SUSAN ROCES: DALAGA PA RIN NGAYONG PASKO (Pilipino Magazine, December 25, 1968)

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SUSAN ROCES:  DALAGA PA RIN NGAYONG PASKO
Pilipino Magazine, December 25, 1968
ni Romy Galang

Disyembre 25, 1968

Magpapasko din, sampung taon na ang nakalilipas, nang kapanayamin namin si Susan Roces sa estudyo ng Sampaguita.  Ang aming paksa, pag-aasawa.

"Naku, napakalayo niyan sa isip ko!" bulalas ni Susan nang tanungin namin siya kung kailan siya mag-aasawa.

Nang mga panahong iyan ay tatlong binata umano na kasamahan sa estudyo ang nag-aagawan sa pag-ibig ni Susan.  Ang tatlong binata ay pawang buhat sa mabubuting angkan at nakaririwasa sa buhay.

"Mga kaibigan ko lang sila," paliwanag ni Susan.  "At isa pa, hindi ako naniniwala na ang isang tin-edyer ay dapat mag-asawa.  Lahat ng kababata kong nagsipag-asawa nang maaga ay nagsisisi ngayon.  Pinagpapayuhan nila akong huwag tumulad sa kanila.  Napakabigat daw na pananagutan para sa isang tin-edyer ang maging ina ng tahanan," dugtong pa ni Susan.

Sampung taon na ang nakalilipas ay hindi pa reyna ng pelikula si Susan.  Ang mga kampeon sa takilya noon ay sina Gloria Romero, Lolita Rodriguez at Nida Blanca.  Sina Susan at Amalia Fuentes ay noon pa lamang umaangat bilang mga bagong idolo ng kabataan.

"Kapag nag-asawa ako ngayon ay para na rin akong tumalikod sa isang magandang kinabukasan sa pelikula.  Maraming mabibigo.  Bukod sa aking mga magulang ay mabibigo rin ang pag-asa para sa akin nina Mommy Vera, Dr. at Mrs. Jose R. Perez.  Labimpitong taong gulang pa lamang ako ngayon.  Naniniwala akong ang isang dalaga ay dapat mag-asawa sa gulang na 25," wika pa ni Susan.

Pagkaraan ng walong taon ay ipinagdiwang ni Susan ang kanyang ika-25 taong kaarawan nang siya'y dalagang-dalaga pa.  Noon ay hindi pa umiinit ang tsismis na sila ni Ronnie Poe ay nagkakaibigan.  Maaaring nang mga panahong iyon ay hindi pa sila magkasintahan kundi mabuting magkaibigan lamang.

Magpapasko rin noong nakaraang taon nang mapabalitang sina Susan at Ronnie ay malapit nang ikasal.  Katunayan, napabalita pa ang petsa ng kanilang pag-iisang dibdib.  Huling linggo araw ng Nobiyembre.

May tsismis pang kumalat noon na kasal na raw nang lihim ang dalawa.  Ikinasal umano sina Susan at Ronnie sa Pandi, Bulakan.  Ito ay madali namang napatunayang balitang-kutsero lamang.

Nakapanayam namin noon si Susan sa dating estudyo ng ABS-CBN sa Pasay City.  May siyuting siya noon ng "Buhay-Artista".

Masaya si Susan.  Masigla siyang nakipagkuwentuhan sa iba pang mga manunulat na dumalaw sa siyuting.  Isang bagay lamang ang napansin namin.  Tila iniiwasan ni Susan ang mga tanong ukol sa romansa nila ni Ronnie.

Karapatan niya iyon.  Ang pag-ibig ay isang bagay na lubhang personal, kahit na sa isang sikat na artista.

Pero si Susan ay hindi nagmaramot sa among mga tanong.

"Dalaga pa ako ngayong Pasko.  Iyan ay tinitiyak ko," nakangiting wika ni Susan.  "Hindi pa ako mag-aasawa.  Natitiyak kong kung hanggang Pasko lamang ay hindi pa ako lalagay s tahimik."

Sinabi pa ni Susan na para sa kanya, ang kasal ay isa sa pinakamahalagang pangyayari sa buhay ng isang babae.  Iyon ay hindi dapat itago.  Manapa'y dapat ipabatid sa buong daigdig.

"Hindi kailanman maaaring maging lihim ang aking kasal.  Maaaring maging simple lamang pero aanyayahan kong lahat ang aking mga kamag-anak, kaibigan at maging ang aking mga tagahanga," pagtatapat ni Susna.

Maaaring maging simple, pero tiyak na magiging maingay at magulo kung dadalong lahat ang daan-daang libong tagahanga niya, huwag nang banggitin pa ang mga tagahanga ni Ronnie -- kung si Ronnie nga ang kanyang mapapangasawa.  Ito ang naisaloob namin.

Marami na kaming nadaluhang kasal ng mga artista.  Isa man ay walang naging tahimik.  Maging ang kasal sa madaling araw nina Gloria Romero at Juancho Gutierrez sa Forbes Park noong Septiyembre 24, 1960, ay hindi rin naligtas sa pagkakaingay ng mga usyoso at usyosa.

Ang nating tahimik lamang marahil ay ang mga kasal na ginanap sa ibang bansa.  Tulad ng kina Romeo Vasquez at Amalia Fuentes.  Hindi sila kilala roon.

Kalagitnaan ng 1968 nang muling mapabalitang malapit nang ikasal sina Susan at Ronnie.  Katunayan ang pinagmulan ng balita ay ang mga taong malalapit na rin sa dalawa, lalo na ang mga kawani ng FPJ Productions.

Nakikita na raw nila ang mga palatandaan.  Dati raw ay bihirang magtambal sa pelikula sina Susan at Ronnie sapagka't nangangamba silang magsawa sa kanila agad ang kanilang mga tagahanga.  Ngayon daw ay hindi na nila pinangangambahan iyon.  Tatlong sunud-sunod na pelikula ang ginawa nila nang sila ay mga pangunahing bituin.

May nagbulong pa sa amin na Oktubre binabalak nina Susan at Ronnie na magpakasal.  Sa Amerika at sa Europa pa raw gagawin ang pulot-gata.  At habang nasa Amerika raw sila ay gagawa sila ng isang pelikula sa Arizona at sila ang mga pangunahing bituin.

Hindi nalingid sa kaalaman nina Susan at Ronnie ang balitang kumakalat.  Hindi nila pinagkaabalahang pabulaaan iyon.  Lalo tuloy tumibay ang paniwala ng marami na tutoo nga ang balita. 

Nahagkan pa ni Susan si Ronnie sa harap ng maraming tao nang itong huli ay magwagi sa FAMAS noong Hunyo.  Napasigaw sa tuwa ang mga tagahanga.  Nagsipag-unahan ang mga potograpo sa pagkuha ng larawan.  Hindi dating nagpapakita ng ganyan sina Susan at Ronnie sa publiko.

"Tutoo nga ang balitang malapit nang ikasal ang dalawa!", bulalas ng mga tagahanga.

Nagimbal ang mga tagahanga nang bila na lamang nilan mabalitaan noong nakaraang Septiyembre na nagkasira ang magkasintahan.  Isinauli na raw umano ni Susan kay Ronnie ang singsing na brilyanteng inihandog sa kanya.

Si Ronnie naman daw ay ayaw nang magsiyuting sa "To Susan With Love."  Ito raw ang dahilan kung bakit ang nasabing pelikula ay hindi kaagad nailabas.

Nabigo umano ang mga pagsisikap ng mga kaibigang artista nina Susan at Ronnie na pagkasunduin ang dalawa.  Kapwa raw matatag ang pasyang tapusin na ang lahat sa kanila.

Ano ang dahilan ng kanilang pagkakasira?

May nagsasabing ang pelikulang "Lilet" ang dahilan.  Ayaw daw ni Ronnie na gawin iyon ni Susan sapagka't ang pinakatampok na eksena ng pelikula ay ang paggahasa sa bidang babae na gagampanan ni Susan.  Ayon kay Ronnie, hindi raw makabubuti iyon sa image ni Susan.

May nagsabi namang hindi ito ang tunay na dahilan.  Napakaliit daw na bagay ito upang maging dahilan ng pagkakasira ng dalawa.

Kung anuman ang tunay na dahilan ay maaaring sina Susan at Ronnie lamang lang nakaaalam.  Ang alam lamang namin ay ang malaking panghihinayang ng kanilang mga tagahanga.

Nagkaroon ng panibagong pag-asa ang mga tagahanga ng dalawa nang ipasya ni Ronnie na ituloy ang pagganap niya sa "To Susan With Love" na produksiyon ng Rosas Productions ni Susan.

Samantalang nagsisiyuting ang dalawa ay napansin ng kanilang mga kasamahan na bagama't nagkukuwentuhan sina Ronnie at Susan, kung minsan ay nagbibiruan pa, ang pagtitinginan naman nila ay hindi na katulad nang dati.  Tila raw malamig na.

Natapos at nailabas ang nasabing pelikula.  Malaki ang kinita.  Samantalang inilalabas ay naging musa naman si Susan, tulad ng mga nakaraang taon, ng koponan sa basketbol na pinamumunuan ni Ronnie.  Tila raw nagbabalik ang dating pagpapalagayan ng dalawa.

Ang namagitan daw kina Susan at Ronnie ay isang tampuhan lamang na malimit mangyari sa mga magkasintahan.  Pagkatapos daw ng tampuhan ay lalong magiging mainit ang romansa ng dalawa.

May mga palatandaan umano na unti-tunti nang napapawi ang tampuhan nina Susan at Ronnie.  Lalo nga kayang uminit ang kanilang romansa sa sandaling sila'y magkasundong muli?  Ang pagkakasundo kaya ay mangahulugan ng kanilang mabilisang pagpapakasal?

Malamang ay hindi.  Wala pang tumatanggap ng aming pusta na tiyak na dalaga pa rin si Susan ngayong Paskong ito.

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SINE-KOMIKS: ANONG GANDA MO! (Release Date: May 8, 1964, Life Theater)

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"ANONG GANDA MO!"

Release Date:  May 8, 1964, Life Theater

Production:  Sampaguita-VP Pictures

Starring:  Gloria Romero, Juancho Gutierrez, Susan Roces, Eddie Gutierrez

Bella Flores, Charlie Davao, Etang Discher, Boy Alano, German Moreno

Direction:  Luciano B. Carlos

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SINE-KOMIKS: SA BILIS, WALANG KAPARIS (Release Date: April 6, 1964, Life Theater)

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"SA BILIS, WALANG KAPARIS"

Release Date:  April 6, 1964, Life Theater

Production:  Sampaguita Pictures

Starring:  Susan Roces, Vic Vargas with the special participation of Lolita Rodriguez

Pepito Rodriguez, Bella Flores, Charlie Davao, Martin Marfil, Gina Pareno, Boy Alano, German Moreno

Direction:  Jose de Villa

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SINE-KOMIKS: SUSAN, SUSAY, SUSIE (Release Date: October 31, 1962, Life Theater)

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"SUSAN, SUSAY, SUSIE"

Release Date:  October 31, 1962, Life Theater

Production:  VP Pictures

Starring:  Susan Roces, Jose Mari, Eddie Gutierrez, Lito Legaspi

Chichay, Rod Navarro, Mitos Seva, Lilian Laing, Blanca Gomez, Naty Santiago

Meldy Corrales, Nory Dalisay, Amparo Lucas, Linda Blanco, Isa Rino

Cora Maceda, Nena Perez Rubio, Rose and Rey Javier, The Electromaniacs

Direction:  Rosa Mia

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SUSAN-BOBBY: MASUWERTE SA PELIKULA, MALAS SA PAG-IBIG? (Pilipino Magazine, November 27, 1968)

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Article by Romy Galang

Pilipino Magazine, November 27, 1968

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PHOTO GALLERY #44: 1960s PHOTOGRAPHS OF MS. SUSAN ROCES

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Susan with Eddie Mesa, Teresita Sonora and Ricky Belmonte in "Dedicated To You".

Susan with Ramil Rodriguez in "Double Date".

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PHOTO GALLERY #43: 1960s PHOTOGRAPHS OF FERNANDO POE, JR. AND SUSAN ROCES

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PHOTO GALLERY #42: 1960s PHOTOGRAPHS OF MS. SUSAN ROCES

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RONNIE-SUSAN: ROMANSANG NAKALILITO (Pilipino Magazine, July 31, 1968)

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Article written by Romy Galang

Pilipino Magazine, July 31, 1968

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WHITE CHRISTMAS, GODCHILDREN AND CHERISHED EVENTS (The Weekly Nation, December 11, 1967)

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WHITE CHRISTMAS, GODCHILDREN AND CHERISHED EVENTS

By Baby K. Jimenez

"I'M dreaming of a white Christmas."  The words may sound trite but when they are spoken by a not-so-ordinary individual like movie queen Susan Roces, the hackneyed sentence glows with a special meaning.

"If I have my way, I would spend this Yuletide abroad and witness a real-white Christmas," Susan said.  "But with my shooting schedules and all, I doubt if this wish of mine would materialize."

Susan is being invited by a close friend in New York to spend a few days' vacation there this season.  Another friend, Pempe Rodrigo-Oreta, who is also bound on another pleasure trip, has repeatedly encouraged Susan to join her.  But at the moment Susan doesn't have the time.  Come March of next year though, she may jet to Japan with the cast of Sayonara, My Darling, after which she might consider accepting another assignment abroad from Gretas Productions which is scheduled to be lensed in New York and other US cities.

Perhaps the mostest godmother is Susan.  Right now she has, believe it or not, about 500 godchildren.  Another prospective godchild is Anna-Lissa or Liezl, the one and only child of Romeo Vasquez and Amalia Fuentes.  Now that Alex Muhlach, Amalia's brother, is back from the States, confirmation rites for Liezl will be taking place soon, with Alex and Susan as the principal sponsors.

"I'm always home on Christmas because that is the only day when I can see all my godchildren.  It's wonderful to play Santa Claus to such loving kids," Susan said.

This may sound surprising but true:  the Sonoras only get together for about twice of thrice a year.  Since most of them are involved in show business, Susan, Rosemarie, Tessie and Joey have a real family get-together on the few occasions that they are all free from their commitments.  Christmas has always been "reunion time" for them.

"All my Christmases have always been so memorable and colorful," Susan recalled.

Most of the memorable events in Susan's life took place during the Christmastide.  Like for instance when her father, Dr. Jesus Sonora, then a resident physician in America, decided to make his homecoming.  Christmas Day was fast approaching at that time and his arrival meant so much to the family.

The first coronation of Susan as Queen of Philippine Movies happened in a December too.  When Susan thought of venturing into the freelanching field, her producer, Doc Perez, gave her the go-signal during the Yule season.

So many other things which are more associated with her private life as Jesusa Sonora occurred immediately before or after December 25.

Does this mean too that the most awaited event in her life -- her wedding -- will be realized on Christmas?  Only she probably would know, but one thing is definite.  That come December 25 Susan will receive a gift from a special someone -- and that is the gift she really wants most for Christmas.

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Source:  The Weekly Nation Magazine

              December 11, 1967

HOMECOMING FOR SUSAN (The Weekly Nation, November 29, 1965)

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HOMECOMING FOR SUSAN

By George C. Alvarez

"She returns to home studio for romantic opus opposite Eddie Gutierrez".

"IT'S REALLY wonderful to be back.  There's no place like home."  Thus did Susan Roces say when she recently returned to the folds of her former mother studio to star in Portrait Of My Love.

Home for the thrice-crowned Queen of Philippine Movies is Sampaguita Studios.  It was in the Valencia movie lot where she had her start in the celluloid world nine years ago.  It was also here where she was laboriously and lovingly nurtured to her present enviable stature.

A mere movie fan when she was discovered in 1956 by the studio's big boss, Doc Perez, Susan hesitated at first when she was offered to appear in movies.  Thinking it over, however, and getting the reluctant consent of her family and relatives after conferring with them, Susan inked her signature to a long-term contract with Sampaguita.

Ballyhooed as "the face that refreshes," Susan created only a slight sizzle when she began her acetate career.  The movie queens of her studio -- and the nation's -- then were Gloria Romero and Amalia Fuentes (the latter was to prove to be her closest and sturdiest rival).

It was only when Gloria got hitched to Juancho Gutierrez and Amalia bolted from Sampaguita ranks that Susan got firm hold of her studio's crown.  Starring in almost all of the major productions of Sampaguita and its twin movie company, Vera-Perez Productions, Susan blazed her way to the heights of movie popularity alongside Amalia.

Susan was placed on equal footing with her chief rival when she also joined the freelanching ranks following the expiration of her contract with Sampaguita.  Before stepping out of her studio's roster, however, Susan this year still made three pictures with Sampaguita.  These were Hamon Sa Kampeon, a musical comedy which was partly shot in color and in which she was paired with Eddie Gutierrez; Mga Reynang Engkantada, a whimsical fantasy wherein she starred with her kid sister Rosemarie; and Ang Maganda Kong Kapitbahay, a slapstick comedy which reteamed her with her perrenial love interest, Eddie Gutierrez.

First Freelanching Pic

Although Fernando Poe, Jr.'s first teaming up with Susan, Ang Daigdig Ko'y Ikaw was bruited about as her first freelance film, actually it was Pag-ibig, Ikaw Ang Maysala which was her maiden bow as a freelancer.  This latter picture was produced by Pepito Vera Perez under the aegis of his own production firm, United Brothers.  A moneymaker, the dramatic picture paved the way for Susan's successful freelancing.

Following the footsteps of the highly successful Ang Daigdig Ko'y Ikaw, Susan made five movies in an equal number of months.  All blockbusters, these films were LEA's Bayan Ko, Lumaban Ka!; Ambassador's Ana-Roberta; Jafere's Dandansoy; GM's Romansa Sa World's Fair, and FPJ's Pilipinas Kong Mahal.

Regarding freelancing, with a witty mind, Susan says of it:  "Freelancing has given me more freedom to move around.  While the competition among freelancers is keener, at least for me, it spurs me to work harder and strive for more.  Competition has made me strive to be a better actress."

Susan likewise confesses that in the freelancing field, she has found more friends and encountered new experiences.  This, according to her, has given her a more wellrounded personality.

"And yet," Susan says, "Anyone sway from home gets homesick even if he enjoys his life outside.  There's nothing like home sweet home, you know, specially when there is love, respect, and companionship in the house."

Susan's homecoming picture at Sampaguita, Portrait Of My Love, teams her anew with Eddie Gutierrez, with whom she has been romantically linked on and off cameras.  Sampaguita's 29th anniversary presentation which is scheduled to be shown during the Yuletide season, Portrait will be filmed partly in Eastman color.  It will be directed by Luciano B. Carlos who helmed the top moneymaker of 1964, Eddie Loves Susie, Susan Roces-Eddie Gutierrez starrer.

More Pics For Susan

Susan is also scheduled to make Buhay Sa Buhay, her first team-up with Joseph Estrada for the latter's own film company, Emar Pictures.  The movie firm's first anniversary presentation, the color production stars Joseph as an escaped convict and Susan as his hostage.

In the story, sentenced to jail for slaying his father's murderer, Joseph escapes during a field trip after the prisoners' van meets with an accident that kills lall the convicts except Joseph.  A lone guard played by Gabriel Paile also survives the accident, and through him, Joseph's prey and his four sons learn of his survival and soon set out to kill him.

For his hostage, Joseph snatches Susan who is soon to be wed to one of his enemies.  He chains her to him so that she won't escape while he himself makes his dash to freedom.  He treats her with respect and admiration and subsequently falls in love with her.

Right after Sampaguita's Portrait Of My Love and Emar's Buhay Sa Buhay, Susan will plunge into other stints with other companies.  One of her next assignments is GM's Christmas offering which will be shot in Eastman color on location in several Oriental countries including Tokyo.  Eddie Fernandez will be her leading man.

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Source:  The Weekly Nation

              November 29, 1965