Tessie Tomas twits PBS/Maps: First Impressions

“Bring your sense of humor” admonished the Philippine British Society’s invitation to a meeting. Why? Because Tessie Tomas, one of the country’s finest comediennes, would be the guest speaker. Some forty of us braved the announced typhoon (not a drop of rain fell, thank God) and risked contracting the swine flu via coughs and sniffles. The meeting was preceded by a gourmet dinner at the Swiss Inn function room.

Having been a past president of the PBS, I should be attending more of its activities, but pressing commitments prevent me from doing so. This time, however, the prospect of seeing Tessie perform was irresistible. President Howard Belton welcomed members and their guests; David Reynolds and immediate past president Frank Evaristo gave brief remarks. Andy Malpass introduced Tessie and, indirectly, her British husband Roger Pullin, a marine biologist. Their marriage, which symbolizes cordial Phil-British relations within and outside the PBS, may be the only union between science and comedy. I can only imagine how fascinating the conversations between husband and wife must be.

“So what new ocean organism did you discover today?”

“None as exciting as you, my love.”

“How many people rolled in the aisles at your show this evening?”

“You’re still my best audience, honey.”

Tessie shared with listeners her widely-ranging experiences as child actress, advertising agent, radio and television personality and, finally, as a comedienne appearing in her own shows. But she confessed that the role she liked best was still being Mrs. Roger Pullin.

Tessie drew chuckles for her feigned British accent but her lines in Tagalog and other dialects, though extremely funny, may have been lost on the Britishers. Every now and then, Tessie would interrupt her narrative with an impersonation. The only impersonation I had seen her do previously was of Imelda, a terrific one, indeed. Later that evening, Tessie showed a video of various impersonations proving her acting skill, devastating humor and remarkable versatility.

Among those who laughed heartily at Tessie’s clever antics were former Ambassador to the Court of St. James Alberto del Rosario, Jimmie Laya, Brian and Leslie Murray, Mr. and Mrs. Rod Cornejo, PBS vice-president Noli Santos, former president Cora Espiritu and board member Arlene Llasos Jacobo.

‘First Impressions’

To celebrate Phil-Spanish Friendship Day, the Spanish Embassy, the Philippine Map Collectors Society (PHIMCOS) and the Yuchengco Museum jointly opened the “First Impressions” exhibit which will run through July 30.

Spanish Ambassador Luis Arias, who welcomed Filipino and Spanish friends, stated: “On this occasion, cartography comes to the forefront, allowing us to contemplate the work of both the Spanish and Filipino experts who drafted the first known maps of the Philippine archipelago.”

Mariano Cacho, PHIMCOS president, thanked PHIMCOS’ 20 male members and its two female (Gloria Angara and Maribel Ongpin) for lending their maps to the exhibit which symbolizes Phil-Spanish brotherhood.

The long, erudite printed essay of Ateneo professor Dr. Leovino Garcia, titled “Putting the Philippines on the Map: A Map Lover’s Discourse” reads in part: “A map is not only an object of knowledge, beauty and power. It is also a metaphysical object in the sense that it transports us from one world to another, from the ‘Old World’ to the ‘New World’, to unknown worlds.

“Maps offer an odyssey of the imagination: The unique synthesis of geography, exploration, trade, travel, history, culture, commerce, science, art.” Prof. Garcia also quotes J.B. Harley and David Woodward: “Maps are graphic representations that facilitate a spatial understanding of things, concepts, conditions, processes or events in the human world.”

Jeannie E. Javelosa, museum curator, served as emcee. Among those present were Ambassador Alfonso Yuchengco, Rudolf J.H. Lietz, Fr. Pedro Galende, Sanso, Benito Legarda Jr., Dieter Reichert, Jimmy Laya, Albert Montilla, Jose R. Rodriguez, Elena Colomé, Marit Yuchengco, Evelyn R. Garcia, Tessie Luz, Brian and Leslie Murray, Glenn Gale, Pablo Senis, Charisse Lucban and Manuel Valenzuela.