April 16 - 30, 2016
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY
B9
AJ: Aiden and Ashton’s mom
by Robbie Pangilinan
LOS ANGELES - She was
Bb. Pilipinas-Universe. She was
Darna. She was a singer, endorser, actress. Now she is an international capital broker/dealer in the
USA. But the role that Anjanette
Abayari likes best is being both
mom and dad to her two boys.
This coming mother’s day,
AJ, 9-year-old Aiden and 6-yearold Ashton will celebrate as they
do every year: a date to the theater to watch the boys’ chosen
movie.
“Being a single mom is
very challenging. But it was my
choice to not get married, and
I am getting by every day,” says
Anjanette, who gets her strength
just waking up to see the boys’
faces every day.
Even if AJ had Aiden when
she was 36, the former beauty
queen says she was not prepared.
“It was a surprise. I was not
prepared, but I made sure I ate
well and took care of myself,” admits AJ who adds that she craved
and ate baby formula.
AJ describes Aiden, who
looks a lot like her, as very affectionate and compassionate. He
loves to sing while Ashton likes to
dance. AJ says that Ashton looks
like his dad and is very athletic.
“They are both intelligent
and smart. They are at the top
of their classes. I value education
highly ,so I always remind them
to do their best in school,” beams
AJ, who winks that the boys got
their intelligence from her.
But what makes Mommy
prouder is that her boys are growing up to be sweet and respectful
individuals who love humanity.
“I taught them to be polite
to everyone, to respect their elders and be God-fearing, and to
abide by the golden rule. I want
them to grow up healthy, happy,
and fulfilling their own dreams,”
says AJ who describes herself as
a strict, disciplinarian, and loving
mom.
She says the secret is positive affirmation and compliments
,and letting the boys know that
they don’t need to be perfect.
Still, AJ has fears.
“That I am not going to
raise my boys masculine enough,
that I don’t instill in them enough
values, that I can’t be both mom
and dad sometimes,” admits the
Darna star who returned to the
Philippines last year after 17 long
years.
AJ can only look to the future with hope. When the boys
become fathers, too, AJ will give
them this advice: “Love your
children with all your heart, especially while they are young; be
patient and think with your head,
as well as your heart.”
Jesus Christ is her “Superstar”
by Robbie Pangilinan
Vancouver- Former stage
and television actress Mari-Len
Martinez became known for her
performance as Mary Magdalene
in the Philippine staging of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock opera
musical “Jesus Christ Superstar
in 1971.
Famous theatre, stage and
movie director Behn Cervantes
himself who directed the unforgettable musicale at the Meralco
Theatre said Mari-Len was one
of his most spectacular performers. In an article he wrote for the
Business World a couple of years
back, Cervantes said, “She was
so adept in singing that ABSCBN hired her to do her own
television show after they heard
her sing “I Don’t Know How To
Love Him in one of the noontime
shows as a part of the publicity of
the musical.
The
Spanish-AmericanFilipina artist was approached by
the management and invited to
host a show self titled “Mari-Len”
which was directed throughout its length of time on TV by
very talented directors like Maria
Montelibano, Johnny Manahan,
Mitos Villareal and Oscar Villar.
The show also had very colorful
themes each week and featured
most of the famous artists of that
decade.
Mari-Len accepted a few
movie offers while concentrating
on her TV and Stage career. Her
heart was not really into movie
making and wanted just to see
what it was like. The first was a
movie filmed with then rising star
Victor Wood where she played his
co-star called “Rockfest” a musical. Then there were two others
where she played cameo roles
with stars like Nora Aunor and
Eddie Rodriguez in “Pagibig Ko’y
Awitin Mo” in 1977 and Sharon
Cuneta in “Pasan Ko Ang Daidig”
in 1986.
Writer Oskar Salazar wrote
in a 1972 Billboard article that
Mari-Len’s signing fee is “one of
the highest here” pertaining to
her single debut of “If You Could
Read My mind”
Before her life in showbiz,
Mari-Len concentrated most of
her time outside of her studies,
in her love for Flamenco Dancing. Her mentor was none other
than the master of the art ... Maestro Ruben Nieto who after several years of training left her in
charge of the entire school as he
retired to Spain ... the homeland
of most Spanish Filipinos.
While enjoying a professional career, she became a
mother of three children, two of
which are sons of a now-famous
“Teleserye” actor in the Philippines.
On the 16th of July of 1986
Mari-Len’s life took a wonderful turn when she was invited to
participate in a Christian concert
by some friends in the neighborhood. While listening to a gospel
song she was supposed to sing
entitled “Because Of Who You
Are” she had a personal encoun-
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ter with the presence of the Lord
in the privacy of her home. Since
then Jesus Christ indeed has become the “Superstar” of her life.
Consequently she began
her ministry life in the US in
1988, traveling with different
ministries all over. Today at 65,
she remains single and continues being blessed by all the great
things God is doing. “I am focused on God and my vision of
evangelism. My joy is to do what
He called me to do and finish the
job. Serving God is my life ... no
other,” says Mali, as she is called
by those who know her well. Now
after 3 children, 6 grandchildren
and 3 great grandchildren.
Last year Mari-Len came
back to the Philippines for a visit
after 22 years. While there &P