Farewell, Maryo J. De Los Reyes
Published Feb 12, 2018 12:05 am
By Rica Arevalo
With over 30 films in his filmography, director Maryo J. de los Reyes bowed out of the limelight last Jan. 27 when he suffered a heart attack that shocked the film industry. We were there during his wake to hear his colleagues roast this gentle giant.
Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) founder Cecile Guidote Alvarez has this to say: “Ginamit n’ya talaga ang kanyang magandang kalooban sa akin. Si Maryo nakasama namin sa Balintataw. Ito ang unang daan nya para makasama sa mga pelikula (He has a good heart and I felt it. We were together in Balintataw. It paved the way for his career in the movies). It’s wonderful to know how much he is much appreciated, how much he is loved. Napakahusay ng pag-alay n’ya ng talino at galing (He was great at sharing his intelligence and passion). He was not just a brilliant person—he was a good person.”
Ellen Ramos, a ToFarm film festival grantee where de los Reyes served as supervising producer, tells us, “Siya ang tanging naging mentor, naging father figure po s’ya sa amin. Bilang supervising producer, alam ko po na sumakit ang ulo n’ya samin, never po s’ya nagalit, full of patience. (He was a mentor and a father figure to us. As supervising producer, we gave him a lot of headache but he never got mad at all. He was patient). He was very generous to us so we could finish our films. He was our champion, he was our spokesperson. Ipinaglaban n’ya po ang mga project namin, ang aming mga filmmaker tantrums (He fought for our projects, and our tantrums).
Cecile Guidote Alvarez, Joey Reyes, and Aga Muhlach
Editor Boy Vinarao recalls their working relationship: “Marami kaming pinagsamahan ni Maryo (We’ve been through a lot).We did a film Pag-ibig Ko, Hatiin Ninyo (1980) with actress Myrna Castillo,” says this FAMAS Hall of Fame winner. “When we were together, I was always crying. He asked me why since we were doing a bold film. I said, ‘I pity the actress.’ Iyak-iyak din si Maryo (He would also cry).”
Screenwriter Jose Javier Reyes shares, “He was endlessly giving. He had this ability to give and to share. He loved discovering young actors and actresses, and giving them the chance to bloom. I have done so many films with Regal under Maryo. Some of the best scripts I have written and some of the best collaborations were with him.” The two collaborated in Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang (1985), Abel Morado: Ikaw ang may Sala (1993), and Bala at Lipistik (1994), to name a few. “Here’s the best example of his generosity,” Reyes added. “When I started directing, he was endlessly supportive of my new career, just like Ishmael Bernal and Lino Brocka. Truly great filmmakers love the young filmmakers.”
De los Reyes was Joel Lamangan’s teacher in PETA. He considers him a strict maestro, letting him rehearse 38 times just for one scene to perfect. “Maryo told me, ‘Pwede ka mag artista pero may problema ka (You can become an actor but you have a problem),’” recalls Lamangan. “I was nervous. I asked him, ‘Ano problema ko (What’s my problem)?’Maryo answered, ‘Bakla ka (you’re gay)!’”
At that time, Lamangan was confused and in a denial about his sexuality. The 65-year-old teacher then told the young Lamangan, “’Pag inamin mo yan, huhusay ka. (If you admit it to yourself, you’ll become better.)’ Nagkaproblema ako. Tatanggapin ko ba? (It was a problem. Will I accept?) Until finally, tinanggap ko na (I accepted it).”
Aga Muhlach confesses, “Kung sino ako ngayon, nag-umpisa lahat yan kay Maryo J. de los Reyes when we did Bagets (Whatever I am now, I owe to Maryo, when we did Bagets). From then on, the rest is history. One thing I will never forget is during the1980s, batang rebelde ako noon (I was such a young rebel), Maryo was always there. He would just pick up the pieces for me.
Muhlach and De los Reyes collaborated on at least eight films. “It was just unfortunate that a few weeks ago, we were thinking of making a film,” says this A Love Story actor. “I have a different perspective of death. If it’s your time, it’s really your time. I’m just happy that ’nung nawala siya, he was Marjo J. de los Reyes na walang sakit (no illness), hindi sya bedridden, or hindi sya namayat (he didn’t lose weight). He was dancing, he was having fun, drinking. There was a smile on his face. Sayang (Too bad), I was going to offer him a movie that I would produce and he would direct. Hindi umabot (It didn’t make it).”
Alice Dixon shares her puppy love for De los Reyes. “He was a light and inspiration to all he touched. I met him when I was 18 years old. Mother Lily Monteverde gave me a project, Batang Ama with direk Maryo,” she muses. “On the first day we started shooting, I was observing him. If you knew him 30 years ago, he was a good-looking guy. He knew how to talk to everybody. He knew how to deal with problems. I told him, ‘Direk I have a crush on you.’ He just smiled. Now I think about it, that crush became admiration and that admiration became inspiration.”
Cesar Montano reminisces, “I last saw him in Bohol. Daming plano, masaya, daming gusto gawin (There were a lot of plans, we wanted to do a lot of things). Sa Bohol po, si Direk Maryo napakasigasig to help the film industry, tulungan mga artists sa Bohol (He was ardent in his support of Boholano artists). I also admire his deep faith. We lost him as a friend but we should be happy that he is with the Lord now.”
With over 30 films in his filmography, director Maryo J. de los Reyes bowed out of the limelight last Jan. 27 when he suffered a heart attack that shocked the film industry. We were there during his wake to hear his colleagues roast this gentle giant.
Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) founder Cecile Guidote Alvarez has this to say: “Ginamit n’ya talaga ang kanyang magandang kalooban sa akin. Si Maryo nakasama namin sa Balintataw. Ito ang unang daan nya para makasama sa mga pelikula (He has a good heart and I felt it. We were together in Balintataw. It paved the way for his career in the movies). It’s wonderful to know how much he is much appreciated, how much he is loved. Napakahusay ng pag-alay n’ya ng talino at galing (He was great at sharing his intelligence and passion). He was not just a brilliant person—he was a good person.”
Ellen Ramos, a ToFarm film festival grantee where de los Reyes served as supervising producer, tells us, “Siya ang tanging naging mentor, naging father figure po s’ya sa amin. Bilang supervising producer, alam ko po na sumakit ang ulo n’ya samin, never po s’ya nagalit, full of patience. (He was a mentor and a father figure to us. As supervising producer, we gave him a lot of headache but he never got mad at all. He was patient). He was very generous to us so we could finish our films. He was our champion, he was our spokesperson. Ipinaglaban n’ya po ang mga project namin, ang aming mga filmmaker tantrums (He fought for our projects, and our tantrums).
Cecile Guidote Alvarez, Joey Reyes, and Aga Muhlach
Editor Boy Vinarao recalls their working relationship: “Marami kaming pinagsamahan ni Maryo (We’ve been through a lot).We did a film Pag-ibig Ko, Hatiin Ninyo (1980) with actress Myrna Castillo,” says this FAMAS Hall of Fame winner. “When we were together, I was always crying. He asked me why since we were doing a bold film. I said, ‘I pity the actress.’ Iyak-iyak din si Maryo (He would also cry).”
Screenwriter Jose Javier Reyes shares, “He was endlessly giving. He had this ability to give and to share. He loved discovering young actors and actresses, and giving them the chance to bloom. I have done so many films with Regal under Maryo. Some of the best scripts I have written and some of the best collaborations were with him.” The two collaborated in Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang (1985), Abel Morado: Ikaw ang may Sala (1993), and Bala at Lipistik (1994), to name a few. “Here’s the best example of his generosity,” Reyes added. “When I started directing, he was endlessly supportive of my new career, just like Ishmael Bernal and Lino Brocka. Truly great filmmakers love the young filmmakers.”
De los Reyes was Joel Lamangan’s teacher in PETA. He considers him a strict maestro, letting him rehearse 38 times just for one scene to perfect. “Maryo told me, ‘Pwede ka mag artista pero may problema ka (You can become an actor but you have a problem),’” recalls Lamangan. “I was nervous. I asked him, ‘Ano problema ko (What’s my problem)?’Maryo answered, ‘Bakla ka (you’re gay)!’”
At that time, Lamangan was confused and in a denial about his sexuality. The 65-year-old teacher then told the young Lamangan, “’Pag inamin mo yan, huhusay ka. (If you admit it to yourself, you’ll become better.)’ Nagkaproblema ako. Tatanggapin ko ba? (It was a problem. Will I accept?) Until finally, tinanggap ko na (I accepted it).”
Aga Muhlach confesses, “Kung sino ako ngayon, nag-umpisa lahat yan kay Maryo J. de los Reyes when we did Bagets (Whatever I am now, I owe to Maryo, when we did Bagets). From then on, the rest is history. One thing I will never forget is during the1980s, batang rebelde ako noon (I was such a young rebel), Maryo was always there. He would just pick up the pieces for me.
Muhlach and De los Reyes collaborated on at least eight films. “It was just unfortunate that a few weeks ago, we were thinking of making a film,” says this A Love Story actor. “I have a different perspective of death. If it’s your time, it’s really your time. I’m just happy that ’nung nawala siya, he was Marjo J. de los Reyes na walang sakit (no illness), hindi sya bedridden, or hindi sya namayat (he didn’t lose weight). He was dancing, he was having fun, drinking. There was a smile on his face. Sayang (Too bad), I was going to offer him a movie that I would produce and he would direct. Hindi umabot (It didn’t make it).”
Alice Dixon shares her puppy love for De los Reyes. “He was a light and inspiration to all he touched. I met him when I was 18 years old. Mother Lily Monteverde gave me a project, Batang Ama with direk Maryo,” she muses. “On the first day we started shooting, I was observing him. If you knew him 30 years ago, he was a good-looking guy. He knew how to talk to everybody. He knew how to deal with problems. I told him, ‘Direk I have a crush on you.’ He just smiled. Now I think about it, that crush became admiration and that admiration became inspiration.”
Cesar Montano reminisces, “I last saw him in Bohol. Daming plano, masaya, daming gusto gawin (There were a lot of plans, we wanted to do a lot of things). Sa Bohol po, si Direk Maryo napakasigasig to help the film industry, tulungan mga artists sa Bohol (He was ardent in his support of Boholano artists). I also admire his deep faith. We lost him as a friend but we should be happy that he is with the Lord now.”