Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos Recto and Angkas Co-Founder and CEO George Royeca

Believe it or not, Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos-Recto is used to riding a motorcycle.

At the media launch of her endorsement for Angkas held in Makati City last Feb. 27, Ate Vi remembered the days when her husband Ralph Recto would pick her up from the studio and she would ride his motorcycle wearing a gown.

“Tutoo yung kinukwento ko noon. Sinusundo ako ni Ralph sa motorcycle niya. Talagang naka-angkas ako sa likod niya at naka-gown pa. Sinusundo niya ako sa ‘Vilma’ show. Tapos sabi pa niya ‘ride with me.’ Nag-aaway pa kami at pipilitin niya akong umangkas sa kanya. Tapos binilisan niya. Eh may traffic. Pag-dating sa traffic light, naka-tapat ako sa bus. Wala pa namang helmet nun. So lahat ng nasa bus, nakatingin sa akin. Si Vilma Santos ba ito? Naka-gown pa ako, naka-angkas. At naka-heels pa ako. Pero pagdating namin doon sa pupuntahan namin, brineak ko sya. Natakot kasi ako sa ginawa niya,” said the laughing Santos-Recto. “Pero enjoy talaga. Sanay ako sa motorcycle.”

(What I was telling was true. Ralph was picking me up on his motorcycle. I was actually riding behind him and still wearing a gown. He was picking me up at the ‘Vilma’ show. Then he said ‘ride with me.’ We were still fighting and he would force me to ride him. Then he sped up. There was traffic. When I got to the traffic light, I was facing the bus. I didn’t have a helmet on. So everyone on the bus was looking at me. Is this Vilma Santos? I’m still wearing a gown. I’m still wearing heels. But when we got to where we’re going, I broke up with him. I’m scared of what he did,” said the laughing Vilma. “But I really enjoyed it. I’m good at motorcycles.)

Vilma Santos-Recto

Asked about the last time she rode the motorcycle with Senator Ralph Recto, the award-winning actress said: “I think the last time was in Lipa, Batangas City. Recently lang. Masarap. Masarap mag-angkas kay Ralph.”

Santos-Recto also revealed an exciting new project with homegrown Filipino motorcycle taxi company, Angkas.

The former public servant said she has been looking forward to this project with Angkas which will help uplift and support the country’s motorcycle taxi industry.

“Maganda ang project na ito kasi gusto ko talagang suportahan ang mga organisasyon na nagbibigay ng oportunidad sa marami. They are helping our commuters beat traffic. Mabilis na, safe pa, diba? Pero higit sa lahat, gusto ko yung nakakatulong silang magbigay ng libu-libong trabaho sa ating mga kababayan. Grabe, 30,000 na motorcycles na pala ang nabigyan ng trabaho,” said Santos-Recto.

This is not the first time Santos-Recto is helping push for jobs creation and additional livelihood opportunities.

Photos courtesy of George Royeca

At the 18th Congress where she became the Representative of the 6th District of Batangas, she served on the Committees on Poverty Alleviation and Labor and Employment where she worked on legislation to address widespread national concerns about unemployment and poverty.

Santos-Recto conveyed the practicality of booking an Angkas in various situations. These include getting home early to spend quality time with family as well as saving on transportation costs since motorcycle taxis are cheaper compared to four wheels, “Masaya talaga ako sa project na ito. Alam kong malaki ang maitutulong nito para i-angat ang sektor ng motorcycle taxis sa ating bansa”, the Star for All Seasons said.

When asked whether her upcoming project is a new movie in partnership with Angkas, Santos-Recto only had this to say, “Kailangan niyo po abangan. Ang masasabi ko lang po sa ngayon, marami po ang matutuwa at matutulungan ng bagong project na ito.”

Meanwhile, Angkas Co-Founder and CEO George Royeca is grateful to the Star for All Seasons for her continued support to help create jobs and livelihood opportunities in the country.

“It is amazing that Ms. Vilma Santos-Recto and Angkas share the same beliefs and hopes for our country in terms of providing jobs for Filipinos and alleviating poverty. Kaabang-abang po talaga ang project na ito dahil sigurado akong pag nakita ninyo, mas lalo pa ninyong mamahalin ang ating nag-iisang Star for All Seasons,” Royeca said.

60 years in showbiz

Celebrating her 60 years in the entertainment industry, Vilma said that she’s forever grateful to have reached this far in showbiz.

“Sixty years is no joke. Definitely hindi lahat nabibigyan ng ganitong blessings. I’m very thankful. This is a combination of hard work, smart work, and grace from God. I am continuously evolving and I’m still open to new things and challenges in life. I want to learn more. You ever stop. Tuloy lang yan.

“I started when I was 9 years old. This is my life. Kung meron man akong pinagkaka-utangan ng loob, sa lahat ng dinanas ko, hanggang naging public servant ako, utang na loob ko lahat yan sa showbiz. I’ve learned a lot sa show business.

“At noong naging public servant naman ako, it was a big plus factor na dumaan ako sa showbiz. Yung how to deal with people, malaking tulong yun eh. Lahat ng klase ng tao kaya mong harapin. Kung saan ako naroroon ngayon utang ko talaga yan sa movie industry. Naging public servant naman ako for 24 years,” she said.

Vilma also admitted that It’s never easy to become a public servant. She gave her advice to the youth who wanted to pursue politics.

“Kung gusto mong mag serve, hindi madali. Noong naging public servant ako, na-sacrifice ko talaga yung career ko. Main priority ko is my family. Then maging public servant. Naging third priority ang show business.

“Six years na ako walang nagawang pelikula kasi I got so involved sa pagiging legislator. Hindi madali kasi batas na ang pinag uusapan dito. Para kang nanay taking care of a big family. And being a legislator, you really need to study. When I won in Lipa in 1998 as first woman mayor, sinabi ko kay Ralph, ‘paano yan?’ Si Ralph in-enroll naman ako sa UP and I took up a special crash course on public administration and local governance.

“Everyday is a learning process. It’s really a fulfillment for me na nakapagsilbi ako, meron akong nagawa sa mga kababayan natin na nagtiwala sa akin ng walang camera,” she also said.

Future projects

After six years, Vilma is heading back to the movies. She is up for a reunion project with another award-winning actor Christopher de Leon.

“I’ll be doing a movie with Boyet de Leon. We will shoot it in Japan. We’re leaving anytime in March. I’m also excited to do a movie with Erik Matti kasi tapos na yung script. So far ito yung mga naka-linya. And then baka gumawa rin ako ng isang movie with Star Cinema,” Vilma said.

On her upcoming movie with Boyet, Ate Vi said: “Gusto ko yung storya. It’s a love story pero sa age namin. Hindi ito yung love story na nagbabata-bataan kami or pa-cute. It’s a story of an OFW who fell in love with Japan. It’s a simple love story pero malalim kapag pinag uusapan yung love.”

Vilma, 69, also revealed that she enjoys vlogging which she learned to appreciate at the height of the pandemic.

“Hindi ko naman alam maging vlogger ako. Hindi na natin malalabanan ang social media. The time na dinaan natin ang pandemic, na wala tayong ginagawa, I guess that was the time my son Lucky and Jessy stayed in our home, and doon ako natuto ng vlogging. I am enjoying it. Kahit na nagkaroon tayo ng pandemic, through vlogging, nagkaroon ako ng communication sa mga kaibigan at mga fans. Makarinig lang ako ng mga comments sa kanila, I felt na close na ako uli sa kanila,” she said.

National Artist?

Vilma’s legions of fans believe that it’s high time for their idol to receive the National Artist For Film award which Nora Aunor received in 2022. But Ate Vi said that she’s not in a hurry.

“If it’s meant for you, it’s meant for you. Kapag hindi napunta sayo, it’s not meant for you. So sa mga nabigyan like Ate Guy, it’s meant for them. So kung meron akong space dyan, darating ang panahon na yun para sa akin,” she also said.