“Althea Vega:Watching a Rising Star!”
A common comfort room may be an unlikely place to first lay an eye on someone whom I would later on consider as another rising star! But, indeed, I first met ALTHEA VEGA ( a.k.a. Ateena Amor and Ateena Peron) while I was waiting for the common comfort room of a small café in San Pablo City to be vacant. As one of my new friends in the Philippine Cinema yahoogroup rightfully commented, “kulang na lang na pati pagdighay ni Egay ay isusulat na niya”, well friends brace for yourself as I am having the urge of writing about how I fart! Joke.
Yes, I was totally charmed by a tall, kayumanggi, cat-eyed with beautiful long hair young lady who came out from the comfort room. While I was inside the comfort room, I tried to recall “kung sino na nga yung nakakahawig niya”. As another Philippine Cinema yahoogroup member said, “magtagalog ka na lang”, when I made a mistake on the use of the words advise and advice! Parang ngang yung nag comment na yun ay very much affected pag mali ang gamit ng English at parang siya na ang vanguard of the proper usage of the English language! I realized that even as I regularly take a capsule of Gingko Biloba everyday, the passing of some 50 plus years had made me missed the English grammar that my University of the Philippines English Professors inculcated in us. I should not fail to mention the proper English writing that Ms. Rex taught us in our Business Communications course when I took my Master in Business Administration in Ateneo de Manila University Graduate School of Business. But, except for that trivial mistake (mea culpa), a lot of friends in the Philippine Cinema yahoogroup whom I have not even met (like Jamo and Mon) had sworn that they enjoyed my postings. As my other friends say, “you can’t please everybody, specially yung mga inggitero!”
Yup, kahawig siya ni Techie Agabayani, teka Amy Austria pa nga yata. When I came out from the comfort room, the long haired lady occupied a table all by herself. I took another table and positioned myself so I can have a vantage view of this beautiful young lady.
The utility boy then gave us our breakfast. It was our first shooting day for the independent movie “Kolorete”. She seemed to be aloof as we had our breakfast. Jet Amorsolo, our cinematographer for another indie movie joined me for breakfast. I changed focus from the beautiful lady to my tee-a-tee and kumustahan with Jet. I learned that Jet will be our soundsman for “Kolorete”.
Next scene. After the quick packed breakfast, the group moved to our first location, an antique restaurant. The main cast occupied a covered area outside the restaurant to fit our period costumes. It was then that I first had exchange of hi and hello with the main cast. The kayumanggi lady gave her name as Ateena Amor. Well, that was her screen name, she averred. She told me her real name is Melody Amor Cortez. She was not really aloof after all. When she left to fit on her costume, one of Production Staff commented that during the audition, she gave her name as Ateena Peron!
When she returned to join us in the standby area, I looked at her and told myself, I just met another Angel Locsin in the making.
(to be continued…)
