andy Santiago expressed his concern over the tough times his friend Willie Revillame is going through due to the Ultra tragedy. "I texted him that he should hold on and just pray. Matatapos din ang lahat na'ng ito," Randy told the Manila Bulletin at his album launching event last Tuesday at Ratsky's Tomas Morato in Quezon City.

It will be recalled that Randy, Willie and John Estrada hosted the first in the series of "Magandang Tanghali Bayan" shows before the ABS–CBN noontime show was finally replaced by "Wowowee" a year ago. More than sharing hosting stints, Randy said, he treasures his friendship with Willie. "Hindi kami nagkukulang ng pagpapayo kay Willie. Lagi akong nandyan para sa kanya kahit ano pa'ng problemang meron siya. Lalo na ngayon," added Mr. Shades who also disclosed that he had just attended the Christening of Willie's baby a few days before the tragedy.

Randy, who is celebrating 20 years in show business via greatest hits "Beinte Na, Hihirit Pa" under Vicor Music, revealed that he couldn't describe the shock that hit him when he learned about the tragedy. "I was part of ‘MTB' also at bilang naging bahagi ng show, napakabigat sa kalooban tanggapin ang nangyari, lalo na sa part ni Willie. Nung nalaman ko ang nangyari, hindi ko na nakuhang tawagan siya pero nag–text agad ako just to make sure na alam niyang nandito kami para sa kanya."

Randy also pleaded to Willie's detractors and critics saying, " Sana wala nang sisihan kasi pare–pareho naman nating ayaw mangyari yon. Walang may kagustuhan sa pangyayari. I'm sure there are lessons learned in all that has happened so let's take it from there and rise above what happened."

Asked whether he now gets scared in mounting live concerts because of the tragedy, Randy rationalized, "It's a different case when you hold concerts where tickets are being sold at concert prices. Yung nangyari sa ‘Wowowee,' free yung admission so naturally mas maraming taong nagpunta doon. I think iba ang paying crowd. I think it's inherent sa mga tao to want to win in shows like ‘Wowowee' kaya nagkaroon ng aksidente."

On a lighter note, Randy wrote "Never Will There Be Another One Like You" for brother Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barretto's wedding march on March 27. "It's my wedding gift to them. I can see that they are happy together. Raymart is a very loving father to their Sabina so I wish them all the blessings and love."

Randy's 20–year career is captured in the two–disc album featuring Randy's best hits ("Babaero," "Siguro," "Yakap–Yakap," "Pagod Na Puso," "Hindi Magbabago," etc.) and the upbeat carrier track "'Wag Kang Aanga–Anga."

Randy concluded jokingly, "Actually, yun ang advice ko kay Raymart, ‘wag kang aanga–anga."

Hunger: Jay Taruc's ‘I-Witness' anniversary documentary

Hunger has become an everyday occurrence for a growing number of our population. The latest SWS survey says 16.7% of Filipinos regularly experience going hungry.

In this documentary airing tonight, Jay Taruc discovers what it is like to feel prolonged hunger. For seven days, he lives with families who have dozens of mouths to feed but nothing to serve on their tables.

Dizziness and headaches greet him on his first day. Two days later, he begins to feel desperate ... ready to do almost anything for a decent meal. As each day passes, he loses a pound off the scale.

The families he lives with consider themselves lucky when they get to eat rice and sardines. More often than not, they eat a single meal of hot water with their rice or "kaninbaw." On one occasion, Jay encounters the father of his host family in tears, not knowing where to get the next meal for his thirteen children.

One week of hunger changes Jay Taruc's perspective forever ... and is sure to affect viewers the same way. In this groundbreaking documentary, one experiences extreme poverty in its rawest, most physical form. This anniversary episode of "I-Witness"airs Monday night over GMA-7.

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