In an interview over the weekend, Gabby Concepcion confirmed to us that indeed he’s been having problems with his manager, Mrs. Rose Flaminiano, and all about his managerial contract with her and contracts of his shows and supposed commitments which the actor wanted to see but his manager apparently didn’t want to show to him, he said.

"I just want transparency between us," he added. "It’s not at all about money, because I owe her a lot.

She was the one who made possible my coming home to see my father who’ve been sick for a long time. I haven’t seen him for 13 years and I wanted nothing more than to come home and be with him while he’s still alive. My sisters warned me not to go back to show business, I might be hurt again, they said, and if I wanted to see my father, they could just bring him to Hong Kong, at doon kami magkikita. But I told them that’s easy to do, but it won’t be the same as when I come home and be with him for an indefinite time, na hindi nagmamadali. Kung sa Hong Kong kami, ang hirap na naman ang paalaman after a short time na pagkikita namin. So when Mrs. Flaminiano offered to help me with my legal problems so I can come home and see my father, I was so grateful. I grabbed it."

He stressed "I thought my showbiz career was dead but on the contrary I was welcomed back warmly, and so this time I wanted to make a clean slate of my life here, to put everything in order. Gusto ko magkaroon ng magandang image, na naiiba sa nakaraan. So gusto ko malaman lahat, gusto ko may transparency sa amin ng manager ko. I asked for my contracts, I wanted to know how much I was making, so I would know how much to pay the BIR. I don’t want to end up like some of my colleagues na may problema ngayon sa BIR. I told her na ayusin niya ang taxes ko, kasi I found out every quarter pala kailangan magbayad. I don’t want to be a tax delinquent, kasi sa America I pay my taxes like everyone. If she can’t do it, I said for her to at least teach me how to do it."

What Gabby got his hands into was a contract he wasn’t supposed to see, something that contained discrepancies in his talent fee, he said. There was also this contract about 22 shows he is supposed to do, and which he found out his manager was also co-producer, he said. His checks (representing his talent fees) are also made payable to his manager and not to him directly. He really wanted to clear things with his manager, so he wanted to discuss them personally with Mrs. Flaminiano "but she only sent to me an emissary (someone named Joy, he said) to tell me what she wanted to say, and who will in turn report to Mrs. Flaminiano what I wanted to say to her. Ang hirap. And then I said I really want to see her but on the date we were supposed to meet, hindi daw siya puede. So I decided to make some moves on my own behalf."

There was also his court cases, including a bigamy case, to consider and this added to his concern. He wanted to be updated about such cases but his lawyer, Atty. Eduardo Flaminiano, who is also the lawyer of Mrs. Flaminiano, hasn’t been communicating to him. So he had to hire another lawyer, Gabby said. He is now represented by Atty. Raymond Fortun who recently sent a letter to Mrs. Flaminiano expressing desire to have Gabby’s contract with his manager rescinded.

Gabby said he signed a five-year contract with Mrs. Flaminiano in San Ramon, California in January 2008. But his contract now with his manager shows that he signed the contract here, in Quezon City, on April 1, 2008.

However, in his answer to Atty. Fortun’s letter, Atty. Flaminiano denied Gabby’s allegation, saying the actor signed his managerial contract with Mrs. Flaminiano in Quezon City and not in San Ramon, California. "If your client insists otherwise, you can go to court and let him swear under oath that it was signed in San Ramon, California and not in Quezon City, Philippines so that we can charged him with the crime of Perjury under the Revised Penal Code as amended," Atty. Flaminiano wrote back.

As to Gabby’s claim that his maanger hasn’t been able to depend him in the light of some negative write-ups, Atty. Flaminiano said: "My client as the business/talent manager of Gabby Concepcion has not failed to look after the best interests of your client…Your baseless, unfounded and malicious accusation in your letter that my client is threatening your client with arrest is really ‘a serious breach of her contractual commitment to promote, enhance and advance his professional career…’

In addition to this, Atty. Flaminiano said in his letter "I am indeed saddened to tell you and your client that my client is ready to face any civil or criminal suit that you may intend to file against her…"

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Sayaw Foundation sponsors ‘Darangen Ni Bantugen’ preem

Sayaw Foundation, headed by Sol Tan-Gatue as president, sponsored the recent world premiere of "Darangen Ni Bantugen," a Maranao narrative epic choreographed into a full-length ballet by Gener Caringal for the Philippine Ballet Theatre. Music was composed by Jesse Lucas, with stage design and costumes done by National Artist Salvador Bernal. Funded by the Filipino Heritage Festival, "Darangen Ni Bantugen," was staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines for five successive performances that drew Manila’s best and brightest supporters of culture and the arts.

The officers and members of Sayaw Foundation, including chairperson Cora Tan and founding resident Helen Ong, welcomed the guests most of whom came garbed in Maranao-themed attires. Some members of the foundation even gamely joined the production and performed on stage on gala night.

Sayaw Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to support dance as an art and the training of ballet scholars from public schools, in cooperation with the government of Las Piñas City, through the support of Congresswoman Cynthia Villar, and Mandaluyong City through Mayor Benhur Abalos. To date, Sayaw dance scholars have increased to 200 in number, three of whom are now dancing professionally with the Philippine Ballet Theater.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Sept. 16, Irene Marcos-Araneta, Janno Gibbs, Tommy Abuel, Lito Legaspi, Rica Bagatsing, Janet Bordon, Rex Paul M. Cruz, Belinda Mejia, Norma Cobarrubias, Beth Lugtu, Emeellee Mercado, Gemma Cruz, Ela Fadri, Millie Reyes, Betty Malong of PCSO, Joel Mejia, Atlanta-based Arlene Silan-Vigilla, pianist Romy Posadas, and Lee Soliman…