Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, more commonly known simply as Erap, began his diamond year last Friday.
Characteristically, a day earlier he made sure to distribute food supplies to the urban poor in Manila, the city he’s now being touted to go for the mayoralty of by next year.
Offhand, he’s acknowledged over dinner and drinks with this reporter that he’s not actually convinced he should run at all. It may be that his closest friends have advised him that being a kingmaker and eventual senior adviser would be more suitable, especially now that he’s closed ranks with Vice President Jejomar Binay.
It may be argued that running for election, even if it were a sure thing, would still occupy his time, energy and resources, whereas his popularity could best serve the candidates he deigns to endorse all over the archipelago in the election campaign of 2013.
But all that speculation was certainly placed on hold last Thursday night when over a thousand people were hosted for a birthday dinner bash at Le Pavillon off Roxas Boulevard.
At the presidential table, no less than the current Chief Executive, P-Noy, sat beside the celebrant. And stayed on the whole night, or a good three hours at least since he came in.
To Erap’s left was Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, while to the President’s right was Vice President Jejomar Binay. Also helping occupy the center table facing the stage was former House Speaker Jose de Venecia.
No doubt, hardly any politics was discussed, especially since entertainment and showbiz history appeared to serve as the highlights for the night’s lush merriment.
The crush was so great despite the RSVP invites, with the welcoming attendants having a tough job of identifying the specified table for each guest.
I wound up leaving my assigned table for another nearby, since there was an empty seat beside that of Direk Joey Romero, my fellow MTRCB member, who was with his venerable dad, National Artist for Film Eddie Romero. At the same table were Lebanese Consul Joseph F.K. Assad and his spouse. They reserved a seat for movie queen Amalia Fuentes, who used to be my favorite photo-op subject when she was still with us at MTRCB. Ever solicitous, she kept asking across the table if I wanted any particular drink, hinting that she had a special cachet with the bartenders. I said that after two glasses of white wine, I had already found out where a Scotch bottle, Johnnie Walker Black, was standing.
Direk Joey and I couldn’t help wondering if a certain protagonist over tweets and TV interviews could also be in the hall. Minutes later, when SMS from another friend beckoned me some tables away, indeed there were Annabelle Rama and Eddie Gutierrez on Table 38. Ours was Table 31, but it seemed the numbers were only randomly suggestive of proximity.
Meanwhile, after the first entertainment and videotaped numbers had played out, and the AMP Big Band led by musical genius Mel Villena was presented, the announcement also came that dinner was served.
The menu card from La Tasca, read: Appetizers of Paté de Paco with fried capers, Caviar Pie on baguette toast, Lychees stuffed with boursin, and Caesar Salad Pizza, Poached Shrimps with cocktail sauce in Chinese spoon; Tagaytay Greens, Orange slices and Parmesan slivers with citrus vinaigrette; Mushroom Cannelloni and Spaghetti Cappero Modo Mio; Grilled Sea Bass with Livornese sauce and Mulwarra Beef Tenderloin with béarnaise or porcini mushroom sauce; Callos al estilo Casa Paco; Paella Espaola and Lechon; Canonigo with Mango balls, Pavlova with Strawberry and Toblerone Cake.”
And for a Midnight Snack, there were Griddle Top: Pepitos Steak and Laguna cheese in pandesal, as well as Arroz Caldo with the following condiments: Danggit, Smoked Bangus, Quail Egg, Red Egg, Black Beans, Tokwa Cisp, Spring Onion, Froed Garlic, Patis, and Calamansi. Obviously, the guests were expected to enjoy themselves as lushly as we could late into the night.
Well, I don’t think I managed to taste close to half of those treats, contenting myself with the appetizers, the lechon and eventually, the excellent paella. And that’s because it became a summons to the other side of the hall, where Erap’s close buddy Reggie suggested I upgrade to his private cache of Johnnie Walker Premium.
The new table appeared to be better situated, too, since from my new vantage point, I managed to glad-hand familiar guests coming to and fro, among them my fellow Bedans, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista and Mindoro Rep. Rod Valencia, former UP President Dodong Nemenzo who was pleased to take over my glass of that Premium whisky, UP stalwarts Randy David and RC Constantino, Gen. Danny Lim, and an idol of a movie actor who always goes out of his way to renew acquaintanceship with me, Christopher “Boyet” de Leon. Why, he even left his table to come to ours for a handshake and greetings, before settling back with his buddy Edgar Mortiz.
Also on that side of the hall, up front, ripe for my iPhone cam picking, were the music makers Mel Villena and Michael “Pikong” Guevarra, sexy saxophonist. Then there were Tonyboy Cojuangco, Gretchen Barretto and Choy Cojuangco on a table near the stage. But I didn’t have the heart to pull out my iPhone from my pants pocket, especially since Tonyboy shared a juicy state secret.
As for the Diamond Man of the masses, when it finally came to his turn onstage, he was all vintage graciousness. After a particularly engrossing video montage highlighting his movies and deep friendship with Fernando Poe, Jr., “The King”’s widow, Susan Roces, accompanied by daughter and MTRCB Chair Grace Poe Llamanzares, had approached former President Erap and hugged him in appreciation.
This he then referred to in a particularly touching part of his thank-you speech, how he owed much to his friend The King, and how he missed his buddy so. He also thanked the ladies’ group Mare and his former Cabinet members for their song-and-dance numbers, praised and toasted “Manong” Johnny, whom he recalled to have been his seatmate at the Senate as well as mentor, and whom he said was now mentoring his son, Senator Jinggoy.
Then Erap also had profoundly kind words for P-Noy and his late mother, our Tita Cory, as well as for VP Jojo. And so on. Reserved for the last part of his litany of thanks was his toast to “my only wife” Doktora Loi. The “I love you” that followed reaped a standing ovation.
But methinks that what brought tears to his eyes, and which was most appreciated by everyone, was the medley sung by his dozen children together with seven spouses — all 19 of them standing in line on that wide stage, with each of the progeny taking her/his turn to shine alone in the spotlight.
Of course there was much humor, too — from a video compilation of “Eraptions” to Willy Nepomuceno’s Erap impersonation, to Erap himself cracking several jokes regarding the lady he preceded as president, and who now occupies his former habitat at Veterans Memorial. “Poetic justice” was among the quips the celebrator tossed around.
And yet he stressed, seriously this time, that he had already forgiven all those who had done him an injustice — quoting his favorite line from Ghandi, in gist, on how forgiveness was a quality only the strong are capable of.
Then came another quip: how he stood among the ranks of other fighters for justice such as Nelson Mandela and Anwar Ibrahim, who, like him, had also suffered incarceration. “We were all convicted. That makes us men of conviction.”
At 75, this man still has quite a ways to go in dispensing his folk wisdom and wit, and charity towards all, whether or not there’s a birthday celebration he is happily sharing.