It was her very exclusive annual invitation and we’re just so honored to be part of the group.

Ate Vi has made us feel comfortable with her ever since we had that privilege of getting to know her so many years back (she wasn’t a mayor back then). We went to their resthouse in Lipa, and then later on in Tagaytay just to hang out with her, along with some other entertainment writers.

I remember that it was a wonderful, wonderful opportunity to see for ourselves the Queen, up close and very personal. We’ve never stopped admiring her, ever since. Indeed, Vilma Santos is a great lady.

She didn’t mean for the luncheon to be an interview, she was very clear with that but we all can’t help but throw questions at her while in the midst of the sumptuous lunch that her friend at Le Souffle has prepared that afternoon.

Read on and be updated with the goings-on in Mayor Vi’s life:

"My next project will probably be with Star Cinema. I was told it will be that movie called ‘Flores de Mara’ with an interesting plot where a mother has three gay sons. They said these will be played by Joross Gamboa, Diether Ocampo and John Lloyd Cruz. If plans do not miscarry, baka si Olive Lamasan daw ang magdirect. Hindi pa sigurado yun. I’m waiting for confirmation."

"Naku, matagal pa siguro. At saka maraming sequel yun!" (laughs)

For sure, we will get down doing that in the future. Gusto ko nga sana ang title ‘I Love You, Lucky!’ kasi alam naman ng lahat na highly identified sa aming dalawa yun. It would be nice to have that as title of our movie together.

"We’re very close. I’m very happy by the way he is growing to be a fine young man. People tell me naman how Lucky is behaving and I’m happy by what they tell me. He is close to me. He tells me things, pinakikilala naman ang mga kaibigan niya. Okay naman."

"Why not?"

"Okay lang yan kay Ralph. That man is so broadminded he wouldn’t mind that for sure. He knows I’m an artista through and through."

"Oh yes I do! When I was shooting for a commercial nga, pagtapat ng ilaw at ng camera sa akin, I realized just how much I missed it. Nagiiba talaga ang pakiramdam ko. Iba pa rin ang feeling kapag umaarte ako."

"I still don’t know, really. But for sure I will not want to run for governor. Modesty aside, I could have already run for that office during last year’s election. Everyone already pledged their support, everyone was just waiting for my nod. But I refused because I was sure I won’t be able to give the best of me taking charge of the whole province of Batangas. I am effective as Mayor of Lipa because it’s just a town but to be governor means you have to take care of the entire province. I don’t think my time would allow me to accomplish that. Siguradong may magtatampo sa akin. And besides, my family is really my priority. As Mayor, I can still spend enough time with them and still do my job. But things will be totally different if I am governor. Kaya wag na lang."

"We’re still studying it, maybe congressman. At least that position would make you responsible for certain districts lang. Mas manageable yun. I’m just being realistic. But nothing is final yet. We’ll see."

"We are really trying our very best to solve the problem. We have approached these pirates personally and appealed to them to change businesses. Our local government is willing to give them capital, financial support. All they have to do is to just show us that they are willing to switch businesses and turn their backs on piracy. My condition was to make piracy zero in Lipa. We’re still waiting. So far, positive ang response because people come to us to say they are willing. But still, hindi pa zero ang piracy. We hope it will work."

"Weekends I’m with my family here in Manila. Pag Monday, I wake up very early, at 4 a.m. because I have to be in Lipa by 8 a.m. for the flag ceremony. On ordinary days, I watch TV. Kaya nga big fan ako ng ‘Pinoy Big Brother’ di ba?’ Iba ang appeal sa akin ng show na yun. I got so much excitement watching ordinary people do their thing on national television. It’s really interesting. And these days, I get to socialize na rin. We just had the the 1st Mayor’s Cup in Lipa and there I got together with show biz friends like Nadia Montenegro, Pops Fernandez, si Pip, Tirso Cruz III and his wife Lyn (Ynchausti)."

"Naku, the TV special for ABS CBN has actually been waiting for me for a long time now. Three years na yata naplano yun kaso talagang sobrang busy ako we couldn’t find the time for it. Nahihiya na nga ako sa ABS CBN. But I’m okay. Kahit walang movie and TV show, nakakaraket naman ako ng commercials. Meron pang mga iba na susunod."

(laughs out loud) Hindi ako submissive. Etang Discher nga ang tawag nila sa akin sa bahay kapag nagsimula na akong magsuplada.

"Ralph and I have been together for 20 years, 13 years married. A long time. Pero heaven kami kapag nag-aabroad together. Once a year, Ralph and I make it a point to go away, kami lang dalawa absolutely walang kasama. We carry our own bags, we check in ourselves basta kami lang dalawa. Hindi kami tumatawag sa consul kasi more often kapag alam na nandun ka, may mga dinner for you. Kaya gusto namin talagang vacation lang naming dalawa. Nagtitimplahan kami ng kape. Naghihintayan sa shopping. Normal na normal ang atmosphere namin. Last year we went to Europe and we both enjoyed this time together. We went to Venice, Amsterdam, Nice. By doing this, we refresh our romantic inclinations by being together this way. Masaya yun. Heaven kami. That’s why we see to it that we have this once a year trip together."

"Dumating sina Mama during the holidays. Nandito kaming lahat na magkakapatid kaya masaya. Kumpleto kami, pati mga asawa, mga anak. Nagreunion kami. We spent Christmas at Punta Fuego in Batangas and then we were in Tagaytay during the New Year. They left first week of January back to the States. We all had a nice time together."

"The last movie I watched was ‘King Kong.’ The Tagalog movies naman I get to watch them kasi pinapadalhan ako ng DVD copy. Hindi pirated!"

"Chicken Soup for the Soul 3.’ I just love that book."

"Colorful." (laughs) "Sige na nga, Accomplished na rin."