On November 3, 1953 in Trozo, Magdalena, Tondo Manila,
a little girl was born, She was a
lovely baby with rosy pink cheeks, full ever smiling lips, and a fair skin
that nearly bordered on the whiteness of snow. Her name is Maria Rosa Vilma
Tuazon Santos.
Vilma’s father, Amado Santos, is a native of Bamban, Tarlac while
her mother, Milagros Tuazon is from San Isidro, Nueva Ecija. She has four siblings namely: Ma. Michaela(Emelyn),
Ma. Theresa (Marites), Ma. Norwina (Winnie) and Joel
(Sonny Boy).
When she was already of age, Vilma
was sent to St. Mary’s Academy for her early schooling. She earned a highschool diploma later on through
the private tutorial system.
At a tender age of nine, Vilma became
a title roler in VP Pictures’ (sister company of Sampaguita Pictures) "Trudis
Liit" which was shown at Life Theater from February 21 to March
2, 1963. She won the First Famas
Best Child Actress as a maltreated child in the said film.
Vilma became a teen icon in the late
60’s until the early 70’s with box-office hits like "Lipad, Darna,
Lipad", "Dyesebal at ang Mahiwagang Kabibe", "Kampanerang
Kuba", "Wonder Vi" among others. She won her First FAMAS Best Actress
at the age of 19 for "Dama De Noche".
On July 19, 1980, Vilma married Eduardo
Luis Barrios Manzano in Las Vegas Nevada, USA. She gave birth to a bouncy bundle of joy named
Luis Philippe Manzano on April 21, 1981 at the Cardinal Santos Memorial
Hospital. Unfortunately, her marriage
to Edu did not last long and was eventually annulled.
It was on December 11, 1992 when Vilma
married Ralph Gonzales Recto (now a senator) in a fairytale-like wedding
in San Sebastian Cathedral in Lipa City, Batangas. They now have a precocious six-year old son named Ryan Christian
Recto who was born on March 29, 1996 at Makati Medical Center.
At present, Vilma is the highly respected
and much-revered Mayor of Lipa City, Batangas on her second term. She became the First female mayor
on the said premier city of Batangas.
The actress-politician immersed herself
not only with her numerous movie commitments but also with her work on TV
as a multi-awarded host/performer via her weekly top-rating musical-variety
show VILMA on GMA-7. In the
past, she also starred in a soap opera (Larawan ng Pag-ibig), drama
anthology (Dalambuhay ni Rosa Vilma) and other musical-variety shows
(Ayan eh, VS-Vilma Santos, Very Special)
Vilma Santos most significant films
include "Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag Itim ng Tagak" ( Vilma produced
this outstanding film directed by the celebrated director Celso Ad Castillo
which won the Gawad Urian Best Picture Award), "Relasyon"
(she scored the very FIRST GRANDSLAM win for BEST ACTRESS AWARD
in the history of Philippine Cinema in this intelligent film directed
by National Artist Ismael Bernal for her spellbinding performance in her memorable
role as a mistress; she won the Best Actress Award from the Gawad Urian,
the First Film Academy of the Philippines, the Catholic Mass Media
Awards, and the FAMAS Award), "Burlesk Queen"
(her stunning performance as a stripteaser in this Celso Ad Castillo film
is considered a turning point in her legendary film career), "Sister
Stella L." (her remarkable portrayal of a radical nun in this acclaimed
film directed by film genius Mike De Leon solidifies her status as the country’s
premier actress winning her a Gawad Urian Best Actress Award), "Dahil
Mahal Kita, The Dolzura Cortez Story" (directed by ace director Laurice
Guillen, she scored her 2nd Grand Slam Best Actress win
in this unforgettable film about persons with AIDS), "Bata, Bata, Paano ka Ginawa?"
(based on the Palanca award-winning Novel by noted writer Lualhati Bautista,
this landmark film by acclaimed director Chito Rono gave the legendary actress
her 3rd Grandslam win for Best Actress Award and to top
it all, an International Best Actress Award (21st INTERNATIONAL
FESTIVAL OF INDEPENDENT FILMS, BRUSSELS, BELGIUM), "Anak"
(this film by Rory B. Quintos became the highest grossing Filipino Film
of all time), her soon-to-be released political film "Dekada ’70"
(based on the Palanca award winning novel of Lualhati Bautista set during
the Martial Law era) is destined to be another critically-acclaimed and blockbuster
hit film and is bound to be another modern Filipino film classic.
The acclaimed actress is also the country's
perennial BOX-OFFICE QUEEN. No
one can question her mass box-office charisma.
Her string of record-breaking, blockbuster hit films through the years
can attest to this fact. She's the lead star os Star Cinema's "Anak",
now considered as the highest grossing film in the history of Philippine Cinema.
It can be noted that Vilma Santos is
the first and only actress to win the prestigious Gawad Urian Best
Actress Award for 3 consecutive years (1982-" Relasyon",
1983-"Broken Marriage", 1984-"Sister Stella L.")
she is also the first and only actress to score an unprecedented 3-time
Grandslam win for Best Actress Award (1982" Relasyon",
1993-"The Dolzura Cortez Story", 1998-"Bata, Bata,
Paano Ka Ginawa?")
Through her God-given, innate talent,
sheer hardwork, unwavering dedication to her craft, extreme professionalism,
and most importantly, her excellent discipline, Vilma was able to reap all
her extraordinary achievements for which she has been praised, idolized, and
emulated by her many friends and colleagues in the movie industry, by her
ever-loyal and supportive Vilmanians, and most of all by the adoring
general moviegoing public who put her to pedestal as their one and only “STAR
FOR ALL SEASONS”.
Truly, Vilma Santos, the film icon,
is the epitome of a real great filmstar. Her phenomenal career which spans four decades
is certainly awe inspiring and exceptional. Thus, her legendary supremacy as the LONGEST REIGNING MOVIE QUEEN
will be immortaly etched in the archives of Philippine Cinema History.
So, a toast to MISS VILMA SANTOS
brilliant past and more good fortune to the future……….
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