Jinggoy's tribute to Daboy

Although the story is not true-to-life, Jinggoy informs the plot of the movie hews closely to his real life friendship with Daboy, as Rudy was fondly called. "It's not actually the life of Daboy, but the story is somewhat similar to his life," says Jinggoy. "It focuses on his happy family and the friendship, then something went wrong. His character will also be diagnosed with cancer."

Jinggoy insists he got the blessing from Daboy when the latter was still alive, to do a movie about their friendship. Through Daboy's wife, Lorna Tolentino, the project was relayed to the action star. "I mentioned it to Lorna while Rudy was in his hospital bed and he gave his nod to the project," Jinggoy shares. "Lorna also gave her inputs to the story."

After he bagged the Best Actor trophy in last year's Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) for his role as an overseas contract worker in Katas ng Saudi, Jinggoy wasn't planning to have another entry to the MMFF this year. However, after the demise of Rudy, Jinggoy felt compelled to pay tribute to his buddy through a full-length film. Thus, he acts as producer and actor for Magkaibigan.

Jinggoy cannot be happier that the movie made it as one of the eight official entries in this year's MMFF. Produced by Maverick Films, Magkaibigan also topbills Christopher de Leon, with Dawn Zulueta and Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan, with the special participation of Tirso Cruz III and Bobby Andrews. Also starring are Empress Schuck, AJ Perez, Ryan Julio and Justine Plummer.

The choice of Christopher to play Jinggoy's bestfriend on the big screen was intentional, according to Jinggoy. "Boyet is close to Rudy so it will be easy for him to portray my friend in the movie," Jinggoy explains. "Working with Boyet is a big challenge for me. It was our first time to work together in a movie. I felt pressured and tensed to do scenes with a very good dramatic actor like him. Nakaka-stress pala."

Magkaibigan joins the roster of the eight official entries in this year's festival that includes Dayo of Cutting Edge Productions, Baler of Viva Films, Desperadas 2 and Shake, Rattle and Roll X both of Regal Films, One Night Only of Canary Films, Escalera and Ungasis (20 Years After) of OctoArts Films and Tanging Ina Nyong Lahat of Star Cinema. Regular theater run will be from Dec. 25, 2008 to Jan. 3, 2009.

Is he expecting to get another acting award, this time for Magkaibigan? "It's hard to expect," Jinggoy maintains. "I'm up against good contenders for the Best Actor award. Boyet is there, Jericho (Rosales) for Baler and perhaps even Vic Sotto (for Escalera and Ungasis). It will be an honor for me to get another award, but it's better not to expect anything."

Asked what he misses most about Daboy, Jinggoy pensively remarks, "His laughter. He would call me up every day and we would talk about everything and anything, even showbiz chismis. There were things I was able to tell him which I didn't even tell my wife (Precy Ejercito). He carried my secrets to the grave."

Interestingly, Jinggoy and Daboy were never close way back in the eighties. It was Bong Revilla Jr. who introduced them during Jinggoy's birthday party. But for 22 years that Daboy and Jinggoy knew each other, they never had any misunderstanding.

"He was there for me through thick and thin," Jinggoy recalls. "When we stepped down from Malacañang, he was with us. While I was at Veterans, serving my time in jail, he would visit me everyday. No one can replace him."

Jinggoy managed to squeeze in a film project despite his work in the senate. Filming has to be scheduled from Thursdays onward, only after his sessions earlier in the week had ended. "I really made it a point to find time for this film and finish it," Jinggoy allows. "It was very fulfilling for me to have done something like this for Daboy." - Leah C. Salterio (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)