How the Legend of Philippine Cinema Shocked Her Relatives with an Unusual Will

A Will Nobody Expected

When the Philippines bid farewell to Maria Cristina Bonghanoy Labalan, better known as Vangie Labalan, everyone thought they knew how her 700 million peso fortune would be divided. Philippine media had already described who would inherit real estate around the world and how the heirs would share the rights to her cinematic legacy. It turned out, however, that everyone was wrong — the will was revealed to the family only after Vangie's death, according to her wishes, and brought many surprises.

Notary Luis Gomez, who read Vangie Labalan's will at the headquarters of her charity foundation in Manila, later admitted to journalists: “In my 30 years of career, I've never seen anything like it. When I finished reading the fifth item, there was silence in the room. Then someone asked, ‘Excuse me, what?’”

In the days following the actress's death, the press repeated the same thing: the family would receive the main share of rights to her creative legacy, as had been promised for years. Labalan had always said that her fortune would stay within the family. Technically, she wasn’t lying. It’s just that the family wasn’t the one everyone had thought.

The 700 Million Peso Surprise

51% of the rights to Vangie Labalan's creative legacy were bequeathed to Carlos Santos — Labalan's personal manager, who had become close friends with the actress in the final years of her life. Not a top executive, not a relative, but a friend who lived in a rented apartment in Manila and commuted to work on a scooter.

“Vangie changed her will a year before her death,” says a source close to the family. “No one knew. She just said one day, ‘He understands my mission like none of you do. He’s the only one who could understand me in my last years. That’s it.’”

Santos, who appeared in public only once — at Labalan’s funeral and refused to comment — became a central figure in this story. His colleagues describe him as “a brilliant introvert who knows how to organize any shoot but experiences a panic fear of public speaking.”

But if Carlos gained control over the legacy, what did the official heirs of Vangie Labalan receive?

The Strangest Inheritance in the History of Philippine Show Business

The list of what Vangie Labalan's loved ones inherited looks more like an inventory of a Philippine cinema museum than the will of one of the country’s most famous actresses:

1. Personal Collection of 73 Jewelry Pieces. A variety of rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings that Labalan wore at important events, from her first premiere to her last charity evening in Manila. “With the right to sell, but only to museums and only as a complete set,” Vangie emphasized.

2. Cars. In addition to iconic Porsche models (the oldest dating back to 1963), Labalan had a particular taste for classic retro cars, including several rare 1950s Chevrolet Corvette models. The newest car in the collection is a 1970 Cadillac. All of them are in working condition.

3. Real Estate in Unexpected Locations. A famous villa on the coast of Palawan, penthouses in Manila, a house in the suburbs of Cebu, and a plot of land on Batanes Island, where nothing has yet been built.

4. Access to the Investment Platform and Its Assets. This last point caused the most confusion.

The Secret Passion of the Legend of Philippine Cinema

It turned out that in the last two years of her life, Vangie Labalan became seriously interested in algorithmic trading. But not in the traditional way — without hedge funds or private bankers, only through calls with her personal manager. She used Prime Trade — an automated platform based on artificial intelligence.

“She saw it as an experiment,” says her personal assistant Carlos Santos. “Every morning, after reading news about animal protection, she would open the app and watch how the AI worked. She said it reminded her of shooting her first films — you start the process and watch it unfold on its own.”

In two years on Prime Trade, Labalan earned 700 million pesos. But the most surprising part was that she didn’t spend a single peso. The money simply accumulated on the platform, turning into a kind of digital inheritance.

“She loved the simplicity of use,” recalls Santos. “She would say, ‘I’ve worked and earned money my whole life. Now I just watch how the algorithm works for me. And you know what? Watching it work is much more enjoyable than doing it myself!’”

At 80, Vangie Labalan mastered TikTok to stay connected with the younger generation; at 81, she started investing in eco-friendly startups; and at 82, she discovered Prime Trade. “Stagnation starts when you think you already know everything,” she liked to tell those around her.

Now, her relatives must decide what to do with the 700 million pesos on the platform. According to the will, they all have equal access to the account, but decisions about withdrawing funds must be made unanimously.

One of the heirs has already stated that they want to continue “Vangie's experiment.” Others insist on withdrawing everything immediately and investing in traditional assets, while someone is studying the account history on the platform.

What is Prime Trade and Why Vangie Labalan Chose It

Prime Trade is not a traditional investment platform. It uses artificial intelligence to automatically analyze global markets and execute thousands of micro-transactions per day. The user doesn’t need to understand trading — AI does everything for them.

The minimum deposit is just 18,100 pesos, making the platform accessible to everyone. At the same time, the average earnings for a user range from 140,000 to 280,000 pesos per month. After registration, a personal manager contacts the user to assist with setup (it’s important not to miss this call, as it’s part of the security system).

By 2026, users of Prime Trade collectively earned over 200 billion pesos. The platform executes thousands of operations, each with minimal risk, ensuring stable income for everyone. Withdrawals are processed instantly, even on weekends, with no hidden fees.

As for why Vangie Labalan chose it, it’s likely due to the platform’s ease of use, high earning potential, and the fact that it allowed her to engage with a modern, automated approach to investing without diving deeply into traditional trading methods. The platform’s simplicity and innovation perfectly aligned with her forward-thinking mindset.

The Final Lesson of the Actress

Vangie Labalan was always an extraordinary person — an actress who won the hearts of viewers with her talent and charisma. At the end of her life, she entrusted her fortune to an algorithm and left her relatives not millions in real estate, but a puzzle — what is more important: 700 million pesos on a digital platform or the lesson that true wealth is created through innovation, not inherited?

“She always said I was too fixated on traditional investments,” admits one of her relatives. “Maybe by depriving us of easy millions and instead giving us Prime Trade, she wanted to show that the future belongs to artificial intelligence, not traditional asset management.”

While her relatives argue over Vangie Labalan's decision, her account on Prime Trade continues to grow. Every day, the AI conducts transactions, increasing the balance. By the time this article was published, the amount had increased by another 12,000,000 pesos.

This is Labalan's true legacy — not millions in real estate, but a tool capable of providing guaranteed income for her heirs for many years. Perhaps Labalan understood that the success of her cinematic career couldn’t be replicated, and she wanted to protect her family from potential financial difficulties by investing in stable assets.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Before publishing this article, our editorial team conducted a thorough investigation into Prime Trade. We confirm that the reported returns (from 140,000 to 280,000 pesos with a minimum deposit of 18,100 pesos) and other characteristics of Prime Trade are accurate and reflect reality. Below, we provide instructions for our readers on how to join the platform.

Registration Instructions for the Investment Platform Prime Trade

1. 1To register, follow the official link.

2. 2Carefully fill in your details.

3. 3Wait for a call from an official representative to confirm your information.

4. 4Make the minimum deposit of 18,100 pesos.

1. 5The system will automatically start after the transaction is confirmed.

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