On the concert scene: Pops vs Martin

Curtain-raisers:

* Congratulations to Sherida "Meme" Monteverde-Tan on her smash-hit staging of Martin Nievera’s concert in Dagupan City a few days ago. Martin was so inspired because the SRO crowd reacted to his every song enthusiastically, singing and even dancing with him. "The people of Dagupan City gave Martin a warm, warm reception," said Meme.

* Three cheers to the New York-based The Filipino Reporter which celebrated its 30th (Pearl) anniversary over the weekend, with Giselle Sanchez as special entertainer. The Reporter is the oldest Filipino newspaper in the East Coast. Keep it up, Bert (and Linda) Pelayo, Reporter publisher and wife, and section editors Raoul Tidalgo (entertainment) and Edmund Silvestre (news).

* Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan is inviting interested parties to the "I Love You, Yaya" seminar on Saturday, Nov. 23, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Avalon Condo, #95 Xavier St., Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila. The P1,500 seminar fee includes lunch, two snacks, handout, certificate and giveaway. For inquiries, call 721-3575, 0917-9264699 or 0918-9293129.

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They have clashed before, as everybody knows, but that was when their marriage was heading for the rocks and they were, that’s it, throwing (verbal) rocks at each other. They eventually gave up on each other, with their supposedly fairy-tale marriage being annulled.

Pops Fernandez and Martin Nievera are again on a collision course, this time in the concert arena, as their forthcoming concerts are scheduled same day, same time, but in different venues, of course. Pops’ is entitled Pops 2002, her 20th anniversary (in showbiz) celebration at the old ULTRA and that of Martin is called XXmas Concert at the PICC (celebrating his own 20th anniversary as a singer). The date: Dec. 14, a Saturday.

December is Pops’ playdate. These past many years, she has been holding her birthday (she’s turning 36 second week of December) concert around that time and it’s a surprise why Martin (or his producer) would schedule his concert also around that time. Was it deliberate or, uh, "accidental"?

Anyway, it’s interesting to find out who between the ex-partners will draw a bigger crowd.

When Pops met the movie press a few days ago, Inquirer’s Edmund Sicam, just for fun, made some kind of a survey among those present which concert would they want to watch and, maybe because Pops was in front of them, majority said they’d give Pops’ concert priority. They "tally" could, of course, change (maybe in his favor?) if a similar "survey" were conducted during Martin’s own presscon. You know how fickle-minded movie writers can sometimes be.

The movie writers enjoyed the lunch with Pops who was game na game, answering every question with wit and humor, but without tears this time.

Yes, she said, she’s happy and at peace with herself.

Asked if she thought Martin also is (happy and at peace with himself), Pops gave an intriguing answer, "Do you honestly think that he is?"

Martin has a lovelife (hello, Katrina!) as everybody knows while Pops claimed that her lovelife is, sob and sigh, zero, saying she’d rather focus on her career than on romancing.

To add more excitement to an already exciting encounter, a movie columnist called up Martin on his cellphone which he then passed on to Pops. It was obvious from the way she was acting, smiling widely and sometimes blushing a bit, that Pops and Martin were having a nice conversation. "Come on, Martin," said Pops, within earshot of everybody, "stop saying, ‘I love you’!" Oops! Miss K must be somewhere else for Martin to be saying (even jokingly) "I love you" to his ex.

Now, where do you think would the un-couple’s sons Ram and Robin go on Dec. 4, ULTRA or PICC?

"They are free to choose," said Pops with confidence.

Since it’s Pops’ 20th anniversary in showbiz, Funfare asked her to enumerate the 20 milestones in her life and career. Here they are (at random):

1. The release of her first single, Dito

2. Her TV debut on Penthouse Live (where she met and fell in love with Martin)

3. Her movie debut, Pagibig Pa

4. Her first "daring" role in Linlang

5. Her first big concert at the FAT, Folks, Meet Pops, in 1983

6. Always, her concert at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, nearly spoiled by a downpour

7. When Martin proposed to her on TV (Penthouse Live)

8. When she and Martin got married (June, 1986)

9. The birth of Ram and Robin

10. Her break-up with Martin and the annulment of their marriage

11. The release of her dad, Eddie Fernandez, from prison (they even did a duet at the Araneta Coliseum a few days later, remember?)

12. The death (in a shootout) of Eddie Fernandez

13. Her first TV solo show P.O.P.S. on ABC Channel 5

14. Her very first TV guesting in the early ’80s, in T.O.D.A.S.

15. The putting up of Pipay, her first business venture

16. You Are To Me, the first song Martin ever wrote for her

17. Her switch as endorser from Coke to Pepsi

18. Her first trip abroad (to San Francisco, for vacation and not for a concert)

19. Her 18th birthday held at their home’s garage (she not being a party girl)

20. ? (yet to happen)

Readers’ reactions

My "love letter to Nanay" last Nov. 1 drew tremendous reactions from readers both here and abroad. Here are three of them:

* From the Ricky Reyes:

You truly made me cry for several days after reading your love letter to your Nanay, air-mailed to heaven. Iyak ako nang iyak kasi I can truly feel your love for your mother, probably kasi our love for our mother is mutual. I’m sure thousands of people have read your article and also cried a barrel.

* From Edith and Margot Gallardo:

We know exactly how you feel. We had been through the same ordeal when we lost our Mom after she underwent a two-month-long dialysis treatment

We cried with you. We really felt sad when we read your article about your Nanay but at the same time, we were so touched by the love, care and concern that you had given your mother. Wherever she may be, she still hears what you say and reads what you write and we know that she appreciates everything that you did for her and all that you are still doing in her memory.

Things will never be the same again now that she’s gone but the Lord will make you feel that your Nanay is still with you, caring... loving. Have peace and love within you all the time. We are praying for you, your family... and your Nanay!

* From Marisol Reyes of Headquarters Project Services, 2 World Financial Center (5th Floor), New York:

Thanks for the beautiful and touching article. It made me realize that I should give more attention to my mom. She’s 75 and still works part-time. I know we seldom have the time to talk and even see each other. I leave early when she’s still in bed and when I get home she is already asleep. Sometimes what she does is to e-mail me if she needs to tell me something during the day. I am indeed very lucky for I am living with her (my other siblings are all still there in the Philippines) but I know that sometimes I take her for granted. I still have the time to make up for my shortcomings and just like you I wish that she will still live 20 more years.

Thanks again, Ricky, for the letter. I hope others who take for granted their loved ones would also be enlightened.