MANILA, Philippines – It looks like Kris Aquino is having the last laugh.
The controversial actress-TV host’s prediction that her Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry, “Segunda Mano” would eventually wind up at second place based on box-office earnings has come true.
Tallies gathered in the last eight days – from Dec. 25 to Jan. 1 — of the ongoing MMFF, show Aquino’s film entry, “Segunda Mano” now at the number two spot raking in a hefty P94,629,812.45M at the box-office.
Aquino made her bold forecast in an earlier interview with PEP prior to the festival opening last Dec. 25.
“Number two. Very honest ako sa number two,” said she.
She went on to insist that she would get her wish, going on to recall how she correctly predicted “Dalaw” – her entry in last year’s festival – landing on the third spot.
“Di ba, dati sinabi ko gusto ko mag-number three? I was so happy. Ngayon, gusto ko mag-number two, kaya ‘segunda mano.’"
Not a few scoffed at Aquino’s calculation given the odds. She is, after all, competing against the box-office triumvirate of Vic Sotto and Ai Ai delas Alas of “Enteng Ng Ina Mo” and Bong Revilla with “Ang Panday 2.”
Aquino herself thought the fight was over, having already thanked her fans for helping her movie land on third spot after the first two days of the festival.
Past rankings based on opening day returns had allowed only for “Segunda Mano” to maintain third position behind both “Enteng Ng Ina Mo” and “Ang Panday 2.”
But Aquino’s fortunes suddenly changed. It helped that her co-star and co-producer, Dingdong Dantes, also bagged the Best Actor trophy during the recently concluded 37th MMFF Awards.
Aquino, now recognized as the country's official "Queen of Horror Movies," started out his acting career doing comedy.
Her first foray into filmmaking "Pido Dida Sabay Tayo" in 1990 opposite the now deceased comedian Rene Requiestas allowed her the tag "Box-Office Queen."
In 1993, she shifted to doing crime films based on real-life events, which again became hits earning her the moniker, "Massacre Queen."
She went on to forge a career in horror films starting with "Feng Shui" in 2004, which grossed P137.56 million at the box-office. she followed this with "Sukob (2006) and "Dalaw" (2010).
Meanwhile, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), which is behind the annual festival is confident that this year’s total gross will exceed P600-M.
Last year’s total gross was more than P500M.
The filmfest ends on Jan. 7.
Here are the official earnings of the seven official entries from Dec.
25 to Jan. 1, according to the MMFF executive committee:
l. "Enteng Ng Ina Mo" – P183,213,717.35M
2. "Segunda Mano" – P94,629,812.45M
3. "Ang Panday 2" -- P86,316,624.55M
4. "My Househusband" – P42,587,787.58M
5. "Shake, Rattle & Roll XIII" – P41,935,473.35M
6. "Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story" – P31,781,973.55M
7. "Yesterday Today Tomorrow" – P7,359,070.85M
source: mb.com.ph
