Raymond Bagatsing says chasing his Hollywood dream allowed him to find himself

Rose Garcia

Sunday, September 26, 2010 @ 06:48PM | 86 views

After four years in the United States, Raymond Bagatsing's first public appearance was graced by the presence of his girlfriend, Mexican-American singer-composer Ilka Cortes (left). Asked if they're marrying soon, the twice-married, twice-divorced actor said: "The fact na dinala ko siya rito is one big step. Yung iharap ko sa inyo. Kasi, after ni Lara [Fabregas, ex-wife], wala na akong hinarap sa inyo na kahit sino. Kung ano-ano pang tsismis na lumalabas na kesyo naglaladlad daw ako!" he laughed.

Photo By: Marinel Cruz

Nagulat kami nang makita namin si Raymond Bagatsing sa taping ng Paparazzi kahapon, September 25, sa Visual Lights Studio sa Makati. Wala kasing balita na nasa bansa na pala ang award-winning actor.

Ilang taon din siyang namalagi sa Amerika at naging kontrobersyal nang malamang nagpakasal siya sa 60-year-old U.S.-based Filipino columnist na si Cora Pastrana.

Hindi pa rin nauubusan ng sorpresa si Raymond. Laking gulat uli namin nang ipakilala niyang girlfriend ang kasama niya sa taping ng Paparazzi, na si Ilka Cortes, isang Mexican-American.

MARRIED FOR LOVE. Kaya ang tanong namin sa kanya, what happened to his marriage with Cora?

"Past is past," nakangiti naman niyang sabi. "Wala na, tapos na."

Diretso na naming sinabi sa kanya na nang mabalitaan ang pagpapakasal niya kay Cora, nagdulot ito ng iba't ibang ispekulasyon at komento. Karamihan ay nagsasabing baka "marriage of convenience" lang ang nangyari sa kanila ng kolumnista.

"Yun ang tingin nila...," ang sagot ni Raymond.

Pero para sa kanya, "You marry people because of love.

"Of course!" tahasan pa niyang sinabi. "Why would you marry someone if it's not because of love?"

Marami kasing kumuwestiyon kung talagang posible raw bang na-in love siya sa isang babaeng doble ang edad sa kanya?

"Posible, posible! Sabi ko nga, e, age doesn't matter. If you don't mind, then it doesn't matter."

Ayon kay Raymond, na isang green-card holder na mula Disyembre 2009, nag-divorce sila ni Cora less than a year after their wedding. Pero maayos naman daw ang kanilang paghihiwalay.

"Good friends... we're good friends," sabi nga niya.

Isang buwan na pala siya sa bansa pero hindi raw muna siya nagpapaka-visible sa showbiz.

"Siyempre kasi, uunahin ko ang pamilya ko. Four years kaming hindi nagkita, so, hindi ko inuna ang showbiz, hindi ko inuna ang interview. Na-miss ko ang Pilipinas, na-miss ko ang pagda-drive sa Pilipinas.

1 2 3 4 Next »

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Actor Raymond Bagatsing marries 60-year-old columnist in U.S. December 03, 2008 10:39 AM

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"Hollywood Dream" writer refutes Julia Clarete's statements August 12, 2007 09:40 AM

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44 Comments Show / Hide Comments

44

maryclaire

11/23/2010 | 03:01 PM

kung si gabby c nga nag-asawa for the sake of green card eh. dami naman ipokrita/o dito.

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43

magandaako11

11/20/2010 | 12:50 AM

tama c raymond hndi nmn tlga msaya don, maganda lang sy sa tv panoorin akala mo ang saya saya at ang ganda ganda ng bansa na yan pero mahirap rin mabuhay..

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42

pusotisipmo

11/18/2010 | 07:31 PM

magaling syang actor,,sana magbalik sya anyhow at more tv series at movies,,well,,madami naman nagsasabing gamitan ang relasyon nila ni cora na nagpakasal sa gamitan na rason,hehe,,di naman natin maloloko ang tao sa ganun,as in!itong si raymond parang si PHILIP SALVADOR,mahilig at gamitero,wala ding takot sa dyos kaya sira at lutang ang buhay,,kung sino sino nalang,,wala bang anak ito,.kaloka sya!kawawa mga babae nya,,nasa edad na di pa umayos,,wag nyang hahayaan na balikan sya ng karma at ni god sa pinangagawa nya s alife nya,,hes a briliant actor1wag syang pasira,,better makilala ni raymond si god at magbasa ng bible,,hayyy..

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41

nicolove11

09/28/2010 | 10:10 PM

Iyong mga nag co-comments dito as if it is a sin to marry a 60 year old men or women. Please bear in mind, you too will someday reach that age and hopefully when that time comes,you will still be as lovely as Cora. Isang bagay lang ang nangyayari sa lahat ng tao sa buong mundo, lahat tayo tumatanda.

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Monicafer

09/28/2010 | 09:28 AM

Delikadong marevoke ang GC nitong si Raymond. Mahigpit ang INS ngayon, hindi dapat na nagpainterview siya.

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catalina

09/28/2010 | 09:07 AM

naku baka maunsyami yung resident alien application niya sa amerika sa mga pinasasabi niya sa interview...ngek! tingnan natin kung ano next balita pagbalik niya sa tate, or sa next schedule or meeting niya with INS...yung immigration sa amerika ngayon sobrang strikto na.

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showbizdak

09/28/2010 | 08:58 AM

juiceme pinagkakaguluhan itong GC. as if naman green card, voila, equals red carpet of opportunities. kelan ba naging all-purpose solution yan?! dami ngang natural born citizens mismo na walang mahanap na trabaho at naghihirap. it always looks like the pasture is greener on the other side of the fence.

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37

bealls

09/28/2010 | 02:59 AM

Raymond B said he's a green card holder since Dec 2009 but got divorced less than a year after Dec 2008. Does he know that there is a waiting period of 2 years after the first temporary green card is issued? The two year max limit is to establish that the marriage is genuine and not for GC purposes only. If he implies that he was helped by her recent ex-wife just to get the GC, then he might face trouble once he applies for the removal of the temporary green card issued to him last December 2009, which I'll assume the filing would start late next year. I know the process because I am also waiting for my schedule for the removal of my temp GC, if the INS denies this removal application, they may deport you out of the country. Yes, US immigration is aware of these scam between alien and non-US citizen marriages.

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wonderingmind

09/28/2010 | 02:12 AM

To quote: Ang Amerika, nakakabaliw, kasi hindi siya masayang lugar. Ang mga tao, hindi close. Ang mga tao, palaging nangingilatis ng katalinuhan mo, they look down on you. Kasi, ang mga Amerikano, ganoon, e. Mas magana ang isip kesa sa puso.

Very well said! Two weeks ago, I've decided that I've had enough of the American life and so I am homeward bound - for good - in a year. Fifteen years of living and learning here has equipped me to start my career over in my home country.

Best wishes Raymond! Find your self. Find your happiness.

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chardine88

09/27/2010 | 02:19 PM

ang angas ng ichura niya ngayon... samantalang nung kasal niya kay ms cora...... para shang constipated na nauseated na di mo maintindihan.... iba na talga pag may greencard.

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kupalmilyucks

09/27/2010 | 02:14 PM

Hollywood dream? I wonder how he's faring.

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gossipmonger

09/27/2010 | 01:23 PM

he just used the elderly woman to get a green card. siguro may usapan na rin. think in my life and in your eyes.

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perfectcombination

09/27/2010 | 01:12 PM

kanyan kanayang diskarte that is his own life and style. kung saan conveneience sya. we can't do anything. kahit ako kung gusto kung pumunta doon maghahanap din ako kung sino yung maka-pagbigay ng green card sa akin para i feel comfortable hindi ko sasayangin ang effort ko sa pag punta ko doon kasi hindi basta2x na opportunity yun. ang ginagastos hindi tinatanim sa mga bakuran natin. kayo ba hindi mangangarap ng green card kung nandoon na kayo. mga artista nga nanngarap na magkaroon ng permanent residence doon na marami silang pera how much more kung tayo lang na ordinaryo basta2x ka na lang bang pumunta doon aber...

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pep_dropper

09/27/2010 | 12:18 PM

Nothing different from a Filipina, marrying an American guy for green card.

May iba dyan, binabayaran yung Amerikano para maging asawa ng Pinay para lang makapunta sa Amerika.

Hahahaha.... shame.. shame...

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30

shidax

09/27/2010 | 11:39 AM

ayyy baklash din ito....i heard it mga 1990's pa.

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29

rom_05

09/27/2010 | 11:22 AM

medyo na shock talaga ako nung pinakasalan nya yung Lola, kung ano man ang dahilan nya wala na akong pakialam doon. He is a great actor paborito ko na siya dati pa. Sayang lang at umalis siya dito pero marami naman na syang napatunayan so kung kaya talaga nyang mag hollywood goodluck sa kanya.

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28

orangecountykid

09/27/2010 | 10:53 AM

I JUST SW THIS GUY ON SHOWBIZ CENTRAL THIS AFTERNOON AND BASICALLY IMPLIED THAT HIS MARRIAGE TO HIS 60-YEAR OLD WIFE WAS FOR CONVENIENCE ONLY. UNLESS THE RULES HAVE CHANGED RECENTLY, I UNDERSTAND HE SHOULD BE MARRIED FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS BEFORE HE COULD GET HIS TEMPORARY PERMANENT GREENCARD. HE SAID THEY GOT DIVORCED AFTER FOUR MONTHS OF MARRIAGE DID NOT SOUND RIGHT TO ME. IT TAKES MORE THAN FOUR MONTHS TO GET YOUR PAPERS PROCESSED FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH INS SO I DO NOT THINK HIS GUY IS BEING TRUTHFUL. INS CAN STILL REVOKE HIS GREENCARD ONCE THEY IFND OUT THAT HIS MARRIAGE IS NOT FOR REAL. APPARENTLY THIS GUY IS A GOOD ACTOR BUT I DO NOT THINK HE IS SMART ENOUGH TO DISCUSS THESE THINGS ON TV. IF HE DECIDES TO GO BACK TO THE US, HE MIGHT BE PICKED UP FOR QUESTIONING.

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27

divineska

09/27/2010 | 09:15 AM

aiveec

D po sinabing Ilka Cortez is popular sa US. Popular yung mga artist na ginagawan niya ng song. She is mostly behind-the-scenes pero known na rin siya na composer.

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26

malaya2007

09/27/2010 | 08:53 AM

magaling syang actor i love him sa soltera sila ni maricel soriano.

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25

jeff466

09/27/2010 | 08:23 AM

I will do the same for the sake of my family and whatever punishment God will give me I'll take it

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