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>An adviser, not a regulator > >Posted 10:15pm (Mla time) May 23, 2005 >By Nini Valera / Inquirer News Service > >------------------------------------------------------- >------- >Editor's Note: Published on page A2-1 of the May 24, >2005 >issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. >======================================================= >= > >FOR THE first time in months, the Viva Entertainment >offices at the >Tektite Building in Ortigas Center was brimming with >goodwill and >happy faces last Thursday, and it wasn't because of a >blockbuster >movie or a hit record. > >The previous night, Viva big boss, Vic del Rosario, >59, was sworn in >by President Macapagal-Arroyo as her consultant for >the >entertainment industry. > >At about 4 p.m., Del Rosario sauntered in-dressed in >black T-shirt, >khaki pants and sock-less in sneakers-an hour late for >his >appointment with Inquirer Entertainment. In two hours, >he would >catch an evening flight for the United States to >accompany his young >recording artists-Sarah Geronimo, Mark Bautista, >Christian Bautista, >Rachel Anne Go, Sheryl Regis, Raymond Manalo and >Frenchie Dy-on an >11-city "Return of the Champions" concert tour. > >"I would also be talking to possible investors in the >US [for] local >movies," Del Rosario said. > >No conflict > >Barely 48 hours after he accepted the job as >presidential consultant >and amid flak about his creation of the sexy >song-and-dance group >Hotbabes, Del Rosario was thus already at work, >belying speculation >that his government post would conflict with his >interests as >entertainment mogul. > >"I don't see any conflict there," said Ms Arroyo >herself during an >interview with the entertainment press after the >Wednesday rites in >Malacañang. "That's why he's [for giving] advice, not >[carrying >out] >regulation. When Vic gives me advice and I can see >he's coming from >the point of view of Viva, then I can reject it." > >The apprehension about a conflict of interest on Del >Rosario's part >was what took the appointment so long, according to Ms >Arroyo, who >said nevertheless that she had not considered another >candidate. > >"The conflict [had to be] addressed," she said. "A >presidential >adviser has the rank of cabinet member and must >therefore divest, >and must submit a statement of assets and liabilities. >But I felt it >wasn't fair to make him divest from Viva. So we >finally found a >solution, which is [to name him] consultant, because a >consultant >gives advice as well." > >Inquirer Entertainment obtained a copy of the >appointment paper, >dated Feb. 21, 2005 for the position of "consultant >for the >entertainment industry" and not of adviser, as >reported in some >media outlets. > >The President also explained that in his capacity as >consultant, Del >Rosario could "cover anything." She elaborated: "He's >not a >regulator. When you're a regulator, you have to be >very strict >[about] the scope. But he's gonna be giving me advice. >So it could >[cover everything within] a layman's understanding of >entertainment." > >Del Rosario would not be heading a government agency, >she clarified, >since "it's not our policy to create offices." He >would have a >support staff, however ... [and] he represents me," Ms >Arroyo >said. "He serves at my pleasure." > >The appointment is similar to Cito Lorenzo's, who was >Adviser for >Million Jobs in 2002, with the salary of P1 a year, >according to the >President. "I can give him a [regular] salary," she >said. "There are >standard salaries for consultants. But Vic's doing it >for love." > >During the exclusive interview on Thursday, Del >Rosario told >Inquirer Entertainment that he never asked for the job >... nor was >it "payback time" for his help in Ms Arroyo's >presidential campaign >in 2004, supplying sorties with Viva contract >stars.."She asked if I >could help in government," said Del Rosario. "I told >her I could >help best in a field that I [was most familiar with]. >I told her I'd >rather help the entertainment industry, which I had >been part of for >40 years. I told her there was a need to coordinate >the different >agencies [since] everything [in entertainment] is >interrelated- >movies with music, music with television, and >television with >movies." > >He pointed to "income potentials" as an example. >"Korea makes $1 >billion exporting its movies, video, and music. We are >lagging >behind. My role is to advice her and she would consult >with me. I >can coordinate with all the regulatory bodies." > >Start with OPM > >The coordination could begin with the implementation >of an executive >order, signed during Pres. Aquino's time, of mandating >radio >stations to play at least four Original Pilipino Music >per hour. > >"This has never been implemented," Del Rosario noted. >"Up to now, >about 40 percent of upscale radio stations don't play >OPM, or they >play just one OPM per hour. That's one of the things >we would >implement [immediately]. Hopefully, it would ... >create a demand for >live concerts, overseas performances, and hopefully, >we can export >their [music]. No one is coordinating these >activities. Kanya- >kanyang kayod (To each his own). Sometimes, one >government unit is >not aware of what the other is doing." > >Revive film office > >Part of the industry roadmap that Del Rosario >submitted to the >President on Wednesday is the revival of an office >that would assist >foreign productions who want to do movies in the >Philippines. > >"We don't have a film office for that," said Del >Rosario. "[Interested] foreign production companies >... wouldn't >know who to talk to, unlike in Thailand and other >countries, where >an agency takes care of that. During Erap's time, we >had a Film >Board, but it was abolished. Its function was >transferred to the >Department of Tourism. That's one of the things I want >to revive. A >lot of people ask me about it-Hollywood producers who >inquire about >costs, production crews, extras, security ..." > >These are just two aspects of Del Rosario's action >plan to jump- >start the stunted progress of the entertainment >industry which has, >in the past few years, taken crippling blows from >record and movie >pirates. >While claiming that piracy had gone down by 40 percent >since actor >Edu Manzano was appointed chair of the Optical Media >Board, Del >Rosario admitted that the industry had a lot of >catching up to do to >reclaim its supremacy in the Asian market. Despite the >dismal state >of affairs, however, Del Rosario was optimistic that >the movie and >record industries would thrive again in the future. > >"All industries suffered a downtrend after the Asian >crisis," he >explained. "Most businesses downsized. The same was >true for the >movie and the record businesses. What is happening now >is that we >are producing more quality pictures and records even >if the output >is lower in quantity than in previous years. The money >went into >better projects because the local audience demanded >this. What is >dying is the B-movie industry, not the mainstream >movie outfits." >These bold pronouncements are, of course, based on Del >Rosario's 40- >year experience as a record executive and his nearly >20-year >experience as a movie producer. > >In 1965, at age 19, Del Rosario, then a third year >college student >in San Beda, plunked in his lifesavings of P2,000 with >his cousin >Orly Ilacad's P2,000 to start Vicor Music Corporation. >Ilacad was >then front man of the Ramrods, a local counter-culture >band as >popular as Ramon Jacinto's RJ and the Riots. > >Del Rosario recalled: "The first two years were bad. >We were >recording bands like Dyna Souls, who would do cover >versions of >popular American hits. The local record business was >dominated by >Mareco, which produced kundiman, like songs by the >Mabuhay Singers. >Since we were young, we went for alternative music >which, at the >time, was rock and roll." > >The duo hit it big with Jeanne Young's 45 rpm cover of >"Nicky >Hokey," flip sided with "You Don't Own Me," which sold >80,000 >copies. This was followed by with Helen Gamboa's >"Bang-Shang-a-Lang" >and a series of juke-box ditties from another diva of >the '60s, >Norma Ledesma. > >In 1968, Nora Aunor changed the complexion of the >local record >industry. > >"Nora was like Sarah today," said Del Rosario. "Helen >and the other >older singers became passé. That was when I signed >Tirso Cruz III >and recorded his song, 'In The Year 2525.' But Nora >dominated the >music scene, until I discovered Victor Wood. At that >time, long >playing albums were already becoming the fad so we >graduated to >that." > >Martial law in 1972 again altered the trend, and Pinoy >Power >reverberated. > >"That's when we recorded Pilita's (Corrales) first >Tagalog album. >Pilipit pa ang dila n'ya, and Mang Levi (Celerio) was >her dialogue >coach," Del Rosario narrated. > >The song that Pilita popularized is now an OPM >classic-"Kapantay Ay >Langit," by the late George Canseco. > >"That was our biggest selling album, aside from Victor >Wood's >records, who did covers of 'Mr. Lonely,' 'Crying >Time,' and a lot >more hits," said Del Rosario. > >In 1974, the awesome Rico Puno took over Wood's throne >with his >reinvention of Mowtown's R&B sound in the adaptation >of "Memories" >and "Ain't it a Great Day." Then there was the >original vixen, >Didith Reyes, whose steamy renditions of "Nananabik" >and "Bakit Ako >Mahihiya," became the precursors of today's Hotbabes >recordings. >Whatever the trend was-Manila Sound, Pinoy Rock, >Bubble Gum-and >whoever was the big star-Sharon Cuneta, Rey Valera, >Mike Hanopol, >Basil Valdez, Sampaguita, VST & Co.-Vicor Music >Corporation was at >the head of the pack. > >But until today, Del Rosario has not broken his >all-time monster >hit, Freddie Aguilar's "Anak" (1978), which blazed the >trail for OPM >even in foreign markets. > > >He would like to re-create the success of "Anak," Del >Rosario said, >maybe with another song and another singer, and he's >hoping to do it >in this lifetime. > >"That's the only way for us to succeed-go to the >foreign market," he >stressed. > >The same vision applies to movie-making. With the >trademark glossy >look of his Viva films-from Sharon Cuneta's bubble-gum >hits ("Dear >Heart") to the youth-oriented films of Aga Mulach >("Bagets") to the >Vilma Santos dramas ("Gaano Kadalas Ang Minsan") to >the komiks >adaptations ("Darna," "Sinasamba Kita") to the >alternative genre >("Keka," "Hibla") to the digital dictates of the times >("Boso")-Del >Rosario rode trends and even started some. > >How far would this vision go in advising the President? > >"Hopefully, a long way," Del Rosario said. "There's a >bright future >out there for Philippine entertainment. I am here to >help harness >that bright future for the whole industry." > >Del Rosario caught a plane bound for New York last >Friday to start >chasing the future.

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