Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos has reiterated that she is not running for any national position in 2010 elections.
“Wala pa akong balak na tumakbo sa national elections. I am concentrated on my province as governor,” she said.
Santos admitted that a lot of people are courting her to run for vice president but she has no “definite plans” yet .
“I entertain offers pero wala pa akong definite plans to go up the national political position,” she confirmed.
Santos was one of the special guests during the screening of her highly political film “Sister Stella L.” at the University of the Philippines Film Institute Cine Adarna Friday night.
The “Star for All Seasons” said she was not aware yet of political issues when she made the movie which was first shown in 1984 during the Marcos administration.
“Hindi ko pa naiintindihan ang sitwasyon noon. All I had to do was act,” she confessed in her usual jolly and passionate mood.
“But now I am aware of the condition already. Relevant ang ‘Sister Stella L.’ because it still speaks until now of the current situation in our society. Pareho pa rin ang nangyayari at pareho pa rin ang nakikita natin sa ating paligid,” she said.
During the dialogue, it was Jose Lacaba, the scriptwriter of the film, who confirmed that it was only when Santos ran for mayor of Lipa City in Batangas that she came to understand what “Sister Stella L.” was all about.
“Sabi sa akin ni Vilma, noon lang daw niya naintindihan ang mga pinagsasabi niya sa pelikula,” revealed Lacaba.
“Sister Stella L.” was shown during the Marcos dictatorship in 1984 and had to contend with at the box-office with Viva Films’ “Bukas Luluhod ang mga Tala” topbilled by Sharon Cuneta.
According to Young Critics Circle member Nonoy Lauzon, “Sister Stella L.” had to suffer a different form of censorship at that time because of the film’s theme and presentation.
Lauzon said the Marcos government had to egg on Viva Films to immediately finish its Cuneta starrer to compete with Santos at the tills.
“Bukas Luluhod ang mga Tala” was reportedly a glossed over escapist fare that juxtaposed the gap between the rich and the poor in our society.
Lacaba attributed “Sister Stella L.”’s box-office failure to the moviegoers’ patronage of escapist entertainment.
Santos was happy that until today, despite its dismal performance at the box-office, her movie about an activist nun is still remembered.
“Hindi tulad ng ibang pelikula na nakalimutan na,” she proudly stated.
Film director and actress Laurice Guillen was also very proud she was part of “Sister Stella L.”
She said she could not forget the line thrown at her by co-star Jay Ilagan who played a journalist.
“Memorable sa akin ang linya ni Jay nang tanungin ako kung ‘komunista ka ba, Sister?’” she said.