It seems that 2010 is a banner year for Regal Entertainment matriach Lily Yu Monteverde, more popularly known in showbiz circle as “Mother Lily.” Last June 25, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the 1st MTRCB Film Awards in recognition of her efforts to help the movie industry in her 50 years of producing films and building stars. A week before this, Mother Lily also received a special award from the 7th Dr. Jose P. Rizal Awards for Excellence.

The Dr. Jose P. Rizal Awards for Excellence was established in 2002 by Dante Ang, former chairman of the board and now Commission on Filipino Overseas Head. The annual search aims to identify Tsinoy achievers in various endeavors, honoring them for their achievements. The Awards recognize excellence in the following fields: Arts, Literature and Culture, Business and Entrepreneurship, Community Service, Education, Journalism, Management and Finance, Medicine, Public Service, Science and Technology, Sports and other professions.

The 7th Dr. Jose P. Rizal Awards for Excellence took cognizance of the fact that under Mother Lily’s stewardship, Regal Films and its sister companies, MAQ Productions and Golden Harvest, won more than 50 Best Picture trophies. She also gave the much-needed breaks to movie directors and aspiring movie and TV stars, among them former Presidential Daughter and now Presidential Sister Kris Aquino. Among her landmark films are “Sister Stella L,” the “Mano Po” series, “Relasyon,” “Yamashita,” “Sana Pag-ibig Na” and “Tuhog.”

Among the recognitions given her through the years, Mother Lily always takes pride in her “Outstanding Mother of the Year Award” which she received in the past, because to her, the family is first and foremost.

The youngest of 12 children of a copra trader and homemaker (Domingo and Profetisa Yu), the young Lily married Leonardo “Remy” Monteverde, who was then star player of the San Beda basketball team. They have five children and seven grandchildren. She first became an entrepreneur in 1961, at 22, selling popcorn and ice cream at the Good Earth Emporium and Cherry Foodarama. She also worked at the Monteverde family’s Montemart Department Store at P600 a month.

Her so-called big break came when, with all her savings, she bought the rights to the Hollywood tearjerker “All Mine to Give,” and released it in local theaters. It was shown for more than a month and made a lot of money which she used to produce movies. Her first movie was entitled “Kayod sa Araw at Gabi” which starred Elizabeth Oropesa, Gina Pareño and Ronaldo Valdez.

It’s a fact that Mother Lily was partly responsible for the success ABS-CBN now enjoys. When the station was returned to the Lopezes after the EDSA People Power Revolt in 1986, Mother Lily lent all her stars to the then cellar-dweller station. She even produced 11 shows for ABS-CBN.

Mother Lily’s fellow awardees are Kenneth Cobonpue (arts and culture), Samie Lim (business and entrepreneurship), Luisa Chua (community service), Dr. Ellen Palanca (education), Ricardo Lo (journalism), Judge Rafael Crescencio Tan, Jr. (public service), and Jethro Dionisio (sports).

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Nonoy back to basics with ‘Beginnings’

Durable balladeer Nonoy Zuñiga claims he’s back to the basics with his latest album “Beginnings” which he recently launched at the Hard Rock Café in Makati. “Beginnings” is a collection of repertoire favorites that marked his entry into the local music world. The album contains 11 tracks “that will inspire, move and transport every listener to a musical journey way back when life was simple, when emotions mattered the most...” Done the suave Zuñiga way are the Sergio Mendes ditty “The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye,” the jazzy “The Look Of Love,” the mellow Stylistics hit “Stop, Look & Listen,” and the Lou Rawls revival classic “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine.”

Others in the album are “The Harder I Try (Live),” the medley of “I Don’t Wanna Lose You/Smile/We Have Each Other” and “All The Way.” And to make his collection complete, Nonoy pays tribute to his folk roots with the Cat Stevens classic “Father & Son” and the guitar-themed ditty “You Can Close Your Eyes” by James Taylor.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings on June 29 go to Pat-P Daza-Planas, Dulce Catan, Ana Litton, Paula Peralejo, Silvia Malupeng, US-based Edna dela Cruz, Peter C. Escano, Pamela Ayson, Paolo Santos, Alnette Tan, Iggy Tensuan, Cita Luciano, Pete O. Manalo, Chyx Alcala, broadcast journalist Emily Marcelo, and MB’s Girlie Capellan Tan. Happy wedding anniversary to Rody and Ching Herrera, and Ernesto and Mary Cerrada. Aiza Seguerra had a successful mall tour (SM Tarlac, SM Baguio and SM Rosales) recently promoting the Asian Edition version of her “Perhaps Love” CD. The album also peaked in Singapore while Aiza’s “Ellie My Love” is one of Japan’s most requested songs.