Regal matriarch Lily Monteverde showered good friend and her “favorite Regal baby” with love by throwing a surprise birthday party for Batangas Governor Vilma Santos last Monday at her own 38 Valencia Events Place. Mother Lily explained that since building Taal Imperial Resort Hotel in Batangas in 2010, she thinks of herself as a Taaleña, and as such, joins Gov. Vi in ensuring that the province’s Ala Eh! Festival, happening in Taal from December 1 to 8, will be the brightest and biggest ever.

Aside from considering Taal as a home after being smitten by its beauty and charmed by its heritage, the lady producer takes utmost pride for being “the mother of the ‘Mother of Batangas’.”
Mother Lily expressed her admiration for Gov. Vi’s rise “from a grand slam best actress into a much-admired and awarded public.” She ends her speech, however, by enjoining the actress- politician to “make another grand slam-winning movie.”

Gov. Vi disclosed that she does want to be more active in filmmaking – whether before or behind the cameras. In spite of talks of her running for higher post in 2016, she said she really has no plans yet beyond giving her best in the time she has left as governor.

“I miss showbiz,” she expressed. “After eighteen years of being in public service – nine years as mayor of Lipa  and nine years as governor of Batangas – I really miss showbiz,” she reiterated.
After being sidelined by health issues– mostly, she said caused by stress over the passing of trusted aide Aida Fandialan – she has learned to better take care of herself.
“Maybe because na drain ako. Naniningil dahil sa sobrang pagod and stress. Na-trigger when Ate Aida left us,” she related.

She is still grieving, she said, as her Ate Aida, whom she considered a family member, was with her for four decades, but she will soon face the cameras again, most probably in January, for a movie with Angel Locsin. It will not be the usual “sampalan” movie, she revealed, assuring that it will be a different kind  of drama for Mother’s Day. She talked about feeling excited, too, on the prospectof being a grandmother.

“Nung araw ayaw ko pa, ngayon gusto ko na,” she related with a smile. “Lucky is 32 at si Angel nasa tamang edad na.” She, however, is not about to pressure the two – whether about getting engaged or tying the knot. But she would, of course, be happy if the two tie the knot in Batangas, where she and Senator Ralph Recto wed twenty-eight years ago. “Baka may swerte,” she quipped.

In the meantime, she is excited for the “Ala Eh! Festival,” which is now on its seventh year. The first official celebration was in December 2008, at the Provincial Capitol in Batangas City. Before then, the province didn’t celebrate its foundation,and so the governor led an inquiry as to the province’s founding date, which was finally established on the 8th of December, with this year marking the 433rd anniversary. (Malaya)