WONDERFUL REUNION OF BOSOM BUDDIES
by Nestor U. Torre, Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 30, 1999

Last Sunday, Sharon Cuneta's TV show was the venue for a wonderful reunion of the stars of the film "Sana'y Wala Nang Wakas." Sharon, Cherie Gil and Dina Bonnevie had a great time bonding while they were making the movie (about the members of a singing tiro).

The reunion was prompted by Cherie's first extended visit to the Philippines after living a number of years in New York and then in Italy, where Cherie's husband, internationally acclaimed violinist Rony Rogoff, is now the conductor in residence of a symphony orchestra.

Cherie, who now looks absolutely stunning, upstaged her two bosom buddies - with their cheerfully given permission. After all, they've been here all this while and Cherie is the vacationing friend, so let her enjoy the attention and adulation she's missed all these years.

Drop-dead-gorgeous Cherie is in town not just to keep up with old times and friends but also to do some acting on a special TV production. The hope is that she can also act in a movie or two.

Naturally, Sharon, Dina and Cherie are eager to make a new film together that would be a great follow-up project - the "Sana'y Wala Nang Wakas" girls, 10 years after.

It could happen because Sharon has revealed that she's come to an agreement with her husband, Kiko: if she doesn't get pregnant in two more months or so, they'll stop waiting (not necessarily stop trying) for once, and Sharon will make a movie.

That's just what the doctor ordered for Sharon's movie career. Sure, her fans are loyal, but out of sight still means out of mind in local showbiz, so a new Sharon-starrer would assure her fans that she isn't taking their loyalty for granted.

Back to the troika of actresses' TV reunion: It was delightful because it was obvious that they were thrilled to be together again after such a long time. Copious tears were unashamedly shed, but they were happy tears, so the mood was ebullient rather than morose.

Laughter pealed when the three stars took turns taking loving potshots at each other. Asked how she could get a word in edgewise when talking to the super-loquacious Sharon and Dina, Cherie shrugged and joked that she'd stopped trying a long time ago, and instead "concentrated on developing my listening skills!"

Then the talk turned thoughtful when someone pointed out that Cherie and Sharon had finally found happy loves "the second time around," while Dina's own second crack at marriage proved to be unsuccessful.

We admired Sharon and Cherie for discussing this delicate subject with great care and good judgment, and Dina for being honest enough to share her thoughts and feelings during this low point in her life.

The way the three friends handled this topic, there was no loser, no odd woman out, just caring and honest people trying to make sense of life's low blows. And the show's viewers were the richer for it.

Let's have more similarly enlightened and - enlightening conversations and personal encounters on "Sharon" - which, we're pleased to report, has gobed up in the ratings. That proves that there is an audience out there for less gossipy and catty talk on local TV.