It’s Manay Ichu’s turn to be ’surprised’

Sunday before last, on Dec. 16, Marichu “Manay Ichu” Maceda “scripted” a surprise dinner for Gloria Romero’s 79th birthday at the Vera-Perez Garden…the garden full of fond showbiz memories wrapped in Sampaguita package.

Last Sunday night, Dec. 23, it was Manay Ichu’s turn to be “surprised” when her siblings (Manay Gina, Chona, Cocoy and Betchay whose catering service prepared the same buffet of tummy-filling goodies served for Gloria’s guests) and the whole Vera-Perez/Maceda clan (grandchildren and in-laws) cooked up a rousing celebration of her 70th birthday.

The Vera-Perez Garden was decked with more than just the usual Christmas décor; it was literally turned into a floral paradise, with tables nicely set up just outside the social hall deemed too small to accommodate the well-wishers.

When the birthday lady came out of her room just adjacent to the venue at exactly 7 o’clock, what greeted her were blinding flashbulbs and the singing of “Happy Birthday” punctuated by applause. During Gloria’s birthday surprise, the venue was in total darkness to mislead her into thinking that she and her daughter Maritess Gutierrez and grandson Chris were just picking up Manay Ichu for a quiet dinner in Makati, only for Gloria to be rendered speechless when the lights were turned on as soon as their car cleared the Sampaguita Studio gate.

As Danny Dolor presented her with a bouquet of roses, Manay Ichu smiled through suppressed tears, savoring the 70 years of her colorful, dramatic and eventful existence.

“It’s a good thing I didn’t come out earlier to check on the venue,” Manay Ichu said. “I was resting because I just came from the Parade of Stars where I sat as one of the judges.”

While everybody was partaking of the sumptuous dinner, Chona hosted a program during which Susan Roces, Conchita Razon (a.k.a. Martin Nievera’s mom who turned 80 barely three weeks ago), Manay Gina and Manay Ichu’s “ex” Ernie Maceda, among others, recalled their fond memories with Manay Ichu. (Latecomer former Pres./Manila Mayorable Joseph “Erap” Estrada did his own tribute after which he made Manay Ichu and Ernie kiss…for old time’s sake?...much to the amusement of everybody.)

Then, to the tune of the Jack Jones song She, film clips of photos showing Manay Ichu from little girl to teenager to debutante (was the dress she was wearing the same one Susan wore in the movie Debutante?) to a fulfilled single-girl again were flashed on the monitor, eliciting applause and affectionate laughter. Were there chapters in her life that were deliberately edited out (hmmmmm)?

It was followed by the performance of the new generation of Kundirana (one of whose members is Manay Ichu’s grandchild), the same group from La Salle with which the likes of Gary Valenciano, Ogie Alcasid, Dingdong Avanzado and Leo Dominguez (yes, the A-list talent manager!) started as singers. The boys sang retro songs, with a medley of OPMs.

Nostalgic trivia: The social hall of the Sampaguita Studios was the favorite venue of presscons called by Starmaker Dr. Jose “Doc” Perez who would treat the movie writers to an array of native delicacies (laing, chicken/pork adobo, etc., which the Vera-Perez children still serve friends during salu-salo in the same venue) and give away movie passes even before the movie started shooting. The building nearby with a winding staircase was used as set of many Sampaguita movies. More than half of the compound has been sold and turned into an extension of Ortigas Avenue and portions into a row of townhouses.

It’s now only Manay Ichu who lives in the compound, together with her bedridden brother Pepito and their mom, Mama Nene.

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Photos by BABY K. JIMENEZ