Mrs. Recto: Likha Ang Pangarap. Pasya ang Ligaya.

Now that Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez is done with her U.S. concert tour, she could start working on one of the films she is set to finish this year, “Mrs. Recto,” the second offering of Panoramanila Pictures.

“Mrs. Recto” is the much-anticipated follow-up to Judy Ann Santos’ and Dante Nico Garcia’s “Ploning,” the critically-acclaimed maiden offering of Panoramanila Pictures that represented the Philippines in the 81st Academy Awards and which went on to garner numerous awards and nominations from various award-winning bodies such as the 2008 Asian First Film Festival, Palm Springs International Film Festival, Paris Cinema Film Festival, International Film Festival of India, Singapore Festival of First Films, etc.

Ever since he came back from a four-month stay in the U.S. (to help campaign and promote the indie movie “Ded na si Lolo” which was the country’s entry in the best foreign language category at the 82nd Academy Awards, Dante Nico Garcia (fondly called “Ga” by friends and colleagues) has been preparing for “Mrs. Recto.”

Garcia wrote the story/script and will direct it too, of course. Garcia’s last movie, Regal Films’ “Oh My Girl!” starring Juday and Ogie Alcasid, and which reportedly didn’t make good at the tills, was offered to him for direction only, he said. For him, it makes a big difference if you also write the story/script if you are to direct a movie.

So why did he chose Regine Velasquez and not Juday for “Mrs. Recto?” Garcia said, “Hindi puwede si Juday ngayon with her condition. I wanted Regine instead for this role wherein she will be deglamorized. She is Mrs. Recto, a single parent to a girl na sobrang talino and who keeps asking intelligent questions. Si Regine ay tindera ng term papers, ng mga fake certificates and enrollment documents sa movie na ito.”

“Mrs. Recto” will be filmed entirely along Claro M. Recto St. and its vicinity, a place that Garcia knows well enough, having lived in the area from his elementary to high school years.

Also starring in “Mrs. Recto” are Coney Reyes and Elmo Magalona in his movie introductory role.

Manila Bulletin, June 10, 2010
by Crispina Martinez-Belen