Writing about him in the past tense is most difficult. My mind and heart reject it. I still cannot understand why this thunderbolt and lightning kind of a surprise transpired.
There are movies in my mind now, beautifully photographed, of course, filled with events and moments shared. The boisterous laughter during storytelling time. The la eleganza and extravaganza drag sense of fashion. How passionate he is with his love affair with the movies in particular and the whole of Pinoy showbiz in general.
My eyes are red because of tears. He treated me not just as an entertainment writer but as a friend. That is why this reality, shatters my heart. Where do I begin as I write this farewell to the Kween, Mark Shandii Bacolod?
We personally met at the premiere night of Best Partee Ever. From then on, in his capacity as producer of Oro, What Home Feels Like, Double Twisting, Double Back, Culion, Love In The End of The World, and Papa What Is Love, he made stories about these films, their stars, and of course, about him.
In between these motion pictures, our friendship was forged and I became part of a select few people in the entertainment media who did not only share the usual pleasantries during press conferences, he regaled me with bits and pieces of his high-flying, rainbow-colored life. His out-of-the-camera persona is more interesting, and the many small and big reveals he was more than willing to divulge are priceless. Even if at times, we do not see each other as often because of his busy schedules, when I meet again, it was always easy to pick up where we left off.
Best food even if it was just an audition. On a film and TV set, on set, everyone got attention, tenderness, and love plus the proper amount of talent fees that are commensurate to their expertise. He always said: “I’ve worked my way up so I know the struggles of the crew and staff, I do not want that they feel deprived. Sa mga project ko, lahat ay given the star treatment.”
How he gushed about his favorite Carlos Siguion Reyna film, Inagaw Mo Ang Lahat Sa Akin: “Even there was a theatricality to it, I so loved the movie especially the acting of Maricel Soriano and Snooky Serna. Their choreographed fight scene, the best. And that Soriano and Robert Arevalo scene, ang sakit nun! Tagos!”
He respected and worshipped, Ricky Lee, whom he considered his screenplay writing mentor. He had an on-and-off friendship with the Superstar Nora Aunor. He had so many guffaw-inducing tales about the “People’s National Artist” is without an important piece of Philippine showbusiness history. He loved the Philippines’s Meryl Streep, Irma Adlawan, and hearing Bacolod talk in great lengths about La Adlawan would convince any listener why the actress originally from the theater is so fitting to be labeled as “Irma, the Great.”
His film Love That In The End World was his homage to the many colorful people he met and the scintillating relationships that he experienced as a true blue femme fairy. When he imparts about love and love, romance, you are made aware that in his entanglements, nothing is half baked, his being, soul, heart, and passion, are invested in it. For him, everything about love is going for broke, loving until you hurt and bleed, “Basta ang importante diva, nagmamamahal ka. At totoo ang pagmamahal mo. At ang mahal mo, mahal ka siempre.”
All these closeness with this and that person and the anecdotes about a certain Steve, Johnny, or whoever, were amusing, some even bordered to is that for real levels. When his love litany shifts to what seems like a reveal laced with drama and his eyes turning misty, expect a comic punch line and that “Cheka!’ followed immediately by an exuberant guffaw.
Wow! Death by ataque de corazon, is how Bacolod left the universe, while in a shoot in Thailand.
He left all the people that he loves, with a wealth of memories. There are films, TV, and online projects that we can watch, he also gave us that. Above all, there are actors, artists, and production under his care and guidance, his lasting gifts and living legacies to Pinoy Tinsel Town, are a whole talented lot.
“Gone, love is never gone. As we travel on love is what we’ll remember…” says the lyrics of “What I Did For Love” and yes Kween Mark Shandii Bacolod, we will always remember you with all our love.