MARICEL Soriano faced the press after a long time at the pictorial of Regal’s filmfest entry, “Yesterday Today Tomorrow.”  Mother Lily warned us not to ask her anymore about her personal problems. Maricel is in a good mood, smiling all the time and looking very pretty. She plays Mariel, a TV network executive in the movie. “Parang si Ma’am Charo,” she beams. “Ex-husband ko si Gabby Concepcion and we have a daughter, played by Eula Caballero. My ex-husband is about to get married to Carla Abellana, but we meet again at du’n, nagka-conflict.”

So how is she? “May dumating na unos sa buhay ko, simula nang magpaalam bigla ang mommy ko, ‘di ko kinaya. Ganu’n talaga, marami tayong daraanan sa buhay natin na mahirap, pero kinakaya natin. Kailangang harapin at magpakatotoo, na siyang ginawa ko. Hinarap ko siya ng buong ningning. ‘Yun lang ang masasabi ko. Pero bawat unos, may kapalit naman. Anumang hindi magandang nangyari, yesterday na ‘yun for me. Today na ang mas importante and okay naman ako. Siguro lalong mas magiging okay tomorrow. Marami ang pinagdaanan kong pagsubok pero sa Itaas lang ako kumapit. Marami rin akong naging mali at dahil du’n, marami akong maise-share kung paano itama ang mali.”

She’s now managed by Viva’s Vic del Rosario but she’s glad Mother Lily got her to do “Yesterday Today Tomorrow” that’s her reunion movie with Gabby. “First time kaming nagkapareha, teenager pa kami, sa ‘Pepe en Pilar’, filmed in the U.S. almost 30 years ago. Kaya nang magkita kami rito, sabi ko sa kanya: ‘Hi Pepe, I’m Pilar, do you remember me?’ Sabi namin kay Mother, igawa ‘yun ng sequel showing what happened to our characters.”

How is it working with new co-stars  in “Yesterday”? “I feel so blessed sa mga nakakasama kong kabataan dito, gaya ni Eula, ang husay niya, at si Carla, ang galing niya, pati sina Lovi Poe at Solenn Heussaff. Drama'ng ginagawa namin, pero masaya kami sa set.”

How’s her lovelife? “Wala. Malamig ang Pasko. Mga anak ko na lang ang inaasikaso ko.”

DIRECTOR REVEALS FILM'S STORY

DIRECTOR Jun Lana says it’s always a joy to work with Maricel Soriano. “’Yesterday’ is our second movie together after we did ‘Paraiso’ for Gawad Kalinga where she played a landslide victim,” he says. “Masarap siyang katrabaho as she’s not only very professional but she really knows what to do in all her scenes. Okay kami.”

What’s the film all about? “It’s about three intersecting stories within a family that owns a network. Ronaldo Valdez is the father. Anak niya sa first marriage niya sina Maricel, who’s separated kay Gabby, and Jericho Rosales, who’s married to Lovi Poe, a singer who gave up her career for love. Sa second wife niya, Agot Isidro, anak nila si Solenn Heussaff who’s bored na with boyfriend Paulo Avelino and attracted to a gym instructor, Dennis Trillo, na ‘di niya alam, lover ng mom niyang si Agot. Yayo Aguila plays a rich matron na lover din ni Dennis noong macho dancer pa siya. Kasama rin sina Joem Bascon and Nadine Samonte as TV stars sa network nina Maricel. There will be a big earthquake at doon lalabas ang conflicts sa story.”

ARTHUR MISSED ROCHELLE

ARTHUR Solinap didn’t really want to join “Survivor Philippines Celebrity Doubles.”  “Mainstay ako in ‘Pepito Manaloto’ so may trabaho ako,” he says. “It’s my cousin Carlo Gonzales who really wants to join and the original plan was to pair him with his girlfriend, si Luane Dy. But Luane wasn’t allowed by ‘Unang Hirit.’  So our manager, Perry Lansigan, asked me to be Carlo’s partner. I told him, ayoko, marami akong anxieties. OC ako (obsessive compulsive) at konting mahawakan ko lang, hugas agad ako ng alcohol.

He told me to think it over. I weighed the pros and cons and realized I want to challenge myself na labanan kong anxieties ko. Also, the prize is big, P3 million, so I said yes. When we’re there na, nag-enjoy ako and I can say no regrets. It helped me become a better person. The things I took for granted before, mas na-appreciate ko roon.”

Did he miss his girlfriend, Rochelle Pangilinan? “Very much. Hindi niya ako inihatid when we left kasi baka umiyak daw siya. But when we returned, she fetched me at the airport. Ang nakakatawa, the whole time sa island, never ako nagkasakit. But when we got here, that’s when I had fever and tonsillitis.”

SYLVIA FEELS BAD ABOUT SHOW'S CANCELLATION

SYLVIA Sanchez felt sad when her regular show on GMA-7, “Iglot,”  was suddenly terminated. “But God is so good,” she says. “‘Di pa man natatapos ang ‘Iglot,’ tumawag ang ABS-CBN and asked me to be part of ‘Mundo Ma’y Magunaw’, the new soap nina Empress Schuck and Ejay Falcon. Siyempre, oo agad ako.” Most people think she’s “suplada” since she plays villain roles. “Mukha lang ako mataray but when you know me, malambot ang puso ko.”

Is it true Claudine Barretto’s marital problems were the reasons why “Iglot” ended quickly? “They say it’s management’s decision. In fairness to Claudine, hindi siya problema sa taping. She’s okay. I know pinagdaraanan niya but I think they got to save their marriage.”

Sylvia started in showbiz in 1989 when she was just 18 years old, fresh from Agusan. “Ako yung seksing sinisilipan nina Zoren Legaspi at Aljon Jimenez in ‘Student Body’. I’m glad after 22 years, I’m still active sa pag-arte.” Married to businessman Art Atayde, she has five kids. “Pia is now 23, followed by Arjo, 21, who’s now with ABS-CBN doing a soap with child star Bugoy Carino. He also stars in the video for Ricky Lee’s new novel, ‘Amapola sa 65 Kabanata’, to be launched on November 27 at SM Skydome. He plays the role of a gay aswang. After him is Ria, 19, who has her own t-shirt and cake business; Gela, 9; and Xavier, 2. I want to have one more para six. Kasi six kami sa family at six din sina Art sa kanila.”

She’s also busy with her new restaurant, TJ Resto Bar, that had a formal opening on 11-11-11 with Sen. Jinggoy Estrada doing the ribbon-cutting. TJ comes from Tita Jojo, which is how relatives call her as her real name is Josette. Located at Sct. Esguerra corner Sct. Bayoran, it’s in between GMA7 and ABS-CBN so stars from both networks often frequent the place that had a soft opening two weeks ago. Although she has two chefs, Sylvia, who took up culinary arts at AICA, is hands on in preparing the dishes offered there.

She cooked her famous kare-kare, bagnet and laing for us and it’s really good. All the dishes she cooked for the opening are truly delicious. “Matagal ko na gusto magnegosyo and a resto like this is best for me. Hindi sosyal, affordable ang prices pero masarap. We even have pizza and pasta kasi maraming naghahanap.” TJ Resto Bar opens for lunch at 11 a.m. and, for those who want to unwind, the cozy place is open up to 2 a.m. They also sell selected cold-cuts, chocolate and cakes.

NEW HOUSEMATES' NAMES STILL UNDER WRAPS

MORE new housemates are entering Kuya’s two houses. In PBB UnliNight, three gorgeous girls called 3Gs will seduce the boys to vote for them to be official housemates. Their full names are not given yet. They’re just known as Pretty Miss Perfect ng Nueva Ecija who wants to target Jerico, Sexy Single Mom ng Pampanga who has eyes for Carlo and Independent Woman ng Sampaloc who thinks Tin is “maarte.” In PBB UnliDay, three hunks known as Power Strangers will try to attract the girls: Astiging Kengkoy ng Parañaque who has an action star dad, Pilyong Raketero ng QC who’s a rich boy, and Poging Petics ng La Union who is Fil-Italian.

Meantime, at UnliNight, Slater was nominated for eviction for refusing to obey Kuya’s task to make Joya believe that he’s in love with her. He says it’s against his principles to lie like that. He’s then tasked to help the 3Gs to convince the boys to accept them as regular housemates. As for Casey, the youngest in the group, she got to convince Eting, Tol, Divine, Biggel and Diane to join her in the fake ritual she made up allegedly to get rid of Kigoy’s bad spirit. She succeeded in this secret task and Kuya’s prize is they got their weekly budget for food worth P7,500.  They also succeeded in their pole dancing weeklong task and for this they won unlimited supply of water.

The UnliDay housemates also won in their origami task and got 100% of their weekly budget. Because of the presence of Seichi (formerly Seichang) in their house, the boys were made up to look like geishas while the girls put on body suits to act like sumo wrestlers. Seichi, who has a lovable personality, also taught them to speak Nihonggo.

One of the most touching moments in UnliNight was when Tin, Alvin Patrimonio’s sheltered daughter, won some ice cream for Biggel, the promdi from Marinduque who was ecstatic while eating it as he has never tasted ice cream before. Some housemates cried while watching him eat ice cream happily for the first time. Tin and Biggel form a cute love team inside Kuya’s house. Starting this week, UnliNight will now be shown earlier after “Binondo Girl,”  occupying the slot of “Nasaan Ka Elisa.”