The one and the only Gloria

No, you’re not reading Danny Dolor’s Remember When? column. Funfare is waxing nostalgic, and what better way to drumbeat the dinner-tribute to Gloria Romero (at the Fiesta Pavilion of the Manila Hotel on Nov. 29, Friday) than to put out photos taken at her prime (a prolonged prime, I should say, because Gloria has remained as active – and as beautiful/glamorous – as ever)?

Gloria’s bosom friend Daisy Romualdez, who’s mounting the dinner-tribute for perhaps the greatest Ilocana who ever live(d), is right when she said that the tribute is "long overdue." Better late than never. On Dec. 16, Gloria is turning 69 and the celebration 20 days earlier will surely bring tears (of joy) to Gloria and bring back beautiful memories of her illustrious 52-year career highlighted by triumphs and tragedies but never tarnished by even a hint of scandal or controversy.

"My friend is one-of-a-kind," said Daisy and we all agree, don’t we?

Two dozen stars have so far confirmed attendance/guesting, including (at random now) Vilma Santos, Dolphy, Sharon Cuneta, Martin Nievera, Pops Fernandez, Gary Valenciano, Lorna Tolentino, Jolina Magdangal, Janno Gibbs, Mitch Valdes, Nanette Inventor, Marissa Sanchez, Ara Mina, Rica Peralejo, Aiko Melendez, Joyce Jimenez, Jessa Zaragoza, Dingdong Avanzado, Cherie Gil, Amy Perez, Boy Abunda and Danita Paner.

The tribute will consist of, among other features, a fashion show that will have, in a way, the progress of Gloria from a small-town girl in Mabini, Pangasinan, to Queen of Philippine Movies. The fashion portion is right on track because, in case you’ve forgotten, Gloria was among the first to be recruited by the famous Karilagan fashion group (Joji Felix Velarde, Chona Kasten, etc.) from the movies. It was then (in the ’60s) a big honor for an actress to be included in Karilagan.

Among the models are Alma Ebdane, Aiko Melendez, Joyce Jimenez, Naty Golez, Clavel Bendana, Gov. Baby Ortiz, Congresswoman Lynette Punzalan, Susan Fernandez, Lita Gil, Tess Calderon, Elvie Pineda, Marlyn Signey, Liezl Martinez, Lucy Torres-Gomez, Biging Soriano and Anna Ledesma.

But before that Nov. 26 Manila Hotel event, Funfare is giving its own "tribute" to Gloria by chronicling highlights of her colorful life and career, to wit:

= Gloria celebrated her 50th anniversary as an actress in 2000 with a memorable performance in Tanging Yaman as head of the divided clan suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, which won for her a Best Actress trophy, her second in more than three decades (the first was in the early ’50s for Dalagang Ilocana, although Gloria won a few Best Supporting Actress awards in-between).

= Gloria was 16, fresh from high school in Mabini in 1949, when she started in showbiz as an extra at Premiere Productions (in the Anita Linda starrer Prinsipe Don Juan and the Leila Morena starrer Bahay na Tisa). Too thin, according to the Premiere matriarch Doña Adela Santiago. "Magpataba ka muna at saka ka bumalik."

= Instead of going back to Premiere, Gloria showed up at Sampaguita Pictures on Christmas Day when there was a big celebration at the studio, with the probinsyana totally mesmerized by the sight of her favorite actress, Tita Duran, in the flesh. Sampaguita matriarch Mommy Vera advised Gloria to start as an "extra" because Sampaguita was then packed full with dozens of stars (Myrna Delgado, Norma Valez, Oscar Moreno, Pancho Magalona, Linda Estrella, Tessie Agana, etc.).

= Her big break came when Dr. Jose "Doc" Perez, the Sampaguita star-builder, needed a new face to play the daughter of Alicia Vergel and Cesar Ramirez in Madame X. Doc Perez thought Galla, Gloria’s real surname, was "un-cinematic" so she asked Gloria before the premiere of her next movie Palasig, in which she was playing bida opposite Cesar Ramirez, "Who was your first director here in Sampaguita?" Gloria shyly answered, "Si Eddie Romero po." Doc Perez’s face lit up. "From now on, you’ll be known as Gloria Romero!"

= Gloria was born in Denver, Colorado, USA. Her father was Pedro Galla, a native of Mabini, Pangasinan, who migrated to the US in 1937 before the war. Her mother was Mary Borrego who died at age 28, caught by the Second World War while vacationing in the Philippines. "She was brought to the concentration camp," Gloria recalled, "just because she was an American. I think she died of loneliness more than of any physical illness." Gloria has one sister, Louise, and two brothers, Gilbert (a doctor) and Tito (the actor who died several years ago).

= Gloria could have been a nun, and what a beautiful nun she would have been! As a kid, she would act as the "angel" hanging in the air to lift the veil between The Virgin Mary and The Risen Christ during the salubong on Easter Sunday. When she joined showbiz, she would play and replay The Virgin Mary in passion plays, a role that stuck to her like a second skin. Later, she would play Imelda Marcos in two movies about the late President Ferdinand Marcos, Iginuhit ng Tadhana and Pinagbuklod ng Langit.

= She got married to Juancho Gutierrez in 1960 at the height of her popularity. They have a daughter, Maritess. Their marriage hit the rocks after only a few years but they reconciled after several years. Juancho has been paralyzed by a stroke and it’s Gloria and Maritess who are taking care of him at (Gloria’s) home in New Manila, Quezon City, the first property she had invested her earnings on.

= She almost quit showbiz upon marriage but her 18-year contract with Sampaguita prevented her from doing so. But in 1979 when her brother Tito died (of brain tumor), Gloria got so depressed that she stopped working for a few years. "I was devastated," said Gloria. "Imagine, ako ang nag-alaga sa kanya at ako rin ang nagpalibing sa kanya." (The Galla patriarch died two years before Tito did.) It was her brother Gilbert who talked Gloria out of her depression.

= While separated from Juancho, several suitors (many of them very wealthy) tried but failed to win Gloria’s heart. "For me," said Gloria, "it was enough that I got married once." She was never, uh, "tempted," thank you!

= Gloria’s favorite saints are St. Anne, the Mother of Virgin Mary, and St. Therese the Little Flower of Jesus. In fact, she named Maritess after St. Therese. Asked what her source of strength is, Gloria said, "Prayer. I go to the Blessed Sacrament regularly. I always tell Him, ‘Lord, I cannot do this alone. Please help me.’ It works."

(Note: Besides personalities from showbiz and business, bigwigs from government have also confirmed their attendance at the dinner-tribute which is sponsored by The Manila Hotel, PCSO, PAGCOR and Philippine Airlines. Minor sponsors include Cats, Lamoyan-Hapee Toothpaste-Dazz, Our Lady of Grace O.B. Montessori/Commonwealth, Tapa King, RFM, Fanny Serrano, D’Flower Façade & Gift Shop, Straight Forward Customs Consultancy & Services, Aqua Concha Mineral Water, Kia Quirino Avenue-Velcor and Ricky Reyes.)