If there is spring cleaning, what does one call the act of throwing out old stuff to make room for new ones beginning of the year?

While family is away on vacation, I have been doing a bit of cleaning. Our house is 18 years old and we have decided to refurbish (major repairs are in order) this year. We will also be building a library and a mezzanine which will act as our “bodega”.

I decided to start with my own things. The idea dawned on me while I was looking for my Star Cinema script. I have been so busy I just pile everything in one corner. I started sorting them out- “Maalaala mo Kaya?” script and Mano Po 6 scripts are now nicely stowed away. Lyrics from shows and itineraries from  the Divas tours piled in another corner.

So far, I  have cleaned two desks- one inside my room and the other right outside where I hang out to do bills, write letters, do photo albums and sometimes, type on my computer- just like today.

I was supposed to film for Star Cinema today (hang on tight Kimerald fans), but it was canceled, so I decided to stay home to do more cleaning. We accumulate so much mail, magazines, books, knick knacks, “abubot” the whole year ’round and January always seems  a reasonable time to clean, right? It’s easy for me to throw things out but it’s important to know what you shouldn’t throw away. Like the old adage goes, no one throws away memories.

Things I couldn’t throw away:

1. Pictures. Why aren’t we printing enough anymore though?  This digital frenzy makes it impossible to choose. I mean, aim and shoot. How hard could it be? And as long as you, your friends and family are in the photo, that makes for a good shot, right?

Photo albums are so much fun to look at. And seeing how fast my kids have grown, makes me sigh and ask myself,  ” Where has the time gone?”.

And scrapbooks are fun to make. I think the last time I had pictures printed was 2 years ago. My bad. I need to sort out good ones and have them printed. Wow, thinking about it makes me dizzy. Some task that’s going to be.

2. Cards/ letters, Souvenir programs from concerts, my kids’ school programs, report cards, drawings,  scripts, lyrics and travel/tour itineraries, etc, etc.

I’m sentimental but I don’t know where to keep them anymore. I had my staff go to SM MOA today to get 6 big plastic containers.Luckily, it was on sale. I filled one with old and new posters of concerts/ movies and the other one with important mail, letters, souvenirs, cards, report cards, scripts, etc.

3. Magazines especially with Karylle on the cover. Proud Mom will keep them forever!
I also keep newspaper articles and it’s all piled up in a corner! That has got to go in one container.

4. Paper weights. I have about 4 and they are cute and basically just acts as knick knacks on my desk. Most are from my girls and it makes me happy seeing them on my desk.

That’s about it. I have not been keeping cds of music materials like I used to. It’s already in my computer. After I upload them, I throw them out. Kinda wasteful, don’t you think?

I still own a cassette player/recorder and several tapes though. Although they are obsolete, they have been neatly filed by my staff early last year.

And so i am done cleaning my desks. I’m thinking of old clothes and shoes next. So many people may be able to make good use of them.

I don’t want an empty desk. I even put the most “painful” mail I have where I could see it. And as I fixed my desk today, I put it right back at the very top of the heap.

I need to glimpse at it daily. Because even with this long hard struggle, I have learned to be grateful. And so I thank God that I get to live another day even if it’s to fight this long battle. If there’s one thing in my life that has not yet been granted, there have been so many blessings that have probably taken it’s place.

And yes, I have lived another year to “declutter”. Who knows, this year, I may have the chance to finally throw these registered mail out. For good.

-ZZP

Zsa Zsa Padilla makes a Mano Po comeback in one of the two MMFF entries of Regal Films this year. In an interview with PEP, she said: “I became part of 2, 4, and 6, so, I will have to force mother to put me in 8 and 10.”

“If it’s gonna be too much pressure to win, it will show in you performance.”

This quote came from Zsa Zsa Padilla, who did a remarkable job in assimilating the character of Olive Uy in Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love.

But even if most people anticipated rave reviews for her portrayal, she told PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) that acting award is never her motivation to be an effective actress.

The Divine Diva added, “Kung talagang gusto mo magka-award, don’t think about. Example, foreigner ito ha. Hindi naman nakakaiyak yung situation sa TV pero parang nakikiiyak siya sa lahat ng eksena. Paano gusto niya magka-Emmy [a TV production award in the U.S.]…Pero hindi siya nano-nominate, kasi it was too obvious. She tried so hard, so it showed.”

So if you ask her how she prepared for her bitchy role in this Regal Films-produced movie, she said with a laugh: “I just read the script.”

PLAYING CONTRAVIDA. In Mano Po 2: My Home, she played the Chinese mistress of Christopher de Leon.

In Mano Po 4: Ako Legal Wife, which gave her Best Actress trophies, she was the Chinoy wife of a wealthy Chinese, who has two mistresses.

In Mano Po 6, she’s the bitch in the life of Melinda Uy (Sharon Cuneta), her Chinoy sister in law.

Talking about her role, “I was a teenager when my brother [Christopher de Leon] fell in love with Sharon. Alma niyang hindi papayag ang parents namin, so nagtanan sila. My whole life, this is a character na alam niya kung ano ang kinamumuhian ng magulang niya, so, loyal siya sa family niya. Kaya, galit din siya kay Melinda.

“And siyempre may discrimination pa. Brinand pa namin siya na malas…”

And true to her role, she made Sharon’s life a living hell.

She explained the reason why she’s a bad girl in the movie, “Ang pagka-bad niya, it’s out of her loyalty to her family and the family belief. Kung baga sinabi ng magulang niya, malas ‘yan, yun…Lumaki ka sa environment na ganun, malas siya, kahit na, little things na gagawin ay pinahihirapan namin siya. Talagang we didn’t treat her well-ginawang parang katulong, sobrang pang-aapi—lahat ng puwedeng gawin, ginawa namin sa kanya.”

How would she compare the previous Mano Po with the present installment?

“The last one was fun, the line so funny. Direk [Joel Lamangan] made it funnier. The execution was perfect. Recently, you know, [it's a] heavier material.

“You know my first day?  I didn’t have dialogue. Beauty shot lang ako dun…Sabi ko, ‘Oh my god, ako ba yan? Ang galing-galing naman cinematographer.’ Na-shock ako sa beauty ko doon…Pero masarap yung character ko talaga, e.

“You know why? I love acting and being like another person even for just a day…”

There are times, however, when she feels that she’s the antithesis of her role.

“My gosh, you’d wish it to end na, lalo na kapag soap pa,” she admitted. “If you don’t like what you’re doing…Dati kasi, dating sistema—mabilisan. Ibibigay sa ‘yo yung script, the next day na ang taping. Hindi mo naaral, ‘tapos ang feeling mo, hindi mo naman character yun…”

MANO PO WARDROBE. Her sense of fashion in the movie is “very conservative,” but she actually doesn’t mind if it’s for the role.

“I’ll be wearing shoes and clothes I don’t wear in real life,” she said. Good thing, “wala na akong pinagawa kasi may mga suits ako na sana ay for soap opera na hindi ako natuloy sa casting—that’s another topic…”

MANO PO 6 SYNOPSIS

Melinda Uy is a billionaire widow whose life is a rags-to-riches story. The daughter of a Chinese immigrant and a Filipino small businessman, Melinda had been a victim of discrimination in the local Chinese community, being only half-Chinese. Melinda was only in her late teens when she got married to Alfonso Uy, the scion of the wealthy Uy clan. But Alfonso’s parents frown upon the marriage, believing that it is cursed. Disappointed with Alfonso’s choice of wife, they disinherit him.

The couple strike out on their own, starting a small business from scratch as they raise a family of their own. . But, as Alfonso’s parents predicted, a string of misfortunes hounds the marriage. The business they put up enjoys only a brief period of prosperity before it goes bankrupt. And just when they are slowly recovering from their financial woes, fire breaks out in their residence, wiping out everything they own. But the worst is yet to come. By this time, the couple already have four children, namely Carol, the eldest, followed by Stephanie, Audrey and Walden. But the kids would not enjoy the company of their father for long. Unexpectedly, Alfonso dies of a massive stroke.

A widow at a young age, Melinda along with her children is compelled to live with her in-laws who maltreat her. One day, Melinda, along with eldest child Carol, returns to the house of her in-laws from a visit to her mother. Melinda is shocked to find out that she is no longer welcome. She is driven away after a failed attempt to take Carol away from her.

Little Stephanie, Audrey and Walden are left behind in the house of the in-laws. Melinda’s efforts to take custody of them come to naught as her in-laws manage to hide the children from her. Melinda goes through hell in her attempts to take back her children. But Melinda’s determination is no match to the power of her in-laws.

Short of giving up, Melinda vows to someday take back her children as she channels her efforts to succeed financially, while continually monitoring the condition of her three children from afar.

Growing up away from her mother, Stephanie learns to hate Melinda, thanks to the constant brainwashing of aunt Olive who finds pleasure in demonizing Melinda.

Melinda experiences a good turn of fortune in the years that follow. She becomes one of the most wealthy and powerful women in the business community. At about this time, the fortunes of her once powerful in-laws are on the decline.

But Stephanie, now a young adult who’s already taking over the businesses of her aunt Olive and grandparents, is about to get married to a shady character, the dashingly handsome Daniel Chan.

Melinda is now ready to revive her claim on her three children, but years of separation make it seem impossible for her to win back their love. But the news of Stephanie’s marriage to Daniel Chan alarms Melinda, forcing the powerful widow to act, thus putting her on a collision course with Olive and the in-laws.

This time, Melinda is determined to succeed in having back her grown-up children. And this time, events transpire to make Melinda prove to her estranged children how much she really loves them.

An Official Entry to Metro Manila Film Festival 2009

The Comedy King DOLPHY in “NOBODY NOBODY BUT…JUAN!” starring Eddie Garcia, Ms. Gloria Romero, Pokwang, Eric Quizon, G Toengi. Featuring: HeartEvangelista, Eugene Domingo, Jeffrey Quizon, Vandolf Quizon, Joe Aldeguer with special participation of Mr. Willie Revillame and other guest stars!