From the June 18, 2000, edition of the Philippine Daily Inquirer:

Courtesy of: Julie

US filming for 'Tanging Yaman' and 'Magic Adobo'

GOOD news for moviegoers who want to see an exceptional and inspiring local film this year: come-backing ace director Laurice Guillen has almost completed work on her new movie, "Tanging Yaman," and has only a few days' shooting in the States left before moving on to her next project.

Laurice herself informs us that she and her actors will fly to San Francisco around June 23. And how's the film shaping up? "Fine," the director says, "we're all happy with what we've done so far."

She's particularly glad that she cast Gloria Romero in the pivotal role of the mother in the movie. Laurice confides that, ever since she was a child, she's always been Gloria's fan, so she was excited about working with the gifted veteran actress in "Tanging Yaman."

Gloria is expected to score major acting points in her role as a woman suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The character has her pitiful and irritating aspects, and it takes an exceptional actress like Gloria to be able to handle such contradictory impulses.

"Tanging Yaman" is set to be shown some time this September, as Star Cinema's Jubilee Year offering. Let's hope that all film buffs who say they are unhappy about the generally mediocre products of the local movie industry will go out of their way to support this inspiring production.

Here's more good news: right after she puts "Tanging Yaman" in the can, Laurice will start to work on another promising film, "Magic Adobo."

The movie's script was written by US-based Vincent Nebrida, Baby Nebrida's brother, and is about a group of Pinoy-American friends in New York who meet regularly to eat Filipino food and support each other through good times and bad.

"Magic Adobo" is coproduced by ABS-CBN and Tony Gloria of Unitel, and will be shot completely in the States. Three actors will come from the Philippines, while everybody else will be cast in New York.

Paolo Montalban will play one of the lead roles, and the people behind the hit film, "The Blair Witch Project," will also be involved in this production in various capacities.

The movie is an independent production that's intended to be shown in the States as a foreign language film. In the Philippines, it will be released by ABS-CBN.

Laurice will fly to New York before shooting starts to audition Fil-American talents for choice roles in "Magic Adobo," which will be shown early next year.