I dream of Miriam with a sexy 25-inch waistline

I feel very sexy,” Miriam Defensor-Santiago told TV reporters as she was preparing to march down the aisle with her husband, Narciso Santiago, for their 40th wedding anniversary at the Manila Cathedral last Sunday.

Miriam looked radiant in her ruby red gown with elegant rows of silver stones designed by Inno Sotto. She was all smiles, so hyper and lively as usual, but still wearing her signature feisty look. “But remember, I am a veteran housewife.” A blushing bride going on a honeymoon  the 66-year-old senator certainly was not.

Instantly, memories of a younger, somewhat blushing Miriam with a sexy 25-inch waistline came to my mind. That was in the late ’60s when I was a member of the UP ROTC Sponsors and our Corps Sponsor was... who else but Miriam!

At the Manila Hotel reception line, I reminded Miriam about our UP ROTC sponsor days and and she said: “Yes, remember? There was a protest rally held against me when I was named the Corps Sponsor!”

Forty years ago, Narciso Santiago and Miriam Defensor had Senator Benigno “Ninoy”Aquino Jr. as their wedding sponsor... ...and now the couple have President Benigno “Noynoy”Aquino III as their best man, and Heart Evangelista as maid of honor.

I answered: “Wow, I’ve forgotten that. Why did they protest?”

“Because I was a Communist!” Miriam answered.

“But in the history of UP, you will always be remembered as the brainiest Corps Sponsor,” I told her. “And the first female editor of the Philippine Collegian.”

Those were the pre-Makibaka, pre-First Quarter Storm years in Diliman when ROTC sponsors were recruited by officers allegedly to personify the ideals of Filipino womanhood and to inspire the troops. But we all knew we were there  to provide the soft touch and beautify the green lawns whenever ROTC officers and cadets had to march in cadence in their starched uniforms. When the nerdy and scholarly Miriam was chosen that year to head the sponsors, that radical and unexpected move certainly redefined the role of sponsors and gave it more substance. Did the UP ROTC like her? They certainly did, for she was asked to serve a second term. 

I remember Miriam, then a senior law student, doing a crisp salute, looking slim and leggy in white high heels, wearing our Muslim-inspired white long-sleeved top with a keyhole neckline, matched  with a white pencil skirt. The neckline and cuffs were fringed with green and gold piping, and we wore white gloves and a white Muslim cap. This concept of having muses would soon become irrelevant and passe as UP students became more concerned with marching in front of Malacañang and Congress to protest  against imperialism, feudalism and fascism. And of course,rallying for the liberation of women from decorative roles and exploitative beauty contests.

Back to the wedding. As the couple and the entourage made their recessional to the tune of Mendelssohn’s wedding march from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I realized this was one of the most well-organized weddings I’ve attended. So very Miriam to have every little detail in order.

At the Manila Hotel reception, I wanted to congratulate Emil Yap III as he escorted his grandpa Emilio Yap towards the presidential table. The food, especially the salmon, was very good. We at our table, which included columnist-radio commentator Larry Henares, his daughter Rosanna Henares-Angeles, and journalists Jullie Yap Daza of  Bulletin and Juliet Labog-Javellana of Inquirer, felt like we were happily rediscovering Manila Hotel.The inimitable Larry regaled us with his endless repertoire of anecdotes on Jaime Cardinal Sin and President Joseph Estrada — all unprintable — and we only stopped laughing when the program began.

Erap Estrada was the top entertainer that night. He said that Miriam informed him that she did not have the budget to hire professional entertainers, so she asked Erap to sing.”So I have to sing, or else she might attack me...Years ago when Miriam asked me to be ninong to one of their children, I had to go likewise, or else she might attack me. She was also ninang when Loi and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. That makes Miriam both my kumadre and ninang.”

“Remember that I have the most ‘exes’ — I am an ex-movie actor, ex-senator, ex-vice president, ex-president, ex-detainee, and now I am an ex-convict.” Too bad his jailer, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, had left the hall before Erap delivered his speech.

Erap sang a song which my tablemates and I were not familiar with — except for Larry Henares who said it was a pre-War song. But later, Rosanna researched it and we found out it was titled Always You by Frank Sinatra. Former First Lady Imelda Marcos sang I Wanna Give by Perry Como, while Jinggoy Estrada and Heart Evangelista sang Unforgettable.

Miriam ended the program with some literary verses, but how we wished she instead dished out her fiery “I-eat-death-threats-for-breakfast” and “fungus-faced” kind of lines. But remember, this was supposed to be a romantic evening for the Santiagos.

And yes, Mommy Dionesia and Manny Pacquiao were not invited.