FLASHBACK Manila Bulletin, Sunday October 19th 2008 Jose Mari, the man who revolutionized the Pinoy telenovela, by Gypsy Baldovino When Marimar graced Philippine television in 1994, it gave the local soaps a bad name with its fast storytelling and oh-so-charming plot, and Filipinos found a new get-together activity in the evening aside from the traditional angelus. The man behind this cultural phenomenon is Jose Mari Gonzalez, otherwise known as Jose Mari, the matinee idol of the early 60s. I was looking for a series that could be pitted against the prime time shows of major networks, he says, Kasi noon, we have The Bold and the Beautiful which I wanted to be dubbed in Tagalog but the management wouldnt allow me. Imagine, the show would run for five years, daily? Paanong hindi kakagatin ng tao yon? Until he saw Marimar and his gut said ito na. He was willing to risk his career and those who disagreed with Tagalizing the series were free to resign. I got Marimar for free, he admits. Ang kapalit lang was two spots from Proctor and Gamble. Nung wala na ako sa RPN 9, hinayaan nilang mapunta sa Channel 2 yung Maria Mercedes, when it was offered to them for only five thousand dollars kahit tinatawaran ng 30 thousand dollars ng Dos, por que kami nga ang nagpasikat kay Marimar. Five thousand dollars lang, hindi nila kinuha. Who would have thought that a seemingly innocent pin-up boy of the 60s would change the landscape of Pinoy soap opera? Looking back, Mr. Gonzalez can only smile when he assumed his post as President of RPN 9. Akala nila, artista lang ako. When they learned that I was an electronics and communications engineer, na-shock un mga empleyado doon. It was exactly the same response when he first entered the movies in 1959 as a 17-year-old teen idol. Truth be told, not only was he a La Salle graduate, he was also a licensed pilot, VP of a family-owned corporation and owner of four other companies. And he was just 24. But in those days of balloon skirts puffed by seven layers of petticoats, and rock-and-roll where one hollers - as he cleverly put it, Jose Mari was everybodys boy next door. Mr. Gonzalez pioneering spirit is obviously inherent in the family.1946 pa lang may electrical construction company na kami. But coming from a la familia de buen didnt stop him from working hard. I was only 15 when I graduated from high school. At 16 Papa hired me as his janitor. Then, I became an assistant electrician until I was appointed as our companys V.P. On top of that he formed a company that installed security systems, which he learned about by studying in Paris. His ken in business was complimented by his passion for the arts. Aside from his early acting exposure in college plays, he also formed the band, Electromaniacs, before he was in the movies. He says. We were the first group to have an electric guitar. Our records earned millions here in the Philippines. We sole records to five countries. Wala pang radio at cassette noon. Lahat, bumibibili ng record sa Raon. His love affair with electronics continues to this day. In 1978, I put up Cinema Audio, the first digital studio in Asia. All foreign artists who visited the country recorded there, from Linda Ronstadt to Menudo to Bee Gees. I did Ricky Martins first album. I can be a tad difficult to please, he admits Si Freddie (Aguilar), galit na galit sa akin kasi naka take 23 na eh. I told him, malalaman mo pag maganda, pag napaluha mo na ko. The result of that collaboration was Magdalena, which resurrected Freddie Aguilars career. His expertise in the fields of electronics and communications was also put to good use in the 1984 Agrava Commission. I was tapped to analyze the composite tape of the Ninoy Aquino assasination. Dumating dito ang mga C.I.A., binigyan ako ng ibang tapes for analysis. During the term of President Cory Aquino, Jose Mari was made the Director of the Bureau of Broadcast. He says, I reformatted the government radio and transformed it into the Radyo ng Bayan that we know today. Its the first broadcast network that went interactive. Jose Maris second coming to showbiz took place in 1994, when then President Fidel Ramos appointed him as RPN 9s top honcho. As a TV executive, he reinvented not only the telenovela, he also introduced regional programming on television. During the days of Marimar and La Traidora, we retained its Spanish dialogue in Chavacano-speaking provinces. Naku, walang umalis sa bahay nila. I was the first who gave Kris Aquino a hosting assignment in Actually, Yun Na! Ganun din kay Willy Revillame. Kami din ang nag-start ng morning program, the one with Jeanne Young that aired from five to seven in the morning. Ang paniwala ko, wag mangopya sa ibang channel. Sa halip, gumawa ng original para may alternative. In 1998 he ran for Congress as an independant candidate and won. I co-authored the anti-dynasty law, kinontra ko ang mga kasama ko. Sabi nila, ano ka? Retired na ako, pero may hobby. I edit videos at gumagawa ako ng DVD. And because he is a licensed pilot, Jose Mari is also enlisted as a reserve officer of the Philippine Air Force with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. My hobby is ham radio, in which participants, called hams, use various types of radio communications equipment for public service, recreation and self training. This has been my hobby since 1960. This put him in the company of one million people in the world, who own ham radio. The late King Hussein bin Talal of Jordan was a pal, and so was Senator Barry Morris Goldwater, the Republican Partys nominee for President in the 1964 US election. He recalls, During the first Gulf War, hindi makakuha ng magandang signal ang Channel 2, pumunta sila dito. Nagulat sila sa linaw ng TV kasi naka-hook up ung radio antenna ko sa satellite. Jose Mari is married to Charito, a former model of Spanish and British ancestry. Their paths first crossed when she was twelve and he, seventeen. He laughs at the recollection. My girlfriend then was the best friend of Charitos elder sister. Me and my big mouth, binibiro-biro kasi ko sya na when she grew older, I would marry her. Nagkatotoo. Charito has no regrets. She says, As a husband, mabait sya. I call him amor or mor. Marami akong manliligaw, but when I compared notes, ibang klase siya, gentleman. Magpo-forty-five years na kaming kasal sa January. Sampu na apo namin, the eldest is 15 years old. reproduced by permission of Gypsy Baldovino Manila Bulletin, Sunday October 19th 2008 Jose Mari, the man who revolutionized the Pinoy telenovela, by Gypsy Baldovino When Marimar graced Philippine television in 1994, it gave the local soaps a bad name with its fast storytelling and oh-so-charming plot, and Filipinos found a new get-together activity in the evening aside from the traditional angelus. The man behind this cultural phenomenon is Jose Mari Gonzalez, otherwise known as Jose Mari, the matinee idol of the early 60s. I was looking for a series that could be pitted against the prime time shows of major networks, he says, Kasi noon, we have The Bold and the Beautiful which I wanted to be dubbed in Tagalog but the management wouldnt allow me. Imagine, the show would run for five years, daily? Paanong hindi kakagatin ng tao yon? Until he saw Marimar and his gut said ito na. He was willing to risk his career and those who disagreed with Tagalizing the series were free to resign. I got Marimar for free, he admits. Ang kapalit lang was two spots from Proctor and Gamble. Nung wala na ako sa RPN 9, hinayaan nilang mapunta sa Channel 2 yung Maria Mercedes, when it was offered to them for only five thousand dollars kahit tinatawaran ng 30 thousand dollars ng Dos, por que kami nga ang nagpasikat kay Marimar. Five thousand dollars lang, hindi nila kinuha. Who would have thought that a seemingly innocent pin-up boy of the 60s would change the landscape of Pinoy soap opera? Looking back, Mr. Gonzalez can only smile when he assumed his post as President of RPN 9. Akala nila, artista lang ako. When they learned that I was an electronics and communications engineer, na-shock un mga empleyado doon. It was exactly the same response when he first entered the movies in 1959 as a 17-year-old teen idol. Truth be told, not only was he a La Salle graduate, he was also a licensed pilot, VP of a family-owned corporation and owner of four other companies. And he was just 24. But in those days of balloon skirts puffed by seven layers of petticoats, and rock-and-roll where one hollers - as he cleverly put it, Jose Mari was everybodys boy next door. Mr. Gonzalez pioneering spirit is obviously inherent in the family.1946 pa lang may electrical construction company na kami. But coming from a la familia de buen didnt stop him from working hard. I was only 15 when I graduated from high school. At 16 Papa hired me as his janitor. Then, I became an assistant electrician until I was appointed as our companys V.P. On top of that he formed a company that installed security systems, which he learned about by studying in Paris. His ken in business was complimented by his passion for the arts. Aside from his early acting exposure in college plays, he also formed the band, Electromaniacs, before he was in the movies. He says. We were the first group to have an electric guitar. Our records earned millions here in the Philippines. We sole records to five countries. Wala pang radio at cassette noon. Lahat, bumibibili ng record sa Raon. His love affair with electronics continues to this day. In 1978, I put up Cinema Audio, the first digital studio in Asia. All foreign artists who visited the country recorded there, from Linda Ronstadt to Menudo to Bee Gees. I did Ricky Martins first album. I can be a tad difficult to please, he admits Si Freddie (Aguilar), galit na galit sa akin kasi naka take 23 na eh. I told him, malalaman mo pag maganda, pag napaluha mo na ko. The result of that collaboration was Magdalena, which resurrected Freddie Aguilars career. His expertise in the fields of electronics and communications was also put to good use in the 1984 Agrava Commission. I was tapped to analyze the composite tape of the Ninoy Aquino assasination. Dumating dito ang mga C.I.A., binigyan ako ng ibang tapes for analysis. During the term of President Cory Aquino, Jose Mari was made the Director of the Bureau of Broadcast. He says, I reformatted the government radio and transformed it into the Radyo ng Bayan that we know today. Its the first broadcast network that went interactive. Jose Maris second coming to showbiz took place in 1994, when then President Fidel Ramos appointed him as RPN 9s top honcho. As a TV executive, he reinvented not only the telenovela, he also introduced regional programming on television. During the days of Marimar and La Traidora, we retained its Spanish dialogue in Chavacano-speaking provinces. Naku, walang umalis sa bahay nila. I was the first who gave Kris Aquino a hosting assignment in Actually, Yun Na! Ganun din kay Willy Revillame. Kami din ang nag-start ng morning program, the one with Jeanne Young that aired from five to seven in the morning. Ang paniwala ko, wag mangopya sa ibang channel. Sa halip, gumawa ng original para may alternative. In 1998 he ran for Congress as an independant candidate and won. I co-authored the anti-dynasty law, kinontra ko ang mga kasama ko. Sabi nila, ano ka? Retired na ako, pero may hobby. I edit videos at gumagawa ako ng DVD. And because he is a licensed pilot, Jose Mari is also enlisted as a reserve officer of the Philippine Air Force with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. My hobby is ham radio, in which participants, called hams, use various types of radio communications equipment for public service, recreation and self training. This has been my hobby since 1960. This put him in the company of one million people in the world, who own ham radio. The late King Hussein bin Talal of Jordan was a pal, and so was Senator Barry Morris Goldwater, the Republican Partys nominee for President in the 1964 US election. He recalls, During the first Gulf War, hindi makakuha ng magandang signal ang Channel 2, pumunta sila dito. Nagulat sila sa linaw ng TV kasi naka-hook up ung radio antenna ko sa satellite. Jose Mari is married to Charito, a former model of Spanish and British ancestry. Their paths first crossed when she was twelve and he, seventeen. He laughs at the recollection. My girlfriend then was the best friend of Charitos elder sister. Me and my big mouth, binibiro-biro kasi ko sya na when she grew older, I would marry her. Nagkatotoo. Charito has no regrets. She says, As a husband, mabait sya. I call him amor or mor. Marami akong manliligaw, but when I compared notes, ibang klase siya, gentleman. Magpo-forty-five years na kaming kasal sa January. Sampu na apo namin, the eldest is 15 years old. reproduced by permission of Gypsy Baldovino
Posted on: Sat, 16 Aug 2014 03:11:36 +0000
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