Perhaps, the most notable role, at least for the millennial batch of moviegoers, that Ai-Ai Delas Alas breathed life into was Ina Montecillo, the central character in the Tanging Ina movie series that raked in more than half-a-billion pesos at local tills.
The movie series made Ai-Ai firmly seated on the throne as the comedy queen, a moniker no other actress could steal from her unless someone from the new crop of comediennes would step up and exceed her success on the big screen doing the specific movie genre.
Excluding the Enteng ng Ina Mo (2011), a Tanging Ina Mo crossover film, it took nine long years for Ai-Ai to play a similar role. But of course, “there’s a conscious effort to make the role different” from the iconic Ina Montecillo that appeared in three film installations.
The 54-year-old comedienne is back on the big screen with her extraordinary “Motherly Love” that promises to tickle and touch the audience’s heart in Sons of Nanay Sabel.
This time, Ai-Ai plays the role of a former bartender (Sabel) who was supposed to be married to a prince. Unfortunately, the prince found out about that Sabel was leaving her six children at an orphanage, so he decided to call their wedding off. Thereafter, Sabel decided to look for her sons and reunite her family once again.
Her sons were left to the care of Sister Mary (Sheree), who kept all the details of Sabel’s kids’ foster families and handed it to her when she finally came back as she promised.
Sabel’s sons are played by the members of the hit rap group Ex-Batallion. Bieber (Daryl) and Justin (Archie) were both adopted by a rich businessman and grew up with their Yaya Bona (Jon Santos) who went with them when Sabel took back her two sons; Troll Montero (King Badger) was adopted by a barber; Baby James (James) AND EZ (Mark) were both adopted by an old lady named Lola Narcisa, and they only discovered that they were brothers when Sabel took them; Bhoy (Rhenn) was adopted by a couple who abused him and never loved him, that’s why Sabel forcefully took him from his foster parents.
Sabel and her sons will experience the riot of living together for the first time and will form the family bond that Sabel has always dreamed of. But it will soon be tested when the beautiful and flirty Helen (Kylie Versoza) makes the brothers fall in love with her and fight for her.
“Sons of Nanay Sabel is not Tanging Ina,” says director Dado Lumibao during the films press conference held recently, “In the film series, Ai-Ai was an extremely caring mother and would go out of her way to keep her family intact. The same thing cannot be said of Nancy Sabel. She’s an imperfect person. That’s the conscious effort to make this role really different from the previous role Ai-Ai played.
Apart from the cast members’ crazy antics, the movie offers something new for the fans of Ex Batallion as they release their new tracks “Sama-Sama”, “Huwag Siya,” and “Bagong Umaga” featuring Ai-Ai in the movie.
Sons of Nanay Sabel is written by Mel Mendoza Del Rosario, the same writer who wrote the blockbuster trilogy of Tanging Ina. Presented by VIVA Films, the comedy feature opens nationwide on May 8.
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Empowering Pasay residents
Among candidates running for mayor of Pasay City, Edward Togonon is a newbie. But a dark horse for the best of reasons.
Thanks to his exemplary achievement as the city’s prosecutor for 14 years which validates his capability to improve the lives of many.A man of action with clear objectives, he is aiming to build a community where businesses and entertainment will flourish. He wants to empower residents and provide tax incentives to entrepreneurs.
“Big companies in a city should give priority to employing its locals. Why not make use of your manpower before looking elsewhere?” he was quoted as saying in a report.
Togonon is running for mayor under the banner of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban). He is doing so after having taken responsibility in leadership posts during his career: first president of the Pasay City Prosecutors League; president of Chief Prosecutors Association, Inc.; two-time president of the National Prosecutors League of the Philippines; Chief Prosecutor of Muntinlupa; and Chief Prosecutor of Manila.
His dedication to work is recognized as he had been named Outstanding Prosecutor three times. Another among his remarkable accomplishments was the strengthening of the National Prosecution Service by rationalizing the ranking, salaries, and retirement of the country’s prosecutors through The National Prosecution Service Law or RA 10071.
“Creating a change in Pasay should sound like a personal goal for a man who already retired from the Department of Justice and frees himself from such a big responsibility. But I still felt the urge to help get our city to a position where it should be,” he said.
Job generation is also on Togonon’s agenda as well as peace and order, housing, seniors’ welfare, health care, and livelihood projects for the poor as guided by TESDA.
Embraced as a people person who will do everything in his capacity to alleviate the lives of people, he sees the utmost importance of giving Pasay residents a clean and free from all medical fees Pasay General Hospital. He likewise plans to put up two modern clinics in Districts 1 and 2.
Eyeing to literally clean up the city, Togonon visualizes to strictly implement Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Waste Management Act. He will order the cleaning and rehabilitation of esteros, canals and other waterways in the city.
With running mate lawyer Jose Allan Mendez Tebelin for vice mayor, former Pasay City prosecutor Elmer Mitra for congressman, and a councilors ticket bound to actualize positive change, Togonon is positive that Pasay will soon move forward.
