Ms. Charo Santos Concio

The toprated ABS-CBN drama anthology “Maala-ala Mo Kaya (MMK)” marks its 18th anniversary with the airing of five special episodes starting Saturday night. These episodes, four of them shot in America, showcase stories of love and friendship, of forgiveness, healing and inspiration.In tonight’s episode, Comedy Queen Ai Ai delas Alas goes dramatic as she plays mother to a girl who was born when “MMK” was conceptualized 18 years ago and who is portrayed by this year’s most promising young actress Erich Gonzales who plays a domestic help in the episode. It’s a sad and tragic story of a mother and daughter who struggle hard to better their lives but it is also a story that will certainly inspire televiewers said Ms. Charo Santos-Concio, host of the longest-running drama anthology in the Philippines.The succeeding episodes for this month of August were all shot in the US in partnership with The Filipino Channel (TFC) which is celebrating its 15th anniversary. (Jeff Remigio, director for communications Global of TFC said they are proud to team up with the country’s longest-running program.) Featured in the cast of these episodes are actors now based in America. On Aug. 8, the heart-breaking episode will tell of the travails of war veterans living in the US. Directed by Dado Lumibao, it stars Noel Trinidad, Nanding Josef, and US-based performers like Prospero Luna, Lucita Soriano, Louella Albornoz, and Joji Isla.On Aug. 15, the “MMK” episode stars Ryan Eigenman and comebacking Giselle Toengi (she is currently here on a two-month vacation) who play a young migrant couple who experience hardships and trials as they try to make a new life in the “land of promises.” The episode is directed by John-D Lazatin.The Aug. 22 episode will see the return of Princess Punzalan on primetime television as she plays a woman trapped in an unhappy marriage. As she reaches mid-life, she will have the courage to return to a love she thought was long lost. The episode also stars Michael de Mesa and Miguel Vera and is also directed by John-D Lazatin.And in the last episode (to be aired on Aug. 29), to be featured are one of the country’s best actresses, Gina Alajar, and young star Lauren Young who play mother-and-daughter who are forced to live in America. As Grace (Gina) finds work as a caregiver, meets Milly (played by American actress Lynn Waters). Overcoming their differences in culture and language, the two women learn strength and the essence of family from each other, ultimately changing each other’s existence. The episode is directed by Dado Lumibao.When asked what has made “MMK” a most durable show, Charo said because it has continued to touch the lives of viewers with its inspiring stories from which lessons are also learned. Only true-to-life stories are featured in the drama series, “that’s the equity of MMK. And now we have a research team that goes out to look for stories,” Charo added. They used to base their stories from letters sent by viewers, and there were thousands of them they’ve received. Those they couldn’t use are filed for future use or are given to the network’s radio programs.After the US, the show’s research team will go to Dubai to look for Pinoy OFWs with great stories to tell. But of course, they will still rely most of the time on letters sent to them from televiewers who believe their stories are worth telling and worth of dramatization on “MMK.”How ‘MMK’ started“MMK” was Charo’s baptism of sort as a producer. During a brainstorming with the network’s bigwigs 18 years ago, they were trying to conceptualize a show and Charo throught of coming up with a drama program which she initially wanted to be titled “Among My Souvenirs” or “Souvenirs.” Mr. Freddie Garcia said it was “baduy” and besides it’s in English. Why not “Maalaala Mo Kaya?” And so “MMK” was born. Charo was made to prove herself as a producer.Their first episode was entitled “Rubber Shoes” and it starred Robert Arevalo and Romnick Sarmienta as father and son. Robert played a Metro Aide. His son only wanted him to buy him a pair of rubber shoes. But he can’t afford it. That was the conflict in the story. Their episode was so well-received by televiewers, and it also tugged at the hearts of their big bosses who were all males. “Naiyak daw lahat sila,” Charo recalled. That started her career as a producer and host of “MMK.” Needless to say, the show was so successful that despite occasional thought of ending it in the past, it has continued because of the support it continues to receive from viewers.* * *Guerrero, a director even before he knew he was oneAccording to Alco Guerrero, who directs the TV special for ABS-CBN entitled “Vilma For All Seasons” and now, governor of Batangas City Vilma Santos, he was already a director even before he knew he was one. Alco loves to tell this story: “Vilma Santos made me a director before I even knew I was one. As a teen in the late ’80s and early ’90s, I tagged along with Mom (referring to Chit Guerrero, special projects director of ABS-CBN) for a number of Vilma shows (which Chit used to produce for the other channel) in the US. With the family handicam around my neck and Vilma Santos right in front of me, I did what any starstruck teen would do. I followed her everywhere, shot everything, and later on back at home, mom and her staff saw that the footage was good enough to air as behind the scenes footage for the Vilma episodes of the US shows.”For the job, teenage director Alco was paid a pair for nice leather shoes.Two decades later, the shoes, he revealed, are still with him. And the job. But with a great difference now. He now has a decent career as director that started 10 years ago, one that has seen him headed such projects as “U Can Dance Version 2,” “KC in Paris,” “Sharon, The Mega Story,” Globe Telecom’s Iphone Launch and spiels of “Maalaala Mo Kaya.”Direk Alco admitted that when he saw Vi right in front of him, as he directed her in the five episodes of “Vilma: A Woman for All Seasons,” he still felt starstruck.“Vilma: A Woman for All Seasons” will start airing Aug. 1 and, every Saturday (Aug. 8, 15, 22 and 29), henceforth.Director Alco started working for ABS-CBN since year 2000. He was a writer of “Martin Late @ Nite.” He has been the director of the bi-annual Araw Values Awards, an awards giving body for the advertising industry that celebrates Filipino values in Advertising.He has also been directing the annual Gawad Genny Lopez Bayaning Pilipino awards as well as number of advertiser-related TV materials, including that of Globe Telecoms, J&J and Clear.* * * Himig Ariel Scholars celebrate with a concertThe Himig Ariel Scholars are different from their popular counterparts who do their acts in colossal venues in that they entertain people literally in the streets and in every barangay in Quezon City. The Himig Ariel Scholars sing and dance in their own fashion. They sing pop, Broadway, novelty and belt songs by the likes of Barbra Streisand and Diana Ross, complete with choreography.On their debut performance held at the Quezon City Memorial Circle a few months back, the city’s Performing Arts Center chairperson Ms. Joy Belmonte watched the concert and enjoyed it to the fullest. She even prophesied that one of them may go out of the country on competition. True enough, one of them almost really did but was left behind before the plane could take off on the road to the World Competition of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Hollywood recently. Mia Bernardo missed the song competition due to visa problem.In the manner how German “Kuya Germs” Moreno helped out talented young kids by giving chances to expose their innate talent, Quezon City’s 4th District Councilor Ariel Enrile Inton, Jr. has his own way of presenting musically-inclined tots mostly coming from poor families. He then gathered those who love singing and dancing from all over the city to join the group that started off as a singing contest. When already trained, they metamorphosed into a singing group with 3,000 members now aptly called “Scholars.” With ages ranging from three years old to 65, they all perform with passion. Their presentations are free to the public. One striking performer is the visually-impaired Jean Marie Abenilla who reminding the older generation of then popular Norma Lapuz. For Atty. Inton, honing the talents of these kids is more of a mission than political in motive. They need to be noticed and appreciated, the councilor theorized. Some of them are now in academic schools financially-backed up by the concerned councilor. The Himig Ariel Scholars mark its first anniversary on Saturday via a concert at the covered court of Barangay Pasong Tamo in Tandang Sora at 7 p.m.* * *Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings on Aug. 1 go to awarded actor Cesar Montano, Sec. Gary B. Teves, columnist/talent manager Ethel A. Ramos, Msgr. Fidelis Limcaco, Spain-based Kristina Paner, Mrs. Jean Savellano, Atty. Caring Velasquez, Rosa Ng Sy, Dr. Edna P. Dido, Marco Gloria, Dr. Manuel Lanada, Ms. Fe Virginia Lainez, Dr. Ester Dee, Czarina P. Cruz, Mrs. Fe Pecache, Daniele Fenix, Ms. Malou Rosal and MB’s Art Samaniego.