Actually, even if she didn’t ask me to escort her to that affair, I probably would have gone anyway if only to see her accept her glass trophy as the first ever recipient of the Mowelfund award for acting and humanitarian service.
When she received the very prestigious Ramon Magsaysay award in August 1999, I was also there – never mind if I had to drive for more than two hours from my house in La Vista all the way to the Cultural Center of the Philippines during rush hour. But I’m telling you, the trip was worth it. Never was I so proud of her as she walked on stage to accept her award from then President Joseph Estrada. I’m even prouder over the fact that she didn’t touch a penny out of the $50,000 cash prize she received. Instead, she used the amount to fund the college education of indigent students – many of whom have already graduated by now (mostly at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines).
The Mowelfund rites was also held at far CCP and on a Wednesday (Baclaran Day) at that – which meant we had to leave extra early because we would be competing for road lanes with the Mother of Perpetual Help devotees.
The affair was supposed to start at 7:30 p.m, but Tita Rose – the queen of promptness and punctuality – gave specific instructions for me to be at her house in Wack-Wack at 5:30. When I talked to Toni Rose Gayda on the phone days before, we even joked, "Ano kaya ’yung 5:30 a.m. or p.m.?" Knowing Tita Rose, who hates to be late for her appointments, I wouldn’t have been surprised if she meant a.m., but mercifully, it was p.m.
On the day of the affair last April 2, I saw to it that I finished my column for this paper early and even called off my regular huddle with my contractor and interior designer so I could be at her Wack-Wack doorstep at 5:30 p.m. When I found myself still in Shaw Blvd. (near the Archbishop’s Palace) at 5:25, I started sweating profusely in my nautical coat and was already contemplating on switching places with the driver because I knew how to get to Ms. Rosal’s house faster.
Finally, I reached her place – just a few minutes later – and was ushered into the den, which doubles as Tita Rose’s bedroom at night. True enough, she was already ready to go and was dressed fabulously, except that I do not know how her dress is called (it was blackish-brown and had glitters on it – okay?). Toni Rose was also there and we talked for a while because I usually consult her regarding color schemes for the house (she has a background on interior designing).
We left Wack-Wack a few minutes before 6 and reached CCP way ahead of schedule. When we got to the lobby of the CCP Little Theater, we found out that Mowelfund had lined up other activities for the night as well – like a photo exhibit, for instance. In fact, among the celebrities who milled around the lobby were the models in the photo shoot: Chin Chin Gutierrez, Halina Perez, Bella Flores, Lucita Soriano and Dante Balboa.
Amalia Fuentes was also there and she had a long chat with Tita Rose. Their conversation, however, had to be interrupted every so often with requests to pose for photographs – both with press photographers and fans. Meanwhile, I had a grand time discussing feng shui with Ernie Zarate, who used to be my "classmate" in the Film Ratings Board and, for a while, managed to have a chat with the still lovely Olivia Cenizal, who was my "classmate" in the Metro Manila Film Festival years ago when we both served as members of the board of judges.
Later, I also had a reunion with the evening’s guest of honor, DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman who I first met when I was studying in Boston a few years ago. (She and her entire family were there because her husband was then attending public administration classes and was in fact in the same Harvard batch as now Sen. Francis Pangilinan). Secretary Dinky and I had a joyful time reminiscing how she, her kids and I would play "jengga" or "tumbling tower" in the house of my cousin, Lilibeth Aristorenas. And was I flattered when Secretary Soliman remarked in the presence of Tita Rose and Mrs. Marichu Maceda how good I was in this game, which requires utmost concentration.
Another activity lined up before the main event was the launching of the film book, Cine, authored by Mowelfund Film Institute director Nick de Ocampo. Immediately after that, we were called into the theater for the program – the highlight of which was the awarding of Ms. Rosa Rosal in the presence of CCP president Baltazar Endriga, Mowelfund officials (executive director Boots Anson Roa, deputy director for social welfare Chit Sambile and members of the board of trustees Eddie Romero, Mrs. Maceda and Edgardo Vinarao), beneficiaries and other guests.
Hosted by Eddie Mercado and Nanette Inventor, the evening saw a whole line-up of speakers who all paid tribute to Mowelfund and Ms. Rosa Rosal – one of whom (was it Atty. Espiridion Laxa?) even likened Tita Rose to Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Ms. Rosal was also visibly moved by the arrival of former San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada, who was there to represent his father, former President Joseph Estrada, who established Mowelfund for the benefit of movie workers 29 years ago.
In the middle of the program, however, I noticed that Tita Rose became uneasy in her seat. It turned out that she got a text message about the Davao bombing last week and, for a while there, I thought that she was going to leave the affair and head straight to the airport to fly down south to help out.
You see, during the great flood in Central Luzon in 1972, she had a big argument with her mother who didn’t want her (Tita Rose) to leave the house. Well, Tita Rose escaped and the poor mother only found about the great escape when she turned on the radio and heard a commentator reporting about Rosa Rosal riding an amphibian tank floating in an ocean of flood waters.
In 1989, at the height of Gringo’s bloody coup, it was daughter Toni Rose arguing with her about leaving the house and the possibility of getting herself caught in the crossfire. Of course, Toni Rose lost in the argument. She was left with no other choice but to pray for her mother’s safety.
Now, was it my turn to restrain her? The reports from Davao were still sketchy and there was still no need for her to fly down there. (For a while, she was conferring with Sec. Soliman – maybe they were talking about Davao.)
When Tita Rose was finally called to accept her award, she marched up the stage in her still glamorous movie star walk and delivered her speech straight from the heart – no prepared speech for her, everything just came from within.
On the way back home, she talked animatedly and was obviously very pleased with the award. However, the humanitarian in her still crept in and she still brought up Davao. Another job for Super Rosa?
As I dropped her off her house, I somehow saw a vision of her – no, not anymore in her blackish-brown long dress, but in a Superwoman suit and wondered in my head where she gets all her strength, compassion, dedication and energy to be of service to anyone in need.