GOV. VILMA SANTOS firmly believes the late Dolphy deserves to be a National Artist. “Twice kami nagkasama sa movie,” she says. “First was when I was 11 years old in ‘King and Queen for a Day’. Isa ko sa mga anak niya. Then later, sa ‘Buhay Artista Ngayon’ when I was 24 na. Lahat ng papuring binibigay sa kanya, he deserves it all, sang-ayon ko, napatunayan ko mismo sa sarili ko. He doesn’t have a loud personality. Tahimik lang siya, pero pag nagbitiw ng one-line, tatawa ka talaga. At saan ka naman nakakita ng artistang 60 years nagsilbi sa audience niya of various generations, kesa on stage, sa radio, sa TV, sa movies. Lahat, naikot niya. Kahit nahihirapan na siyang huminga’t naka-oxygen na, gumagawa pa rin ng pelikula. Such dedication, di ba? Matagal na siyang dapat ginawang National Artist.”
How about her? She’s celebrating her 50th anniversary in showbiz? “Naku, marami pang ibang mas deserving. Hayaan na natin sa kanila. Pati yang sinasabing tatakbo kong senador or vice president, tigilan na yan. May one term pa ko as Batangas governor. Yun muna ang gusto kong tutukan dahil marami pa kong plano for our province.”
She admits she now has a twitter account but she won’t divulge her address. “Meron na kong I-pad at I-phone. Basta, nababasa ko lahat, pero kung anong name ang gamit ko, sa’kin na lang yun. Ayokong maging biktima ng bashers and haters.”
Gov. Vi will be attending the premiere night tonight, Tuesday, of “The Healing” at Shangrila Mall Cinema. It opens in theaters nationwide tomorrow.
