THE QUIXOTIC QUIZONs OF R.P. MOVIES

SERIES ON THE GIANTS NO. 10:
THE QUIXOTIC QUIZONs OF PHILIPPINE MOVIES

By Ross F. Celino

Source: Jingle Extra Hot Movie Entertainment Magazine
No. 20, June 22, 1981

By accident or design, all the surviving Quizon brothers and sisters – save for one – had been, at one time or another, a part of local showbiz. In fact, all the female members have gone abroad and they showed ‘em foreigners what they’ve got in their systems, under their skin: beauty, body beautiful, bearing, even breeding…

For such is the QUIZON clan of Dolphy – the Philippines’ topmost laugh merchant, box-office king and a peddler of hits as far as movies are concerned – and his sisters an only brother Georgie in showbiz. Fact is, the Philippine entertainment world would not be complete without mentioning this quixotic, quick-witted, quelling family of entertainers.

So, it isn’t a bit surprising to learn that even their own mother, the former Salud Vera of Galalangin, Tondo, at 78, is still very much on her dancing feet! She even dances the Hagibis (as she calls it) with flair, elan and aplomb of one who’s really born with showmanship as her twin sister. Indeed, Aling Salud is a born entertainer although she was a teacher for six years, starting in 1925 at the Quiapo Elementary School, moving up to Soler until 1929when she married Melencio Quizon of Bigaa, Bulacan, a ship mechanic in his days.

A close relative of the Ilagans of the zarzuela and movie fame, Aling Salud is also the maternal aunt of national artist Bert Avellana. His mother, Rica Vera, is the first cousin of Aling Salud. Their mothers Hervasia and Priscilla de la Rosa are sisters and are married to the Vera brothers of Manila. If for this reason alone and their lineage to talented thespians in the performing arts, it is easy to see why Dolphy and his brood are very much a part of showbiz. And for good, measures, too!

DOLPHY AND HIS SISTERS

Aside from the king of comedy in the entertainment world, there are also the Quizon sisters – all four of them – in showbiz. The eldest, CORAZON, Zony to her public then, was a movie star in her days during the post liberation era. She did leading parts mostly in movies under the Fernando Poe, Sr. Productions, Inc. (the company owned by Ronnie Poe’s late papa) until she decided to retire to become a housewife.

Zony’s most memorable film was Dugo ng Bayan (I Remember Bataan) where she did the challenging role of a woman spy who paid high for her treachery.

“Napakagandang pelikula iyon,” she told us, “at isa sa talagang hindi ko malilimutang karanasan sa tanang buhay ko. It played at the Rialto Theater on Rizal Avenue (where the State Theater now stands) for more than a month and was well received by the public who wanted to recall their Occupation days,” Zony revealed.

Ngayon ay isa nang lola si Aling Zony. Dalawa sa kanyang anak ay naging artista rin. Sina Ray Bayona at ang kamamatay lamang na si Andong Yabut, who used to do bit roles in RVQ and FPJ Productions. Aside from acting, Zony was also a singer and a stage performer in her time, having appeared at the Opera House and the Clover Theater.

Now she is resting on past laurels and only comes out of her shell when Dolphy holds some intimate parties at home on Ubay Street in La Loma where she helps him with guests. Otherwise, she stays home in Pasay with her children and grandchildren.

A happy change indeed from the hectic, ever exciting life in showbiz. Good for Zony Quizon…

Another Dolphy sister, JOSIE, who comes after him, was also a dancer and singer onstage at the Clover and Opera House theaters during the times of Don Jose Zarah and Papang Lou Salvador, Sr. After her local stints in said theaters, nag-abroad din si Josie at kung saan-saan ito nakarating. Nasama rin siya sa pangkat ng mga Pinoy entertainers sa Far East at sa iba’t ibang lunsod ng Asia, until she decided she has had enough of entertaining and would once and for all entertain herself for a change.

Ngayon ay in-charge sa catering service ng RVQ Productions si Josie. Her three sons are also in the production end of the movies. One, Max Vera, her eldest, is a character actor in many RVQ flicks. Her second, Frank Gray, Jr., is a director who made Dolphy the FAMAS Best Actor in Omeng Satanasia for the first time in 25 years, and to think that that was Frank’s initial directorial assignment!

The third son, Andy Andico, is an assistant director to his brother, Frank, who left his engineering course to work for his uncle’s production outfit.

Bukod sa pag-aasikaso ni Josie sa pagke-cater sa mga shooting ng kanyang utol ay mayroon pa rin itong negosyong inaasikaso which is now a paying concern for her and her family. Somehow, however, and pagiging entertainer ni Josie sa stage ay nakakatulong nang malaki sa kanyang kalakal ngayon kung kaya’t kahit wala na siya sa entablado ay very much around pa rin siya sa movie crowd. Palibhasa’y mga movie people din ang kanyang mga customers at suki.

Isa pa, nariyan na sina Max, Frank at Andy na magdadala ng kanyang pangalan upang hindi siya basta malimot ng balana. Magugunita na si Max ay isang character actor. Karamihan sa mga pelikulang nilabasan niya ay yaong mga pelikula ng kanyang pinsang si Dolphy, Jr. na siya ang bida.

“Mayroon kaming deal ni Jr. na kapag siya ang bida sa pelikula ay ako naman ang kanyang kontra. Pero ang pinaka-memorable na pelikulang nagawa ko,” pagtatapat ni Max sa sumulat nito, “ay ang Kung Ano ang Puno ay Siya ang Bunga kung saan ko ginampanan ang papel ng anak ni Tito Dolph. Kasama namin ditto si Gloria Romero,” dagdag pa ni Max sa kanyang paglalahad.

Bukod sa pelikulang nabanggit, gumanap din ng mahalagang papel si Max Vera sa The Black Sheep Gang ng Sunshine Films, at sa Da Best in da West ng RVQ Films na nakatakdang itanghal sa buwang ito, na kaunaunahang pagsasama sa pelikula nina Dolphy at Lito Lapid.

Unang namahala ng pelikula si Frank sa Omeng Satanasia nang ang direktor na napusuan ni Dolphy ay hindi available. Kaya napilitan siyang gawing full director after having worked as an assistant si Frank. He had to leave his studies to be able to concentrate on his post in his uncle’s production outfit.

Pagkatapos ng Omeng….pinamahalaan din ni Frank ang Anong Uring Hayop Kami Dito Sa Mundo? Sa pangunguna nina Alma Moreno at Rolly Quizon. The flick made good in the box-office, to say the least, and this was again followed by another big blockbuster, Buhay Artista Ngayon, where his Tito Dolphy paired, for the first time, with Vilma Santos.

Again, Frank Gray, Jr. proved his box-office mettle when the picture grossed close to three million pesos in Metro Manila alone. And for a young man with no background in movie making except his experience as assistant and general factotum in RVQ Productions, this is something – if not really everything – indeed!

Is pa ring anak ni Josie ang naga-assistant director ngayon sa pelikula. Ito ay si Andy Andico, who works for his brother, Frank, as his assistant. Andy is taking up engineering but would be willing to stop should his assignments warrant it. Kasi nga raw, unti-unti na siyang nagugumon sa pelikula at siyempre, he finds it engrossing and exhilarating.

“Kaya kung magkakaroon ako ng break sa pelikula, as a director, let’s say, maaaring talikuran ko na ang pag-aaral ko,” quipped Andy. “Isa pa, Tito Dolphs told us he needs us in his production, kaya naman halos lahat kaming magkamag-anakan ay narito na. Sino pa nga ba ang tutulong sa kanya kundi kami? At ganoon din ang punto niya. Sino pa nga ba ang kanyang tutulungan kundi kaming kamag-anak niya?,” Andy philosophized. Na siyang dapat. Kung tutuusin nga ay mas mabuti na sila-sila na ang magtulungan kesa ibang tao pa na baka lokohin pa sila.

At least, mga Quizon na rin sila at siyempre the interest is there. At hindi maiaalis na blood is thicker than water kahit kailan, kahit saan.

THE OTHER QUIZONS….

Aside from Zony and Josie, Dolphy has two other sisters – LAURA and AURING – who also started on stage as singers and dancers during the days of Don Jose Zarah at the Clover Theater and Papang Lou Salvador, Sr. at the Manila Grand Opera House. Si Laura ay nakaabot din sa iba’t ibang bansa sa Far East: Hongkong, Tokyo, Taiwan, Taipei, Singapore at iba pa. Kadalasan sa kanyang mga shows ay sa NCO, sa mga Officer Clubs ng mga GI’s itinatanghal.

She was a good singer and dancer then. At dahil ditto, naging tanyang ang kanyang pangalan. Nang umuwi siya sa Pilipinas, nagtanghal din siya sa military bases, sa Olongapo, sa Clark Field, etc. It was at Clark Field where she met her husband, an American serviceman named Coopernurse with whom Laura has two children, aged 21 and 13.

Nang kailangan ni Dolphy ang mamamahala sa kanyang RVQ downtown office, hiniling niya kay Laura na siya muna ang mag-asikaso rito. Mula nung 1977 hanggang sa ngayon ay assistant General Manager si Laura and so far, everything is alright with Dolphy’s company. Naging matagumpay umano ang unang pelikula ni Laura in her present position. Ito ay ang John at Marsha ’80 na kinunan pa sa Estados Unidos.

How does she find her job? Wala ba siyang problema sa mga tauhan, sa mga bookers, checkers?

“With the help of Manny (Dolphy’s eldest son), who is the GM of the company, we both thresh out whatever problems crop up,” Laura intimated. “Sa problema, marami sa produksyon. What company doesn’t have problems? But we try to minimize these. We try to solve these in the office bago makarating kay Dolphy. Siguro, kaya niya kami kinuha ay upang tumulong sa kanya at nang mabawas-bawasan naman ang kanyang sakit-ulo.

“Precisely, this is my job. Ang tumulong sa utol ko. Besides,” dagdag pa niya, “wala naman akong ginagawa sa bahay, kaya okey lang na dito ako sa office. The children are old enough an can fend for themselves,” pointed out Laura.

Doesn’t she long for her life in showbiz? Hindi kaya niya inaasam-asam ang buhay niya sa entablado sa gitna ng mga palakpakan, sipol at hiyaw ng kanyang mga tagahanga?

“I guess I have trained myself to be a plain housewife now,” pabirong tinuran ni Laura. “I had my days of wine and roses, ‘ika nga. Ngayon naman, ang payak at simpleng pamumuhay na lang aasikasuhin ko’t natural, ang aking sarili. I have missed the life of a private person kaya heto, enjoy na rin ako sa buhay ko ngayon,” pagwawakas ni Awang.

Auring, similarly, had her share of the limelight and public acclaim. As a topnotch stage dancer of her time, she made many a man clamor for more of her act, whistling everytime her number was up. That was how exciting Auring was on the stages of Clover and Manila Grand Opera House.

One good thing about the Quizon sisters is they started together and so there was no need for a chaperone. Silang tatlo – Josie, Laura and Auring – ay magkakasama sa stage an quite naturally, they became companions an good friends as well.

Nang magsawa na si Auring sa palakpak at ingay ng dulaan, unti-unting nawala ito sa eksena. Kung may pagkakataon, lumalabas din siya sa pelikula tulad ng kanyang mga kapatid. Kung wala naman siya sa harap ng kamera ay naroon siya sa sinimulan niyang negosyo. She married Jun Salvador, a bank executive, and the two have become business partners and good friends since then.

Naging General Manager din si Auring ng RVQ Productions nung panahong kasalukuyang nananagumpay ang mga pelikula ni Dolph. Noon bang lagging topnotcher ang mga pelikula ni Dolph, noong panahon ng Facifica Falayfay, ng Bornebol, ng mga kakuwanan ng comedian sa pagsu-sward sa pelikula. At siyempre, kasama si Auring sa tuwa’t luha ng ano mang produksyon noon.

Soon she decided to form her own company, a movie producing outfit, and with husband Jun they turned out several light comedies. But it seems hindi gaanong kumita ang kanilang mga pelikula kung kaya’t medyo lay low muna ang mag-asawa.

Samantala, Auring is engaged in the financing business and is successful at it. With her husband’s expertise in banking and financing, how elsecan the couple miss?

Won’t they go on with their movie venture? Wala nab a silang maisusunod sa dati nilang mga pelikula?

“We are still studying the matter very well,” Auring quipped. “Hindi basta-basta makakaapag-prodyus ka ngayon ng pelikula. Kailangan ang malaking halaga, almost a million pesos, at kung hindi mo masyadong kabisado ang kalakaran sa showbiz ay maloloko ka lamang,” Auring mentioned.

But once a part of the entertainment world, always a part thereof, so Auring and Jun should do well to remember this.

GEORGIE, HIS BROTHER’S SHADOW

Like Dolphy, GEOGIE started out in comedy roles. In fact, he was his brother’s follower noon pang nasa Sampaguita Studios si Dolph at isa siyang mainstay ditto. Nang minsang isinama ni Dolph si Georgie sa kanyang shooting ay namataan si Georgie ng isang direktor a binigyan ito ng bit role. He was found out to have his brother’s talent and soon, Georgie found himself in one picture after another, mostly in Susan Roces-starrers where he played her sidekick or friendly neighbor.

Ito ang simula ng binyag ni Georgie sa pelikula. Naging sikat din siyang comedian. Kaya lang ang problema niya ay hindi siya makakatakas sa image at pangalan ng kanyang kapatid na lalong sikat. Kahit ano ang gawin niya ay siyempre, associated and identified siya kay Dolphy.

“Ito ang malaki kong problema,” nabanggit ni Georgie sa amin. “But I also love my brother! Kung wala naman si Ompong ay sino kami, aber! Siguro, ganito ang buhay kung mayroon kang tanyag na kapatid na parehong propesyon. Kung sino ang mas sikat, iyon ang mas kilala. At ang hindi ay nananatili sa background. Tulad ko,” aniya. “Ako ang anino ni Dolphy. Hindi ako kilala sa sarili ko. Ako raw ay kapatid ni Dolphy. And never was I called my name. Kung minsan nga ay ako raw si Dolphy. Ganoon.

“Kung minsan, I feel flattered. Pero kadalasan, tinatanggap ko na lamang nang basta ganoon. Kibit balikat baga. Ano pa nga ba ang magagawa ko? Kapatid ko iyon at sikat pa!

“Kaya lang, I really want to be on my own. I want to be known as Georgie at hindi yung kapatid ni Dolphy. I am my won individual. Iba ako, iba siya. Nagkataon lamang na nagko-comedy rin ako. Kaya hindi talaga ako makakatakas sa kanyang anino,” pagtatapat ni Georgie.

As a whole, wala naman siyang reklamo. Okey naman ang takbo ng kanyang showbiz career. Hindi siya nawawalan ng assignment. Tuwing Linggo, mayroon siyang TV show, nagge-guest din siya sa mga tanyag na shows at kung minsan, kumakanta siya sa mga roadshows, sa mga bases.

“Para sa akin, tipong okey na ang lahat,” banggit pa ni Georgie. Everything’s fine. I am busy everyday. Malusog pa ang ermat, masasaya kaming lahat. Wala na yata akong mahihiling pa,” Georgie confessed.

The other surviving brother of Dolphy and Georgie is named JIMMY, ang bunso sa lahat na hindi kailanman sumali sa showbiz. Nasa States siya ngayon at isang medical intern sa isang tanyag na ospital doon.

Sampu sanang lahat sina Dolph, kaya lang tatlo na ang namatay. Sina Tessie, ang uang Jimmy na siyang pang-walo at si Melencio, Jr. na binawian ng buhay noong early 1970’s. Ang iba – sina Zony, Dolphy, Josie, Laura, Auring at Georgie – ay pawang naging showbiz folks at dalawa na lamang sa kanila ang aktibo sa pelikula. Sina Dolphy at Georgie nalamang, bagamat ang iba, sa pamamagitan ng kanilang mga anak, ay kasama pa rin sa iba’t ibang aspeto ng paggawa ng pelikula, particular na sa RVQ Productions syempre.

DOLPHY’S KIDS, ARTISTA RIN

Ang kasabihang lumaki sa produksyon, paglaki, sa pelikula rin ag bagsak. Ito umano ang nangyayari sa mga anak ni Dolphy kay Gracita Dominguez, isa ring artista noong mga 1950’s at lumabas sa mga pelikula ni Manuel Conde. Sa anim na anak ni Pidol ditto, lahat ay nag-artista rin, one time or another.

Masasambit dito sina MANNY (Boy) QUIZON, ang panganay na anak, sina SAHLEE, DOLPHY, JR., FREDDIE, EDGAR AT ROLLIE na pawang lumabas din sa pelikula, hindi lamang sa produksyon ng kanilang erpat kundi maging sa ibang produksyon. Something in the Quizon trademark is very much apparent in the offspring.

Take the case of Manny. Aside from doing movies, he is also the General Manager of RVQ Productions and is practically minding the store, so to speak. Nasa kanyang kamay ang pagpapalakad ng kanilang negosyo. Among Dolphy’s sons, Manny Boy is the only one whom he has given this much responsibility, and the kid is dong alright.

Unang gumanap si Manny Boy sa mga pelikula ng kanyang erpat but what he considers most outstanding was the title role in Sino Si Boy Urbino, a true-to-life sotry which did very well in the box-office. Gumanap din siya sa mga pelikula ng Lea, tulad ng Andalucia kung saan niya binigyang buhay ang papel na kapatid ni Gloria Diaz, the leading lady. Ganito rin ang naging papel niya sa Bontoc ng FPJ Productions kung saan siya naging kapatid din ni Elizabeth Oropesa, ang leading lady. Anupa’t nabibigyan din ng break si Manny sa ibang produksyon.

Kasalukuyang ginagawa niya ngayon ang Nagbabagang Lupa, Nagbabagang Araw ng Supreme Film Productions where he plays a co-starring role with Dante Varona, Liz Alindogan and others. A BSC student major in management, Manny hopes to mix his career and studies, aside from the fact that he is now a married man with two children by Amore Villegas, sister of Ann and Aida and grand-daughter of heavyweight comedienne Dely Atay-Atayan.

According to Manny, showbiz has become so much a part of his life that he feels na mawawala siya kung ilalayo mo pa siya rito. Dito raw siya lumaki at ditto rin siya magtatapos. Well and good….

After Manny comes Sahlee (Salud, named after her grandmother), who used to be one of the hopefuls in the early ‘70’s. In fact, she was groomed for stardom in her father’sproductions, Go Away and Intensity ’70 where she was paired with the rage of the season, Tawag ng Tanghalan Champion Novo Bono. But it seemed Sahlee wasn’t made for showbiz. Or that showbiz didn’t fit into her personality.

Convent-bred, she found the movies too loud for her. Na hindi niya halos matanggap. But just the same, she gave it a try at the same time, give in to her dad’s wishes. When she found out that she and the movies don’t jibe, she left for the States and stayed there for good.

Now Sahlee is in charge of distributing RVQ pictures in the States. The latest from her is that she is doing tremendously well and that she is expanding her business by distributing pictures from other companies. She has such a well-oiled distribution center and a film exchange outfit in the West Coast that she hardly finds time to come home. The last time she paid her folks a visit was some two years ago where she was reported to have rekindled the flame she had with former beau, Tirso Cruz III. In fact, it was bruited about that the two would march down the aisle soon.

Whether this gets to be realized or not, one thing is certain: Sahlee, Dolphy’s only daughter, is doing well in her job in the States and, for a doting father like Dolphy, this is good news. Something that warms the cockles of one’s heart.

The third son, Dolphy, Jr., is another actor who tried the movies for the heck of it. Wala raw siyang magawa at komo inalok siyang lumabas sa pelikula, okey na rin daw ‘to. Game ang Junior ni Pidol.

Junior has appeared in Ay, Manuela! Where he played a sward. Then this was followed by Like Father, Like Son where once more, he played his real life role – that of his father’s Junior. But the most memorable film Junior made was The Red Flag Is Up by an independent company where he co-starred with Rose Revilla, one of the famous pretty daughters of veteran actor Armando Goyena and a sister of Tina and Maritess Revilla.

The flick, though done on a small budget, did well at the tills and would have been followed by more pictures except that Junior met an accident which tied him down in bed for almost a year.

Ang sumunod na anak ni Dolphy, si Freddie, ay nasa States din at kasama ni Sahlee sa pagpapalakad ng kanilang negosyo roon. While here, Freddie used to appear in pictures of his father’s company. But he first got his break in Lyra Ventures’ Uhaw na Bulaklak, Part II where he played the role of a delinquent victimized by prostie Charito Solis. This was followed by another meaty role in Regal Films’ Beerhouse. Here, Freddie showed ‘em what he’s got, which made people sit up and notice him.

This was soon followed by another scintillating performance in Sunshine Films’ The Black Sheep Gang where he shared acting honors with younger brother, Edgar.

Edgar, for his part, does bit roles in most RVQ flicks. Once in a while, he gets noticed by other producers like what they did in The Black Sheep Gang where he played a juvenile delinquent who ran away from home because of family problems.

Naging mahusay ang pagkaganap ni Edgar ditto at nangako ang prodyuser niyang si Raymund Santiago at ang maybahay nitong si Lolit Santiago na sa susunod nilang pelikula ay bibigyan ng malaking break si Egay.

Samantala, naghihintay pa rin ng break si Edgar sa produksyon ng kanyang erpat. Tutal nariyan na raw sila, kaya he might as well take advantage of it.

The youngest of all Dolphy children by Gracita is the handsomest, more popular of them all, Rollie Quizon. He was adjudged Best Actor in the 3^rd Metro Manila Film Festival for his role in Burlesk Queen as Vilma Santos’ leading man. Bukod ditto, naging leading man din siya ni Vi sa mga pelikulang ginawa nila sa Lea Productions, sa Let’s Do the Jerk, Swing It, Baby! at iba pa.

A mainstay of the weekly top-rated show, John en Marsha, Rollie never rejects any assignments. Tuwing may pelikulang hango sa John en Marsha, siyempre kasali si Rollie. Bukod pa sa mga pelikula ng RVQ Films na sadyang inilaan para sa kanya.

According to Manny, Rollie is there papa’s favorite, being the youngest, though this doesn’t mean that the others are left out.

“Iba si epa kung tumuring sa kanyang mga anak. He could be strict (like any father) but we all know he loves us all. Kaya siya nagpapakahirap at nagta-trabaho nang husto ay dahil sa amin, and now that we are quite responsible, we try to help in everything we can do,” pahayag ni Manny.

The last time the whole Dolphy brood appeared together in a picture was in The Good Father where all the children – from Manny to Sahlee to Freddie to Jr. to Egay to Rollie – appeared in their real life roles in a movie specially written for them. But most especially, for their father. Parang tribute sa kanya, ganoon.

Did the picture make money at the tills! It was one helluva movie in so far as box-office records are concerned.

DOLPHY, THE PERSON BEHIND THE IMAGE

The twin-faces of showbiz – happy and sad – seem to have been cut out for DOPHY. For that is his life as an actor, as a person, as a showbiz personality. His life had seen the ups and downs, the ebb-tides of one’s existence and for that matter, the success and pinnacle of his career. For no one fits better into the picture of the showbiz logo than Dolphy himself. The comedian. The Pagliacci, the clown. Likewise, the credo among showbiz folks that the show must go on in spite of everything.

For Dolphy has indeed gone through life’s varied ramifications with the aplomb of a veteran, the élan of a celebrity and the flair of a topnotch laugh merchant this side of local Hollywood. Because Dolphy “has weathered every rock the prize he sought is won….”

Today, he is considered one of the foremost thespians of local cinema. He commands a seven-figure talent fee, one of the two ever (Fernando Poe, Jr. is the other) in the country, and enjoys the continued patronage of the public as well. He has penetrated all levels of audiences – the A,B,C,D, and E groups – and comes out of it with flying colors! He has stayed on top for the past decades and has no intentions of going down his perch. No, not yet anyway, not in the near future. He also holds on to his position as the other box-office king of local cinema, the other again being his old chum, Ronnie Poe.

In spite of his great success as a comedian, nay, as an actor of the finest degree, his home life is far from being perfect. His sons, every now and then, get involve in some predicaments and like any devoted father to his offsprings, he’d extricate them out from the tight spot. How many times had Dolphy done this? How many times has he died a thousand deaths everytime a son gets into trouble?

Take that case when Dolphy, Jr. rammed his car against a parked bus somewhere in Quezon. For a while, the son was thought to be dead,a living vegetable, but Dolphy’s money gave Junior a new lease of life and now he’s as good as new. Only a scar in the face reminds him of that tragic experience. But this cost Dolphy a lot of moola…

Magkaganoon man, tinatawanan lamang ni Pidol ang kanyang buhay. Sadyang ganyan daw ang buhay. Tulad din ng buhay sa showbiz. Kung mayroong tagumpay, mayroon ding kabiguan. Kung may saya, mayroon ding lungkot. Ganoon. And so by this time, Dolphy has already conditioned himself and is ready to face life’s accompaniments – whether good or bad; happy or sad – with a ready heart and open mind. Basta ang mahalaga raw ay lagi siyang handa sa anumang biyayang ibibigay ng Diyos sa kanya. At taos puso niyang pasasalamatan ang ano mang idudulot nito sa kanyang buhay at pamilya.

As an actor, Dolphy has already reached the pinnacle of success. Nakakapamili na siya ng papel na gagampanan (di ba’t mayroon siyang sariling produksyon?), nagdidikta na siya ng kanyang presyo at nakakapamili na rin siya ng mga sinehang pagtatanghalan ng kanyang pelikula at ganoon din ng playdate ng mga ito. Suma-tutal nito, he’s a demi-god who invariably gets what he wants. A boss in his own right. And an experienced man who knows how to play the game, one who knows which side of his bread is buttered. One who can get his cake and eat it, too!

But is Dolphy happy? Is he contented? Doesn’t he have any problems in life?

For as long as a person lives, for as long as one still breathes and is kicking, problems are accompaniments that one can’t escape. They are always there as necessary evils that color our lives, that make life worth living for….

DOLPHY: THE GOOD, LOVING FATHER AND SON….

Kaya malapit ang suwerte kay Ompong ay dahil sa mabait na anak ito, at ama sa kanyang mga anak,” pagtatapat ni Aling Salud, ang butihing mama ni Dolphy. “Hindi siya nagpapabaya sa kanyang mga tungkulin sa kanila, at maging sa akin, lalo na’t wala na ang tao ko. Katunayan, lagi siyang dumadalaw dito sa Ubay lalo na kung wala siyang ginagawang pelikula,” patuloy pa ni Aling Salud sa kanyang pagsasalaysay tungkol sa kanyang pamosong anak.

“Mayroon akoang munting altar dito sa bahay at kapag narito siya, iyan ang unang pupuntahan niya. Ang makipag-usap kay Santo Niño namin. Wala akong masasabi kay Ompong, maliban sa talagang mabait na anak iyan,” dugtong pa ni Aling Salud.

According to Manny, Dolphy’s eldest, papa sees to it that his sons get the best.

“Hindi nagpapahalata si Epa ng pagmamahal niya sa amin pero alam naming mahal niya kami. Lalo na sa kanyang mga apo,” na ang tinutukoy ni Manny ay ang kanyang dalawang anak.

Ayon pa rin sa kanyang crew at technical staff, kaya raw nagpapatuloy si Dolphy sa pagpo-prodyus ng pelikula ay dahil na rin sa mga taong umaasa sa kanya. Kung sarili lamang daw ang iisipin niya ay malamang hindi na siya gagawa pa ng pelikula. Bukod sa napakalaki ang cost of production ay totoong mahirap na ang gumawa ng pelikula ngayon. Nariyan ang pambibitin ng mga ka-bituin, ang paghahanap ng maganda-gandang playdate at sinehan (na kahit na si Dolphy – one who can call the shots – ay nahihirapan pa rin) at iba pang problema sa paggawa ng pelikula.”

But because he has a commitment to his people – his staff, his crew, his many relatives who all depend on him – ay ipagpapatuloy ni Dolphy ang kanyang paggawa ng pelikula, alang-alang sa mga taong umaasa sa kanya.

Hindi ba’t napakalaking bagay itong ginagawa ni Dolphy sa kanyang kapwa? Hindi ba’t malaking merito din sa Diyos ang tumulong sa nangangailangan, sa kapwa, sa mga kamag-anak? Kaya hindi dapat pagtakhan na malapit ang suwerte sa kanya at ang grasya ng Diyos ay nasa kanya lagi.

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