RICO YAN

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Macapagal to visit Rico Yan's Wake PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will visit young actor Rico Yan's wake at La Salle Greenhills in Mandaluyong City, dzBB radio said on Monday. Ms Macapagal, however, did not indicate the specific day of her visit, the report said. Yan's interment rites are scheduled for Thursday, April 4. Yan, who turned 27 on March 14, died on March 29 at the Dos Palmas resort in Palawan, while he was spending the Easter holidays with friends. The young actor was found dead Friday morning by friend and showbiz colleague Dominic Ochoa at the second floor of a garden cottage at the resort, known as the site where the Abu Sayyaf kidnapped local and foreign guests, including resort employees, in May 2001. Autopsy reports indicated the actor's death was due to ruptured pancreas leading to cardiac arrest. Yan's remains presently lie at La Salle Greenhills' main chapel. A growing number of Yan's showbiz fans are flocking the chapel to pay their last respects to their matinee idol. Public viewing of Yan's body would continue until Wednesday, with fixed schedules from 8AM to 5PM. The late actor's Thursday interment is at the Manila Memorial Park along Sucat Road, Paranaque.
Rico Yan autopsy report: No drugs - little alcohol THE autopsy conducted on matinee idol Rico Yan showed no trace of drugs and only a small amount of alcohol, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory reiterated yesterday. Chief Superintendent Marlowe Pedregosa, chief of the PNP Crime Laboratory, said two civilian and four police coroners found no trace of drugs in the blood taken from the actor who died while on vacation in Palawan on Good Friday last week. "Based on the toxicological content, (it showed) a very small amount of ethyl alcohol (of about) 0.7 percent which is equivalent to two bottles of beer or two shots of whiskey," Pedregosa said. Pedregosa quoted the report of Inspector Winston Tan who performed the autopsy on Yan on Saturday, or a day after Yan died at the Dos Palmas resort in Palawan. He said Yan could not even be considered "intoxicated" because the alcohol content of his blood was way below the 0.16 percent required by law. "The findings, as per the medico-legal report, (show) Yan died of cardiac arrest secondary to acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis. In layman's terms, it is bangungot," Pedregosa said. Pedregosa released the autopsy report to squelch persistent rumors that Yan actually died of an overdose of the designer drug Ecstasy. He said the autopsy findings corroborated the separate examination conducted by a team of two physicians from the St. Luke's Medical Center, initiated by Yan's family. The actor's remains now lie at the chapel of his old high school, La Salle Greenhills and is set to be interred at the Manila Memorial Park in Paranaque City on Thursday. Paranaque City police chief Superintendent Ruben Catabona said he expects thousands to attend the burial of the actor and police are now developing a traffic plan which is expected to be completed today. Yan, 27, died early in the morning of March 29 at Dos Palmas where he was on Holy Week vacation with five friends, including fellow actor Dominic Ochoa. Ochoa said their group attended a party on Thursday night and they went back to their cottage at around 2 a.m. Friday. The five friends slept together in one big room, with Yan occupying the loft because he was a snorer. At around 6 a.m., Yan was heard groaning but his companions dismissed it as mere snoring. When Ochoa tried to wake Yan up at past 9, he was already dead. A doctor who was also vacationing at the resort tried but failed to resuscitate Yan. He was declared dead on arrival at the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital in Puerto Princesa City. Phil. Star News Service
Hundreds of thousands attend actor Rico Yan's funeral Shrieking fans, young and old, reached to hundreds of thousands as they waited at the road of northern suburban San Juan up to southern suburban Paranaque, for the hearse of movie actor Rico Yan, who was buried at the Manila Memorial Park Thursday afternoon. "He is the new young icon. Too bad, he is gone," said Sonia Maderazo, a fan from an exclusive Catholic School. A disgruntled anti-government activist said on radio, "I think God took him away so that he could no longer campaign and support president Gloria Arroyo." Yan was appointed ambassador of the youth sector by former president Joseph Estrada. He was one of the more popular actors from the upper class, who sided with then Vice President Gloria Arroyo, after the aborted ending of Estrada's Senate impeachment trial late 2000. Arroyo appointed Yan as a spokesman of the education department, an easy task for the well-educated matinee idol. He was the grandson of General and former ambassador Manuel Yan, a former government peace negotiator during the time of ex-President Fidel Ramos. He was also a young philanthropist. Three years ago, he organized the Rico Yan Foundation which has been giving funds to the marginalized and the poor. "He was such a sweet young man," said a relative. He would often knock on the door of his parent"s bedroom for a morning chat. "He would lie between them during the early morning chat," the relative said. Yan became a dream-child for all parents during the one-week wake. A large TV network showed him giving a new car to his dad. "He wanted his parents to know that the car came from him and his three other siblings," said a sister. He was also a romantic figure. His failed love story with actress Claudine Barreto was a favourite theme during the wake. It added poignancy to the death of a young actor with a promising career. "knows how much I love him," said Baretto in an interview. "He did not keep his promise again," she complained while sobbing on camera. They were engaged and were scheduled for marriage in December 2002. Early March they had a much-publicized fight. They were estranged during his birthday last March 15. Before he went to Dos Palmas resort in Palawan, southwestern Philippines, late March," told me he was sorry. I also said sorry. We promised to see each other after the Holy Week, talk again and find out where we would go from there, said Baretto. She was sedated and hospitalized after she learned about his death on Holy Friday. She hinted she would commit suicide. The two co-starred in the popular movie entitled, "Got to believe in magic." Star studded burial Yan's burial was star-studded. Singer Gary Valenciano's son, entitled Warrior Child, mesmerized many actors and actresses, fans, and relatives who praised Yan for a being a good Christian. "I lost a son, but obviously this (congregation) is one whole family. Every single person he touched is family," Rico's mother said. "I am crying because now it makes sense -- Rico died because it was part of God's perfect will," she said as her voice broke. "Rico said he wanted to be like former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, saying JFK inspired his people, and gave America a sense of pride," said the actor's spiritual adviser Jesuit priest Tito Caluag who officiated the mass for the actor at San Juan's La Salle Greenhills chapel where the wake was also held. "Rico even told me, I have find my Jackie O (Onassis)," recalled the priest, adding that Rico was excited to start anew after his trip to Palawan. "Yan was a man with a vision, a leader who only wanted to serve," said Caluag, who painted a different Yan who had been extolled as a handsome, happy-go-lucky matinee idol with a soaring career in show business. Yan's brother Bobby who works for ABS CBN, the country's largest TV network, complained about wrong reports on Yan being a drug dependent and a “girl-friend beater. "These are nasty reports coming from evil-minded people,"said Bobby. The march to the burial ground began at nine in the morning and ended at past one in the afternoon. Many said it was the country's largest crowd since the funeral march of former Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. in 1983. At the cemetery, relatives and friends offered white tulips and orchids on his casket. As the offertory was going on, thousands of fans cordoned off near the fence, shouted, "Farewell Rico, We love you." Fans admitted having stayed out late Wednesday night at the cemetery to wait for Yan's arrival. He was buried beside his grandmother at the family-owned mausoleum.
Deceased Philippine Actor Rico Yan Tops Yahoo Buzz List Even in death, Philippine film industry matinee idol Rico Yan still managed to pull in the crowd as Filipinos all over the globe - curious at his sudden and mysterious demise - came flocking to cyberspace to make him one of last week's top search items on the Yahoo Buzz List. The boyish actor, whose real name is Ricardo Carlos Yan, died of "acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis" last March 29 at the Dos Palmas resort in the island-province of Palawan. He was 27. Yan was the No. 3 buzz leader in the actors and actresses section of the Yahoo Buzz Index for April 2, 3 and 5, outperforming the likes of recent Oscar winners Halle Berry and Jennifer Connelly. Stars Jennifer Lopez and Pamela Anderson occupied the No. 1 and 2 spots, respectively, on those days. This means the dimpled Filipino romantic idol was the third most actively searched movie personality globally on those days. Yan began at No. 5 in the Yahoo list on March 30, a day after his reported death, before moving up at No. 3 two days later. Search portal operator Yahoo said the tally is made by ranking subjects by their buzz score. A subject's buzz score is the percentage of users searching for a subject on a given day, multiplied by a constant to make the number easier to read. Yan's former girlfriend Claudine Barreto, whom the actor broke up with a few days before he died, also figured high in the "movers category" of the Yahoo Buzz Index. Movers are search items that have increased their buzz score over the previous day's score by the greatest percentage. Barreto increased her buzz score on April 2 to become No. 7 in this category, but this was not enough to propel her in the leaders circle where Yan was included among other list-toppers. The survey uses data collected from Yahoo search log files. Although Yahoo keeps the identities of the searchers anonymous, it is widely believed that those who logged in were mostly Filipino overseas workers trying to catch up on some news from back home. It should be noted that Yan is the first Filipino to emerge as a buzz leader since Yahoo started the Buzz Index in September 2000. The high score posted also reflected the deceased actor' popularity as shown during the wake where thousands, including President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, lined up to see his remains. According to Yahoo, all the rankings on the Buzz Index are updated each weekday and reflect the traffic from two days earlier. For example, Wednesday's Buzz Index reflects Monday's searches and clicks. (Twenty-four hours are required to process data and verify results.)
YOUNG actor Rico Yan died of natural causes, police said Saturday. "The doctors said there was no foul play," said Director Edgar Aglipay, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office, citing autopsy findings by physicians of the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory and St. Luke's Hospital. Aglipay added: "According to the doctors it's acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis resulting (in) cardiac arrest. In short, he died in his sleep, parang (like) bangungot." Asked how Yan, identified in police reports as Ricardo Bautista Carlos, came to suffer the ailment, Aglipay said the actor's pancreas "could have given way after going scuba diving and consuming a lot of food later." He also sought to downplay the bruise found on the left side of Yan's face, saying: "It's a minor bruise. The doctors tried to find out if this had any effect, but found none." Aglipay said doctors of the PNP Crime Laboratory and St. Luke's Medical Center conducted separate autopsies on the body at the Arlington Funeral Homes in Quezon City "to dispel any problems later," and issued the same findings. Chief Supt. Jose Marlowe Pedregoza, director of the PNP Crime Laboratory, confirmed Aglipay's statement. "There's nothing unusual in his death. There's no foul play," Pedregoza said.
Got to believe in Rico The first and only time I met Rico Yan in person was at my wife's high school class homecoming at St. Theresa's College a few years ago. He was the featured entertainer in the musical variety show--and he was proudly introduced as the son of a Theresian. He was still a budding performer then but it was obvious that he had star quality. On my way to an out-of-town Rotary speaking engagement two weeks ago, I read a scoop on his reported break-up with long-time girlfriend Claudine Barretto. My wife and daughter were disappointed that the Sunday afternoon showbiz talk shows did not cover this major event but consoled themselves with the thought that Rico Yan would surely be the main fare on Easter Sunday, March 31. When I received a text message about his death in Dos Palmas resort just after I began watching the Seven Last Words on cable TV last Good Friday, I simply replied to the sender, "Sana hindi totoo." ("I hope it isn't true.") I was hoping it was similar to the hoax on Pope John Paul II's reported death two years ago. Text messages, after all, are not always true or reliable. But as it turned out, this piece of information was, indeed, true. While the cruel death of veteran actress Nida Blanca five months ago also stirred up a well of emotions, the sudden death of this young matinee idol has generated an even stronger groundswell of sentiments among Filipinos from virtually all walks of life. The long queues at his wake at La Salle Greenhills provide an augury of what could be an equally massive turnout of mourners at his funeral. (This piece is being written a day before his scheduled burial.) Why are so many of us touched by the death of Rico Yan? It is simply because, as we now realize, he has touched so many lives. A 10-year-old cerebral palsy patient stopped eating when she learned of his death. She could not be mollified until she saw her idol's remains last Monday after queuing with her mom for a few hours. She carried a picture showing Rico cheering her up not too long ago. Mr. Ted Jurado, one of his former teachers, recalled how the young actor Rico became a friend to him and his family many years later. Even my driver Rocky is an avid Rico Yan fan. He was the driver of one of the back-up vehicles in Rico's promotional tour for one of the mobile phone brands. At the end of the hectic tour, Rico just sought him out and gave him a brand-new cell phone. In a very real sense, the Rico Yan phenomenon was spawned by his extraordinary emotional intelligence. "Pinapasarap niya ang feeling ng lahat," recalled fellow actor Marvin Agustin. ("He made everyone feel better.") Both Marvin and Rico's spiritual adviser, Fr. Tito Caluag, SJ, said they sincerely believed that Rico could have become president of the Philippines. And almost everyone would say that "he is already in heaven" because in so many of his random deeds, he was truly a person for others. My daughter regards him as a role model in the aspect of wisely investing his earnings in viable entrepreneurial ventures such as, among others, Tequila Joe's restaurant and Orbitz pearl shakes. His lolo, former Ambassador Manuel Yan, admires his discipline and his being goal-focused. He finished college before immersing himself full-time in show business. His talent manager Biboy Arboleda says that he was an ideal young actor who demonstrated that one could excel as an entertainer while being a full-time college student. Rico Yan represented the antithesis to the anti-hero syndrome of run-of-the mill entertainers in Philippine show business. He was not the prototypical bad boy who would figure in bar brawls or brushes with the police or security guards. He did not squander away his earnings in extravagance or vain pursuits. He did not figure in scandalous, intrigue-filled romantic entanglements even if he carried on a four-year relationship with an equally well-known actress. He proved to all and sundry that one could be a good actor-entertainer and be a truly good and decent human being, a role model especially to other young people aspiring to fulfill their dreams. When asked in a TV talk show about his ultimate goal, he replied that he would be happiest if "I have served as an inspiration to others. Kahit wala na ako, kung naging inspirasyon ako sa iba, parang nandoon pa rin ako." ("Even if I'm not here anymore, if I've been an inspiration to others, it's as if I'm still around.") Now he haunts us with the thought that, indeed, as he sang in the theme song of his blockbuster movie barely a month ago, we have "got to believe in magic." Is the Rico Yan phenomenon all "media hype" as observed by veteran journalist Teodoro Benigno? I beg to disagree with Teddyman. I don't think this is simply a case where a young celebrity has "pre-empted that void" created by what he sees as a dearth of political heroes in the mold of Ninoy Aquino. In my view, Rico Yan is a legitimate modern-day hero, especially if we're willing to reframe our paradigm of heroism. Heroism is not reserved only for political or military leaders who impress the multitudes with their swashbuckling and flamboyant moves. No, he wasn't perfect nor flawless. As even Fr. Tito Caluag attests, he was struggling with the shadows of the soul and the darker elements of mind and body even unto the last days of his brief life. Yet Rico Yan looms large in the consciousness of the masses who watched him in a daily noonday show and several nightly telenovelas, a clutch of top-grosser movies, and a few high-profile commercials. And this was because he exuded sincerity and authenticity. He did many ordinary things extraordinarily well. And above all, he projected a sense of selflessness in a realm that is driven by selfishness and self-delusion. Now he haunts us with the thought that, indeed, as he sang in the theme song of his latest blockbuster movie, we have "got to believe in magic."