MMDA chairman Oscar Inocentes

Former Judge Oscar Inocentes who’s now chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority as well as the Metro Manila Film Festival has announced that deadlines for the MMFF shall be strictly observed among producers participating in the film fest.

“There shall be no extension of deadlines,” the film festival chief stressed. He added that new rules and regulations are now being workout by the festival’s executive committee.

The film festival chief made the announcements during his first press conference with the entertainment press.

Chairman Inocentes has had some involvement with showbiz in the past. He brought about the conviction of the suspects in the celebrated “Maggie de la Riva Case.” For his success in this case, Inocentes was presented a Presidential Award by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

As assistant city fiscal, he caused the successful conviction of the suspects in the Jess Lapid and Dra. Calalang case, and for which he was named the Most Outstanding Fiscal by the Junior Chamber of Quezon City, Quezon City Bar Association, and Justice and Court Reporters Association.

The new MMDA chairman has spent most of his life in the service of the Philippine government.

One controversial feature of the MMFF was the giving of a 50% score to the top grosser. The score has been reduced to 35%, thus equalizing the level of the playing field!

In all meetings with the producers, no proxies will be allowed!

“We expect to earn a gross income of no less than half a billion pesos from this year’s film festival,” Inocentes said.

The 2010 MMFF will be launched on Feb. 26, 2010. The annual film festival officially starts on Christmas day every year.

Commenting on the proposal of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada that the MMFF be returned to the management of the movie industry itself, Ricky Camaligan, a member of the MMFF Executive Committee, said that the film festival has always been under the management of the members of the local movie producers associations and other industry leaders themselves.

Camaligan explained that the festival’s executive committee alone is 90% composed of leaders of the local movie industry. The beneficiaries of the festival are organizations belonging to the local movie industry, like the Mowelfund, the Film Academy of the Philippines and the Anti-Film Piracy Council.

The function of the MMDA is to provide logistics and personnel in the management and operation of the film festival which no existing local movie organization can effectively undertake yet!

Chairman Inocentes said that the Execom will conduct a series of meetings with industry leaders to get their inputs for an improved operation of the 2010 film festival!

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Mother Lily welcomes Year of the Tiger at Imperial

Mother Lily hosted on Valentine’s Day a sumptuous lunch to welcome the Year of the Tiger at the Imperial Palace Suites, which incidentally was celebrating its 15th anniversary. The well-attended Chinese New Year party came complete with the rituals and traditional practices of the annual celebration.

At the lobby entrance was a makeshift Chinese altar with fruits, candies, flowers, Chinese delicacies, gift items, charms and crystals that have significant symbolism in welcoming the New Year and are believed to bring good fortune, happiness and long life.

The night before, Mother Lily lighted candles and incense to ward off bad spirits and usher in prosperity.

Keeping true to her Chinese lineage, Mother Lily manages to bring together both Filipinos and Chinese friends to observe the start of the New Year season. She prepared a truly enticing buffet consisting of popular Chinese dishes that guests feasted on. The hotel ballroom was also adorned with bright red trimmings and colorful lanterns to complement the joyful banquet.

Joining the Regal Films matriarch in entertaining the guests were her husband Remy Monteverde, daughter Roselle, sons Dondon and Winnie, daughter-in-law Grace as well as her grandchildren.

“I’m glad I was able to share this important Chinese tradition with the people who are close to me and my family,” Mother Lily said. “It’s always a happy occasion to celebrate Chinese New Year. For me, it’s a time of reunion and thanksgiving.

Among the guests included actress Boots Anson-Roa who came with her US-based brothers, Annabelle Rama with granddaughters Lorin and Venice, “Eat Bulaga” executive producer Malou Choa-Fagar, scriptwriter-actress Raquel Villavicencio, directors Joel Lamangan, Mel Chionglo and Boots Plata, actor Ricky Davao, talent managers Girlie Rodis, Dolor Guevara and Shirley Quan, and members of the entertainment press.

Also present was Taal Mayor Michael Montenegro and his running mate Pong Mercado. Mother Lily is set to open a resort in Taal, Batangas in April, with Gov. Vilma Santos to cut the ceremonial ribbon.

Guests took home delicious tikoy in boxes. Mother Lily also distributed the traditional ang pao or good luck money in little red envelopes to her guests, all of whom undoubtedly enjoyed her Chinese New Year party.

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Carmen Soo looking for someone passionate

Popular Malaysian actress-model-endorser Carmen Soo has been frequenting the Philippines for the last two years, and even after her soap opera with Jericho Rosales (“Kahit Isang Saglit”) had ended. And just recently she came over again to participate in a fashion show entitled “Perfect Match” sponsored by Clinelle beauty products. Jojo A. Alejar, “Jojo All The Way” host on Channel 5, ably emceed the show.

A game for the “Perfect Match” was presented. Carmen, in her white gown, looked so flawless on stage.

Asked if she had any special person last Valentine’s Day, she laughed and said: “Perhaps you can help me find one!”

What kind of a man is she looking for? “Someone passionate and open-minded!”

How many Filipino actors has she met? Several of them but none has yet attempted to make a proposal. She mentioned though that John Lloyd Cruz is a nice person. If he goes to Malaysia, she might tour him around.

Clinelle Professional Care, which Carmen Soo is endorsing, brings to any woman’s home a kind of beauty professional care which every woman can easily apply for herself and then come out with a “flawless” beauty like Carmen Soo.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings on Feb. 19 go to US-based singer Carina Afable, Lulu Ng de Leon, Lettie Fuentes, Ronald Campos, Louie San Juan, Viktor Santillan, Engr. Santiago Pascual Jr. of New York, Dr. Nena Veloso-Mewshaw, Alex Coronel, Elvie Regala, Suzette Uy, Jun Escaraz and Empress Schuck of ABS-CBN Star Magic.