Ai-Ai feeling like Lolita

By NESTOR CUARTERO

JUST A THOUGHT: “Where there is love there is life”. – Mahatma Gan­dhi

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LOVING LOLITA: Ai-Ai de las Alas was deep at work taping an epi­sode of “Sunday Pinasaya” when she was declared Best Actress in the recently held Cinemalaya Awards Night.

The veteran actor, who won for her work as a portrait of cruelty in “School Service,” says her win is a validation of her decision to do only the right things in life.

A papal awardee, Ai-Ai chose to get married to for­malize her relationship with her long-time boyfriend, Gerald Sibayan.

“It’s like God is tell­ing me I’m doing the right thing, that’s why He keeps blessing me,’’ she tells us.

Inspired by her latest win, from the pres­tigious Cine­malaya no less, Ai-Ai wants to do more off-road film projects that she may even produce herself.

“Now, I’m beginning to feel that I’m really an actress, just like Lolita Rodri­guez, an idol of mine.’’

Fellow “School Service” actor, Ther­ese Malvar, won Best Supporting Actress at the Cinemalaya. Both Ai-Ai and Therese are GMA contract artists.

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CHILDREN’S VIL­LAGE: With so much wealth of material to draw from, it is commendable that ABS-CBN doesn’t resort to mining the stories of abused children for use on their TV programs.

Newly proclaimed Bantay Bata 163 program director Jing Castaneda-Velas­co says it is their duty to protect the in­terest of their wards. If at all a story is to be told on TV, it has to have the written permission of concerned parties.

Bantay Bata 163 is celebrating its 21st anniversary with reopening of a new, improved Children’s Village.

The Village, says Jing, is now more equipped to help victims of child abuse.

“Through the kindness of our donors and partner organizations (local gov­ernment of Quezon City), Bantay Bata 163 is able to provide a better home for abused children,” says Jing.

The Children’s Village, located in Norzagaray, Bulacan, can house and provide holistic healing for 120 abused children through physical and psycho­logical means, in a structured, thera­peutic family-like environment.