The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Veteran and award-winning actress Gina Pareno turned seventy-six years old when she celebrated her birthday last month and she still looks young and physically fit.
What must be the secrets of one of the remaining living members of the glamorous pack of Stars 66 of the iconic Sampaguita Pictures?
While her contemporaries Shirley Moreno, Rosemarie Sonora, Blanca Gomez, Pepito Rodriguez and Bert Leroy. Jr. are already inactive actors before the cameras and mostly living abroad, Gina is still visibly around in the acting department tackling diverse screen roles and winning awards.
While Loretta Marquez, Edgar Salcedo, Ramil Rodriguez and Dindo Fernando had already gone to the great beyond, Pareno is still alive and kicking.
”Ang Mommy ko, walang maintenance ‘yan. Tapos, nito lang mag-birthday siya, isang buong cake, ubos niya,” informed Gina’s daughter-actress Racquel Pareno during the premiere night at the UP Cine Adarna of “Lakambini Gregoria de Jesus” co-directed by Arjanmar Rebeta and the film’s co-producer Jeffrey Jeturian where the erstwhile Star 66 doyenne played Ka Oryang in the Muse of the Katipunan’s old age.
”Hindi siya nagwo-worry,” added Racquel who beamed proudly of her mom.
After I got to interview Gina on cam she gazed at me and raised her right fist. “Laban,” she exclaimed, which apparently meant “Long Live” for her existence. (Boy Villasanta)