IT’S not at all “goodbye, showbiz!” for Derek Ramsay as the Filipino-British actor has an entry to this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival to watch out for — “(K)ampon.”

As the very title suggests, it apparently is a horror film. If I’m not mistaken, this is the same project originally offered to Kris Aquino (during her healthier days, of course) opposite Derek. For some reason, the plan fizzled out.

It will be remembered that the onslaught of the global pandemic in 2020 had sidelined Derek.

It was by choice that he had ditched a couple of TV and film assignments with the gnawing fear that he might contract the dreaded virus (yet he was not spared anyway).

Derek’s decision to turn his back on showbiz has rubbed off on his wife Ellen Adarna whose last appearance was via a short-lived sitcom on TV.

It is pretty understandable why the couple would rather sacrifice their showbiz career and do a lot of traveling: they got the means.

Isn’t this what Derek’s erstwhile buddy John Estrada once said of him: “He’s actually rich”?

No, Derek having lots and lots of it has nothing to do with his self-imposed retirement. More than ever, Derek feels like working on his own terms, and at his own pace.

Can he not be his own boss? Doesn’t he have the right to set his own rules?

Any curious movie buff, however, cannot help but ask what was it that made Derek stage a showbiz comeback? Is his forthcoming festival entry something he hasn’t done before?

Is it because of his leading lady Beauty Gonzales, his wife Ellen’s close friend — them being both Visayans?

Or does Derek feel it’s about time he got back on his toes, and there’s no better time than Christmas? Does it mean we’ll be seeing much of Derek in the coming holidays and beyond?

What about Ellen, isn’t she just as eager-beaver to make her screen presence felt all over again, at least before she plans to get pregnant in the Year of the Dragon?

With all the network collaborations going on these days, Derek and Ellen may want to take advantage of these.

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SOME years back, Piolo Pascual and Shaina Magdayao were an item.

Little did people, however, know that they had one thing in common: both wanted to serve God — Piolo as priest; Shaina as nun.

When he was still Catholic, Piolo dreamt of entering priesthood. He eventually had a change of heart when he became a practicing Christian: he had settled for wanting to become a pastor.

Piolo’s spiritual adviser, however, snapped him out of it saying he could still serve God even if he stuck to being an actor.

There isn’t much of a difference in Shaina’s case. Having begun her showbiz career at the age of 7, Shaina was too overwhelmed with the way she had it all coming her way.

Shaina admits to not having to queue up for auditions. She easily got what she wanted, even way before she asked for it.

She hardly understood what her purpose in life was though. All she knew was that entering a convent would provide the answer she sought to her nagging question.

It took a Cory Vidanes to enlighten her, “I still remember her words: ‘You can still serve God even with your showbiz work’.”

It was only then did Shaina realize that sharing her God-given talent is, in fact, a way of fulfilling much of her dream, at least close to being a good-natured God’s disciple, “I’ve never felt this happy since then.”