Manny Castañeda pumanaw na; Joey Reyes wasak ang puso

SUMAKABILANG-BUHAY na veteran comedian at direktor na si Manny Castañeda ngayong Lunes ng umaga, July 1.

Mismong ang kanyang kaibigan at kapwa direktor na si Jose Javier Reyes ang nagkumpirma ng malungkot na balita sa pamamagitan ng social media.

Sa pamamagitan ng Facebook, ibinahagi ni Direk Joey ang black-and-white photo nila ni Manny kalakip ang mensahe at pagbibigay-pugay para sa yumaong kaibigan.

“We were eight years old when we met. We missed a number of years between the final years of grade school and high school.

“But we made such a big deal about how we found each other again at the canteen in De la Salle College then…

“And we were inseparable since that time, all throughout college… until we both ended up teaching then finding our place in the insane world of show business.

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“We have been friends for sixty-one years… and how you have left,” ang simulang pagbabahagi ng premyadong filmmaker at bagong chairperson ng Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).

Pagpapatuloy pa niya, “Honestly, I do not know how it is going to be without my best friend just sitting out there ready to bitch it out with me.

“We may have our differences in political beliefs, we may have our arguments but we were there for each other… all the way.

“No, it is not going to be the same. But His Will Be Done. I know you are now having a major time giving an update to Don (Cuaresma) and Khryss (Adalia) and all our friends who are having eternal coffee breaks in the Great Beyond.

“And I know that where you are … you will on the lookout for me, Erick Vidania, Cal Lim, Cristina A. Rodriguez, Raymund Barcelon, George Lim… everybody in our close knit circle.

“I never told this you when you were around because I knew you would just cringe and tell me to shut up — but you are such a great part of my life because you are my irreplaceable BFF. I am going to miss you big time,” pagbabahagi pa ng direktor.

Nauna rito, nag-post si Direk Joey sa FB ng tungkol sa pagpanaw ng isang kaibigan pero wala pa siyang binanggit na pangalan. Aniya, “I am in pain. My heart is so broken. I love you, my Friend.  I will miss you so badly.”

Hindi naman nabanggit ni Direk Joey kung ano ang naging sanhi ng pagpanaw ni Direk Manny. Wala rin siyang ibinahaging detalye tungkol sa burol o lamay.

Taong 1979 nang magsimula sa showbiz si Manny Castañeda sa pamamagitan ng pelikulang “Aliw.” Ang iba pa niyang nagawang pelikula ay ang mga sumusunod: “Oro Plata Mata” (1981), “Relasyon” (1982), “Bukas Luluhod Ang Mga Tala” (1984), “Tinik Sa Dibdib” (1985), at “Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas” (1986).

Ilan naman sa mga naidirek niyang pelikula ay ang “Guwapings Dos” (1993), “Ging Gang Gooly Giddiyap: I Love You Daddy” (1994), “Kailanman” (1996), “Sa Kabilugan ng Buwan” (1997), “April May June” (1998), “May Isang Pamilya” (1999), at “Shame” (2000).

Kung hindi kami nagkakamali ang huling proyektong ginawa niya sa telebisyon ay ang Kapuso afternoon drama series na “Makiling” ngayong taon na pinagbidahan nina Elle Villanueva at Derrick Monasterio.