This is Marvin’s first award for a movie performance. The first award he received came from the First Golden Screen Entertainment TV Awards for his knock-out performance as Rolando Navarette in "Maalaala Mo Kaya" Boxing Gloves episode.

Aside from his winning the Best Actor award in the December filmfest, Marvin has other reasons to be very happy nowadays. One is the probable release from prison soon of his father (the reason he had a meeting with some people in Malacañang last Friday). Another is a meeting with director Marilou Diaz Abaya, also last Friday, about a project. It is recalled that the awarded lady director megged Marvin’s recent critically acclaimed telesine shown on ABS-CBN.

Marvin is also meeting with other people, including Orly Ilacad, for other projects. Orly of course was the producer of the controversial horror flick "Kutob" which won the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award in the 2005 film festival. Orly has another film project for Marvin, according to the actor who marks his 27th birth anniversary on Jan. 29 with an intimate lunch with some members of the entertainment press.

So how does it feel to be named Best Actor? we asked Marvin.

"I felt lucky that I was adjudged Best Actor because the other nominees were all very good. I watched ‘Blue Moon,’ and I saw how good the actors were. Sina Eddie Garcia and Christopher de Leon, who are my idols. Ang gagaling nila talaga. I was just lucky ako ang napili. Kasi kanya-kanyang panlasa yan. I’ve been nominated for awards in the past but except for my award for TV performance, hindi pa ako nanalo. I waited patiently for this award. And now, I feel so fulfilled."

He added: "I really felt so blessed that’s why I even went to Manaoag to pray (for world peace and for my own peace of mind) and thank God for everything He has showered on me lately. My twins Santiago and Sebastian, my award, the success of my restaurants the latest of which is Sumosam, a Japanese restaurant at the 6th Level of Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Ortigas. It’s doing vey well," Marvin gushed.

Marvin’s other restaurant is Oyster Bar and he said Mother Lily has offered him to open a branch at Imperial Suites. "She also told me she has a movie project for me."

The actor also said they’re set to open on Feb. 10 another restaurant called "Tentitas" so-called because it offers 101 recipes, 10 from each of Marvin’s 10 "titas" and one from their chef. "It’s a Pilipino café a la-Via Mare and Cafe Adriatico, and it will be inside Gateway at the Araneta Center," Marvin added.

Excitement was in Marvin’s voice as he talked about his achievements, capped by his winning the Best Actor award for playing a psychotic young man in Canary Films’ "Kutob," at a time when his passion for acting seemed to have diminished. Because he concentrated on TV hosting (he was one of the original hosts of the Saturday showbiz talk show, then called "EK Channel" and "M.R.S." and "Star Dance") and dancing as well, he lost his passion for acting he said.

But in the past Marvin has proved he is good in both comedy and drama. We can never forget Marvin as Ai Ai de las Alas’ eldest son in the blockbuster movie "Tanging Ina."

He has not also not limited himself to being an on-cam talent. He has directed music videos for Star Records. Now, he has established his own movie production outfit called Magus, an Italian word that means wise man or magician. He hopes to start production of his first movie by the first week of March. The working title of the said movie is "Donsol," to be shot in a town in Sorsogon.

In terms of endorsements, Marvin remains as one of the faces for Talk N’ Text.

"So many good things happened to me on the first week of 2006. I really couldn’t imagine all this things happening to me at the same time, and at the start of the new year," he exclaimed.

As to the rumor that he’s moving over to GMA 7, Marvin said it’s not true although he is free to appear in any show of the network any time. "It’s because I’m not under contract with ABS-CBN, but I’m under management of Star Magic headed by Mr. Johnny Manahan."

He has no project with the network at the moment "but sabi nila they’re planning a show for me, that they have projects for me, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed," Marvin said.

Marvin is currently taping for an episode of "Extra Challenge." He has appeared on "Extra Challenge" before but when ABS-CBN found out he was being paired with former loveteam mate Jolina Magdangal, he was pulled out from that episode in the middle of taping.

Known to be an actor who never rests on his laurels, Marvin continues to hone his craft and improve his skills that’s why when he won his first award, ABS-CBN Star Magic was confident that it would be just the first of many. It is slowly but surely happening and like any kapamilya, ABS-CBN is truly proud and very happy for one of its homegrown talents!

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The young, talented and beautiful lass from Imus, Cavite, Jennifer "Jen" Bautista, has been chosen to sing the Philippine National Anthem as the traditional prelude to the much-anticipated WBC international superfeatherweight championship rematch between Filipino boxing champ Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, and Mexican fighter Erik Morales. The championship fight will be held at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jen, a granddaughter of former senator Ramon Revilla Sr. (that makes her a niece of Senator Bong Revilla), is a newly launched Viva recording artist who revived "Hello" and some Filipino love songs in her own CD light album. She has had her own intimate concerts at the Calesa Bar of Hyatt Regency Manila and she has also guested in the concerts of popular artists like Christian Bautista, Mark Bautista, Sarah Geronimo, and Gary Lewis and the Playboys. Jen was also a guest at the "Tribute to the Champions" (Pacquiao, Bautista, Viloria) held at the ballroom of Crowne Plaza in Ortigas Center.

During the recent mall tour/promo for the 2005 Metro Manila Film Festival entry "Exodus: Tales from the Enchanted Kingdom," Jen was very visible as she helped in the promotion of the movie as a show of support to her uncle, Senator Bong.

Aside from her stint at the historic Pacquiao-Morales rematch, Jen will also do a series of shows with US-based singer-composer Anthony Castelo in Las Vegas (Jan. 22) and New York at the Perlas ng Silangan Rest. in Roosevelt, Queens (Jan. 27-28).

Jen said she got her musical genes from her grandmother, Luzviminda Bautista, who discovered Jen’s knack for singing when she was barely six years old. "She heard me singing Whitney Houston’s ‘One Moment in Time’ which was the official song of that year’s Olympics. I was messing up with the lyrics but surprisingly hitting every note almost flawlessly. That started my training with a vocal coach at such a tender age," Jen said.

And the rest, so to speak, is history.

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Sarah Geronimo headlines a star-studded concert today to celebrate the centennial of Navotas. The concert will be staged at the town’s Centennial Park.

Performing with Sarah are Hot Babes Jen Rosendahl, JC Parker and Andrea del Rosario, "Goin’ Bulilit," K and The Boxers, Blakyak, Sheryn Regis, Mark Bautista, PBB Housemates Cass, Racquel and Sam.

Ethel Booba and Jose Manalo will host the first part of the program and Luis Manzano and Anne Curtis will host the second. After the concert, the Rivermaya band will provide the music for a party expected to last till dawn. Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco said he wants the celebration of the town’s centennial a grand and memorable one. "I want it to be a night to remember," he said.

Capping the affair will be the coronation of the "Mutya ng Navotas."

Navotas was a seaside village of Malabon until it was proclaimed as a district municipality on Jan. 16, 1906.

In his centennial message, Mayor Tiangco exhorted the people "to consider Jan. 16, 2006 as the start of the next 100 years for Navotas. Let us once again be pioneers, guided by our forefathers’ dream, charting the course for the next generations of Navoteños."

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Tidbits: Happy bday greetings today, Jan. 15, go to Jose Y. Dalisay Jr., Marilou Gonzalez, Josie de Guzman, Prescilla Reyes, Bebot M. Reyes, Bing Villanueva, Edwin D. Bonoan, Mabel Tuesday Capistrano, Nena Casimiro, Ma. Elena Lagdamaeo, Lorna M. Guila, Milagros Parungao, Morinette G. Mangante, Gigi Lina and Mrs. Flor Ragunton of Economy Tours & Travel...