A song for Sen. Chiz

MANILA, Philippines - Christine Escudero opted for an intimate post-Valentine concert with friends at Teatrino at the Promenade in Greenhills.

Senator Francis ”Chiz” Escudero was of course most prominent in the crowd, with good reason since his role for the night was that of a supportive husband. Later in the evening, Susan Roces along with Manay Ichu Maceda, arrived and the former was all too prepared for the role of encouraging ninang to the beaming couple.

Christine shared the concert spotlight with friends Odette Garcia and Marisse Santos, and Bo Cerrudo as special guest.

It was Christine’s night, and she was in her element. The beneficiary of her concert is the Department of Social Work and Development in Sorsogon, which has been busy at work. “I would like the concert to be able to assist particularly the DSWD’s Women and Children’s Help Desk in Sorsogon,” Christine says, adding that no matter the size of the contribution, it would go a long way among the abused young women and needy children in Sorsogon.

While the singer maintained her passion for music and the craft singing, she has learned to balance it with her new responsibility, that of wife and mother to twins Chesi and Quino.

“My wife is her own person and I am very happy that she develops as a person separate and distinct from me, from her family. I feel that she’s just happy to love me and the kids, and I think it’s coming from the fulfillment she gets as Christine Escudero, the artist, the teacher and the mother and not Christine Escudero as the wife of…,” says Sen. Chiz.

Towards the end of the show, Christine called on Sen. Chiz to join her on stage, which he reluctantly obliged to do. No, she didn’t get him to sing this time. The only time he ever did sing a song to her, and in public at that, was when he decided to propose marriage. At that time, she was flabbergasted that she said yes to his marriage offer.

“While she was onstage preparing for a new song, I came up singing my song for her. It was Beautiful In My Eyes (by Joshua Kadison). Buti na lang she accepted my proposal, di nasayang ang kahihiyan ng pagkanta ko (It’s a good thing she accepted my proposal, it didn’t go to waste all the shamelessness that went with my singing),” he recalls.

Sen. Chiz had invited both their families then to bear witness to his romantic feat, along with the rest of that evening’s guests dining at the lounge. It was one memorable night for Chiz and Christine, and not for the senator meeting the challenge of a song for Christine.