Manay Gina, you see, was not always in the frontlines like you see her now – confidently hosting the drama serial Nagmamahal, Manay Gina on GMA 7 and presiding over the meetings of the congressional spouses.
For the longest time, she was always in the background. Even among the Vera-Perez sisters, she was the least prominent in the beginning – unlike eldest sister Marichu Maceda who was first thrust into the limelight as the debutante of the year and later as a top politician’s wife and leader of the industry, or even younger sibling Lilibeth Nakpil who was once crowned beauty queen (Binibining La Salle). (The youngest Vera-Perez girl, Chona Ampil, is also low profile, but – who knows? – she may also be a late bloomer like her Manay Gina).
Born between two boys (Pepito, the father of Lander Vera-Perez and Bobby, who died in the late ‘70s), Maria Georgina Dolores Vera Perez grew up tomboyish. But even then, she already had entrepreneurial skills. She would climb the fruit-bearing trees at the sprawling Vera-Perez Gardens and sell the produce to film stars and studio workers of the family-owned Sampaguita Pictures. When she learned how to bake, she sold cakes and pastries to employees. But since she was quite shy and withdrawn, she would get the services of the more outgoing Lilibeth to act as sales agent – with the promise of a 10 percent commission.
For her education, she went to the Assumption Convent from grade school all the way up to college (Business Administration). Though this was interrupted when she got married, she completed her studies when her husband and kids migrated to New York in the late‘60s.
When her father, Dr. Jose Perez died in 1975, Gina returned home and became the treasurer of Sampaguita, a position previously held by her mother, Azucena Vera Perez.
Her marriage – which produced two kids, Carissa and Philip (now a Young Star writer and Bench model) – by this time was already starting to crumble.
Then, about a week after the assassination of Ninoy Aquino on Aug. 21, 1983 – when her marriage had already ended – a most wonderful thing happened to her: she met Jose de Venecia.
The setting was at the Japanese restaurant of the then Manila Garden Hotel. Manay Gina was having lunch with her good friend, the famous architect Chito Antonio, while De Venecia was at the other table with one of his kids. Since Antonio was doing De Venecia’s house in Pangasinan, De Venecia had the perfect excuse to join their table.
When the De Venecia kid left, the elder De Venecia decided to tag along with Antonio and Manay Gina in their next outing: a Tagalog movie showing in Makati. (Manay Gina is a movie fan and loves Tagalog films with a passion.) Unfortunately, the cinema showing the Tagalog picture was full and so they ended up watching Flash Dance instead. (De Venecia slept through the entire acrobatic dance sequences with Jennifer Beals).
After the movie, they proceeded to cocktails – oysters at Via Mare. That was a long day – but not for De Venecia and Manay Gina who obviously enjoyed each other’s company.
(To be concluded)