Cesar Montano

Award-winning actor, producer and director and lately, television host, Cesar Montano has returned to GMA Network after years with the rival network.

While he still appeared in the rival channel a week before, Montano signed a year-long contract with the network that guarantees him continuous exposure on the small screen and a chance to work again for films.
His surprised signing up a new contract with GMA Network, however, was protested by his longtime manager Norma Japitana. It was Montano’s new manager, Shirley Pizarro, who worked out the contract with GMA Network.

Montano starred in the award-winning movie, “Jose Rizal,” GMA Films’ biggest movie project ever, and “Muro Ami.” Both films were executive-produced by Jimmy Duavit, then president of GMA Films, and directed by Marilou Diaz Abaya in the late ‘90s.

Words from his new network stated that Montano  is now taping for a drama series that will pit him against Aljur Abrenica and Rhian Ramos. It will be a horror-drama-fantasy, but with no title yet.

Montano expressed his happiness to see a lot of familiar faces among the entertainment press who covered the signing event. He said that he believed he would be able to do two movies, one on Bohol’s hero, Francisco Dagohoy. Montano hails from Bohol where he ran for governor but lost in the last election.

Those who signed in behalf of GMA Network were executive vice president Gilberto R. Duavit Jr.; chairman, President and CEO Felipe L. Gozon, and senior vice president for Entertainment Wilma V. Galvante.

Earlier,  comely actress Heart Evangelista, accompanied by her mother and promoter Annabelle Rama, renewed her commitment to the GMA network. Heart is now starring in the early evening drama, “Langit sa Piling Mo,” with Mark Herras.

Heart and her mother Baby Ongpauco, who is also her manager, with Rama signed the contract along with GMA-7 top guns Duavit Jr., Gozon, GMA Films president Annette Gozon-Abrogar, and GMA vice president for Programming Joey R. Abacan.

Montano signed up with GMA Network just days after serving as guest host on one of ABS-CBN ‘s flagship shows, “Wowowee.” He used to host the network’s “Singing Bee.”

Explaining his decision, Montano said he has valid reasons for doing so.

“I need to move on, move up… and sometimes, a man has to decide right away especially when he has a family to feed and children to send to school,” the actor told the members of the press after the contract signing last July 15.

Before becoming an ABS-CBN talent in 2001, Cesar was with GMA-7 for the longest time. He even made two of his most important films — “Jose Rizal” (1999) and “Muro Ami” (2000)–under its wings.

“To be quite honest, that’s one of the reasons I came back here. Gusto ko gumawa ulit ng mga epic na pelikula at GMA-7 lang ang gumagawa ng ganon,” he said.
The actor clarified that he was no longer under contract with ABS-CBN when he accepted to host “Wowowee,” let alone when he entered into talks with GMA-7. He admitted waiting for a counter offer from the Kapamilya network but none came.

“Walang pigil on their part because I think unprepared sila [to make one]. There was one movie na in-offer sa amin dati pero di natuloy yon. Then three weeks ago, nagusap kami about doing a game show pero uunahin na daw muna nila ang ‘Game K N B’ bago ibalik yung game show ko, yung ‘Singing Bee.’
“So, walang absolute certainty and since I need a job at merong opportunity dito, ang sabi ko [sa kanila], ‘Dun na muna ako,’” Montano said.

Montano said he looks forward to working with Kapuso talents like Rhian Ramos, Iza Calzado, Carla Abellana, Marian Rivera and Jackie Rice. The actor has already begun taping for a GMA show directed by Mark Reyes.

“Madami akong magagawa to share my God-given talents. ‘Yung wala akong ginagawa, it’s not a good idea,” he said, referring to the months he did not have a project when still with ABS-CBN.

Montao referred to his new home as “parte ng puso ko,” adding that “mahirap pong mabuhay ng walang puso, dapat laging may puso sa lahat ng bagay maging sa trabaho.”

The actor’s one-year contract with GMA-7 does not cover film projects. Still, he has his fingers crossed that with the right material, he would be able to do another landmark movie with the network.

Will his wife, singer-actress Sunshine Cruz, move to GMA, too?

“That will be a good idea. Dati naman ay lumabas na din siya sa mga shows dito gaya ng ‘Eat Bulaga’ and ‘Bubble Gang.’”

Asked about the buzz that he had a falling out with his long-time manager Norma Japitana, Cesar said it’s farthest from the truth.

“Andyan pa si Ate Norms, very busy lang. Lagi kasi siyang out of the country at alangan naman na angkinin ko ang buong oras n’ya. Yes, she knows about this [move to GMA-7]. Walang problema and she is part of this [decision],” Cesar said.

When pressed to comment about talk that Norma was “devastated” by his getting a “PR/manager” in the person of Shirley Pizarro on “a per project basis,” Cesar could only shake his head, smile wryly and mutter one word: “Sus,” said Jojo Panaligan in his report.