Holoprosencephaly: BB Gandanghari: From Prince to Princess

It should have been the night for the Gawad Urian winners, but to some extent, the show was stolen by another celebrity, BB Gandanghari, one of the presentors in the recently held Gawad Urian Awards at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The media is still in a frenzy that the debonair Rustom Padilla they once knew has now completely evolved as a beauteous lady. Immaculately attired in a glittery long-sleeved turtleneck, with matching long satin-pants and sprightly stiletto, BB Gandanghari arrived at the CCP complete with her retinue of alalays and motorcycled escorts. Then as soon as she was through presenting the award, she darted off the stage of the CCP and into the swarm of reporters and adoring fans waiting for her outside the theater.

BB willingly posed ala-Audrey Hepburn in front of the cameras, their flashes highlighting the beauty of the once controversial actor now turned actress. All traces of the Rustom Padilla has been annihilated and one cannot fail to appreciate the completion of her evolution--from the boyish-looking debonair Rustom to that of a tinseltown princess BB.

"Rustom Padilla is dead, " says BB proudly. "You are looking now at a completely different person" This remark obviously pleased the fans and press due to its figurative nature. Indeed, ever since Rustom finally revealed in the reality show Pinoy Big Brother that he was gay, bakla, bading, jokla, sho-ke, or whatever you call a transgender, he has always been top news. Rustom Padilla is no more.

Back then, his older brother Robin Padilla, the bad boy of Philippine movies, had been hurt to finally know the truth about Rustom. Robin was in Baguio training for his Totoy Bato role when he heard the news on television. "I just hit the punching bag as hard as I can, to express my anger" he said. All along Robin knew he had a handsome brother, chased by adoring female fans, envied by men, and married to Carmina Villaroel, considered one of the most beautiful women in the industry. And then came the shocking revelation that Rustom was actually a "sister".

The other brother Rommel Padilla vehemently objected to BB's announcement of the death of her Rustom identity. "Parang hindi maganda pakinggan e. May namatay. Para sakin e di parang namatay na rin ako, si Robin at si Royette"

But even more devastating was sibling Royette's condemnation: "He's (Rustom) crazy, and a disgrace to our family. He should subject himself to psychiatric treatment for his own good". For a few months a sort of chasm existed between BB and the other brothers who could not accept the fact that they had a "sister" they had not known all along.

The vehement reaction of Rustom's siblings may have taken its roots from the fact that the Padilla brothers are considered by many as among the living macho symbols of Philippine movies. For BB to hide the truth for so long may have been felt as a betrayal by the family--especially by his three brothers.

Be that as it may, however, blood is still thicker than water. After a few months of silence, Robin finally accepted Rustom's metamorphosis. The other Padilla brothers followed suit, because they really cannot abandon Rustom who now calls himself BB Gandanghari. Now BB feels that she was "accepted" by her family. Last May, for instance, they had a happy family reunion during her niece Rebecca's birthday party. At first, BB was hesitant to approach her brothers, but Royette made the initiative. He hugged BB and called her "sister".

Their mother Eva was there, too, and she complimented BB for her fabulous attire and beautiful make-up. "She even asked my advice on which make-up would best suit her" BB says smiling. All in all it was a family affair that healed the hurt and closed the rift. Thus the cliche that all's well that ends well.

Then one early morning last September, BB woke up to find a brand new 2009 Honda CRV parked in front of her home. It was a gift from Robin Padilla, a peace offering perhaps, but a sure sign of the smoother things to follow. Robin had finally accepted and supported his brother's coming out. "We [Robin and I] plan to make a comeback movie", says the beaming BB, "It's been such a long time since we've worked together. There is no definite storyline yet, but we already have some concrete ideas."

And so now here at the Gawad Urian Awards, BB looks happy, glowing in the limelight., mesmerizing the fans and press with her charisma. "Acceptance of my family is all that I have ever wanted, and they have granted me that wish. What more can I ask for? I am free and I'm very happy", BB says as she boarded her brand new car to her new-found freedom.

Indeed, if one is to judge through the glimmer of joy in her eyes, one can finally say that BB Gandanghari has attained the verisimilitude of happiness that had eluded her for so long. And for all that, justifies the meaning of her new name BB: Be all that you can be.