NEWSFLASH

CHERIE GIL IN RP FOR NEW TV SERIES

Quezon City, May 9, 2000 - Cherie Gil is back in the Philippines to co-star wwith Dina Bonnevie in Viva Television’s soap opera May Bukas Pa on IBC-13. The two portray arch enemies in May Bukas Pa, but in real life, they happen to be best of friends.

Cherie is very much married to international violinist Rony Rogoff (who was once married to socialite Ping Valencia), and she has been based with him for years in Italy, where she’s taking care of two kids (one from a previous relationship and another by Rony).

She and Dina have been steadfast friends even before the former fell in love with Rogoff.

“It was actually Dina who proposed that I be asked to come back and do May Bukas Pa with her,” revealed Cherie, who has gotten to really look like a young and darker version of her mom, Rosemarie Gil. “The offer was really just for her (Dina) to star in a telenovela, but she insisted that she wouldn’t do one without me playing villainess to her. Or if it could be financed at all, Dina was willing to do a telenovela with me and our other good friend, Sharon Cuneta. What was finally approved was a telenovela with me,” continued Cherie. Cherie’s artist husband understands Cherie’s occasional longing to practice her own art, so Rony has never stopped her from doing soeven if it means their momentary physical separation. “Actually, as soon as his schedule allows, he would usually visit me and the kids in Manila. He did it years ago, when I was working on the mini-series Cebu for RPN-9 and while we were taping May Bukas Pa. I really feel blessed to have a husband like Rony.”

At some point though, Cherie confided, “But you know how good Dina had been to me? Years ago, when she was still building her house in Ayala Heights, Quezon City, and her kids were living with their dad (Vic Sotto, Dina’s first husband), I asked her to stay in one of the vacant rooms in a townhouse I was living in. I had already given birth by that timeand she ended up having more time and concern for my son than I had…because I was into drugs and was feeling desperate about my life.

“And then when she and her sister visited us in Italy, and I made them stay in our house, Dina ended up teaching me a lot about how to keep my kitchen spotless, how to organize my kitchen drawers, and even practically planned and supervised a birthday party for one of my kids. She even delayed her trip to another country just so she could be around and help me do that party for the kid.”

The show airs on IBC-13 on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays at 6 p.m. It also stars Rosemarie Gil, her grandson Ryan Eigenmann (son of Michael de Mesa and Gina Alajar), Angelu de Leon, Albert Martinez, Ricardo Cepeda, Anne Curtis, and Aiza Marquez.