a lot of people that it will be hard to have someone like Juday, one of the country's top actresses now, as a girlfriend. But then, he discovered that Juday is so different, so adorable as a woman and as a girlfriend. So after three years of going steady, he decided to finally pop the question of "Will you marry me?" and officially proposed to Juday on her 30th birthday on May 22. This took place on the beach of Dumaguete City. He gave a book to Juday and written on its last page was: "Will you marry me?"

Juday revealed: "I felt like someone poured icy water on me. Napaiyak ako. Para akong masusuka na parang mahihimatay. When I recovered, I asked him: Seryoso ka ba? Then he put the engagement ring he bought on my finger at hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na officially engaged na kami. I called up my Mommy Carol on the phone right away and informed her that Ryan had proposed to me. Ngayon pa lang, nagpa-practice na akong pumirma ng Agoncillo. I know I will be a good wife and mother."

They have no wedding date yet as they're both too busy in trips abroad to devote time on the details of their nuptials. "We'll probably sit down one of these days para planuhin na ang lahat," says Juday. "Hindi naman namin ito itatago so we'll inform you kapag maayos na ang lahat."

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Two entries in the ongoing Cinemalaya Filmfest at the CCP can be nominated as best picture of the year: Francis X. Pasion's "Jay" and Ellen Ongkeko Marfil's "Boses." Francis got his communication degree from Ateneo in 1999 then apprenticed with Marilou Abaya's "Muro Ami." He then worked with ABS-CBN as writer for soaps like "Sana'y Wala Nang Wakas," "Hiram" and "Sa Piling Mo," and also became headwriter-producer of "Nagmamahal Kapamilya" where he got the story idea of "Jay," his first screenplay that won the grand prize in the Cinemanila Scriptwriting contest last year. He then entered it in Cinemalaya and was chosen as one of the ten finalists.

"I got P200,000 from Cinemanila and P500,000 from Cinemalaya, plus P200,000 more from the National Commission on the Arts and that's what I used to finance 'Jay'," he says.

"Jay" is one of the best directorial debuts we've seen. The structure alone is quite ingenious. It starts with a documentary on Jay Mercado (JC Santos), a gay teacher murdered brutally in his rented room in Sampaloc. The short docu shows his bloody remains slumped on his bed and interviews with his mother and siblings in Bacolor, Pampanga. After the docu is shown, we are then introduced to the TV reporter who produced and directed the docu, Jay Santiago (Baron Geisler), who's also gay, and shows us the details of how the docu was made.

"Jay" is somewhat reminiscent of the Hollywood flick, "Broadcast News," and Jeffrey Jeturian's "Bikini Open" in that it exposes the dirty tricks media people have to do just to make their supposedly real-life news stories more dramatic, appealing and sensational in the eyes of the viewers. This is very evident in that sequence where the murdered man's mother (Flor Salanga) is shown being asked to re-enact the scene where she wakes up on the morning of Jay's murder with an ominous bird on her bedside.

Another hilarious but very cynical sequence is the morgue scene that had to be re-shot because the original footage was defective. "Jay" also shows that even ordinary people can be good actors when they are facing the camera, just like Jay's co-teacher who cries on cue and Jay's aunt who sheds copious tears for the camera as she put two colored chicks on top of Jay's coffin to supposedly prick the conscience of the killer.