Ms. Jo-Ann will forever be grateful to Douglas Quijano for helping her establish two of Summit Media's most successful products. She was already a top journalist long before YES! was conceived, having written stories and columns on everything from Philippine politics to showbiz celebs. And she had a sense of the challenges that lay ahead.
"Nung unang binuo ang YES!, he did not need us, we needed him. Kasi magsisimula ako ng isang entertainment magazine, ibang laro yan, e—ibang mga players, ibang mga rules.
"So, I needed guidance because I needed not to make too many mistakes, so, that the movement forward of the magazine ay maging tuluy-tuloy. Kasi pag masyado kang maraming natatapakang land mines—may kinausap ka na mali, meron kang nasabi na mali, kumonekta ka sa isa na kaaway ng isa—pag ginawa mo 'yon, e di lalong naantala yung pag-usad ng magazine. I was thinking of all those things, and I didn't know anybody who would help me na walang hihingin na kapalit."
There was no contract, no formal title for Tito Dougs, to start with. The veteran talent manager just kept guiding her in YES!.
"Kasi hindi ko naman naisip kaagad na editorial consultant siya, e. Nung tumulong na siya nang tumulong, doon naisip na ibigay yung title, which he never asked for: Editorial Consultant of YES!."
Tito Dougs always found the right words to motivate a friend.
"There was a time during the first two years of YES!, that I was feeling down and depressed because ang hirap makakuha ng shoots para sa YES!," recalls Ms. Jo-Ann.
Seeing how determined Ms. Jo-Ann was in spite of rejection by different talent managers for her photo shoots, Douglas gave her encouraging words that now sound prophetic: "Douglas would come up to me and say, 'Don't worry, Jo-Ann. Now, you're the one that needs them, you're the one that calls them. The time will come when they will need you and they will come and want to be featured in YES!."
Given Ms. Jo-Ann's hard drive to always come out with quality photos and stories about the entertainment world and with Tito Dougs' guidance, YES! became the dominant brand among the local entertainment magazines. Its reputation rubbed off on PEP's launching years later. Tito Dougs was also named editorial consultant for PEP.
Although Tito Dougs hardly knew how to use a computer and probably never logged on to www.pep.ph,
"He would say, 'O, Jo-Ann, okey na pala ang PEP natin ngayon, ha. Basta may issue, sasabihin nung napagtanungan ko, o, nasa PEP. Nasa PEP na!'
"Sasabihin ko naman, 'E, kasi hindi mo binubuksan 'yang computer mo.' Pero consultant siya sa PEP," narrated Ms. Jo-Ann.
PASSING IT FORWARD. Not everyone knows how Tito Dougs returned all the material blessings he received by helping other people, especially those in his adopted hometown Lucban.
After meeting for the first time in 1979, Douglas and Ces Evangelista bonded instantly. "Marami pala kaming things in common. Marami kaming pinagkakasunduan...arts, music, movies, halos lahat. Hanggang sa lagi na kaming nag-iinuman at laging nag-a-out-of-town or out-of-the country."
Ces was also one of the people Tito Dougs inspired and encouraged to try other fields. Like Douglas, Ces tried handling talents when he managed the careers of Melissa Mendez, Richard Quan, John Apacible, Alma Concepcion and Francine Prieto. He also ventured into film directing after consulting with Douglas. The two were best buddies.
"Sumasama-sama lang kasi ako kapag niyayaya niya ako sa mga gimikan. Hindi ko alam noon na best friend niya na pala ako. 'Pag pinapakilala na niya ako sa ibang tao, ang sinasabi niya, 'Si Ces, best friend ko.' Siyempre, honored ako na best friend pala ako ni Douglas Quijano," says Ces.
That's why, during the last months of Douglas, it was Ces who saw all the good things he was doing as a semi-retired talent manager.
