The contract-signing that took place yesterday, January 25, at the VIVA office in Ortigas, Pasig City, was Annabelle Rama's way of taking a load off her shoulders.

She is still going to handle the movie and television projects of her children Ruffa, Richard, and Raymond.

But the endorsements are now under boss Vic del Rosario.

Annabelle talked about what led her to such a decision: "Wala nang nag-aasikaso sa endorsements ng mga anak ko kasi nahihiya talaga ako.

"Pag may tumatawag sa 'kin, may mga words silang sinasabi, di ko naiintindihan.

"Sabi ko... talagang shoots, ganyan-ganyan... So sabi ko, teka, magtatanong muna ako.

"E, lahat naman tinatanungan ko, lalo na pag mga commercial, mga bagay na ganyan, di nila ma-explain sa akin."

According to her, three transactions did not materialize because "di magkasundo."

The Gutierrez matriarch elaborated, "Yung kontrata, hirap ako umintindi kasi lawyer ko naman, ibang pananaw niya sa ano... Sa kontrata nakuha namin kasi hindi namin ano yung ganun... Kasi, criminal case yung lawyer.

"Ay, basta ako, hirap na hirap kaya tuwang-tuwa ako, si Boss Vic nag-offer sa 'kin."

HOW THE PARTNERSHIP CAME ABOUT. In a meeting that Annabelle called "emergency, urgent," the top honcho of VIVA formally took the place of the late Douglas Quijano.

Annabelle said, "Si Richard, pagpasok pa lang niyang Click, ibinigay ko na siya kay Douglas. Ikaw na mag-manage kay Chard kasi lalaki.

"Sabi niya, 'Ikaw na lang diyan sa ano sa movie saka TV, ako na lang sa commercials. Nagkasundo kami ni Douglas no'n.

"Pagkatapos, marami siyang endorsements 'binigay kay Richard, super dami..."

In June 2009 came the sudden death of Tito Dougs—the name by which the much-loved and respected talent manager was known in the biz.