A kapamilya kind of family reunion

Devoid of the usual ABS-CBN stamp and media glitterati, the event’s setting was the monarch room of The Grand/Long Beach Event Center in Los Angeles. The date: Sept. 2, Saturday of a rare three-long day weekend to celebrate Labor Day in United States. Just as most Americans were headed for an out-of-state/out-of-town respite to spend the last few days of summer, a Pinoy family chose to celebrate an occasion. The invite read: 25th wedding anniversary of Joey and Helen Santos, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., which by any means is a reunion of some sort, an expected excursion of local and imported parties, related by blood and friendship to clink stemmed glasses, tighten bonds and relive the glorious past of checkered tears and sunshine. Compress the 25 years into hurried gabfests, shared guffaws, updates in nutshells, sweet reminiscence of something borrowed, something old, something blue and not necessarily new. Aha! By land, water or air, let the game begin!

"Is it time?," almost whisper-like, Charo Santos-Concio, pretty in pink, followed the direct gaze of her three elegantly-clad sisters who were all trekking to a semi-lit mini-area to form a single file. The feminine clan momentarily paused on queue and as an organizer signaled a go, not even a drum roll heralded their entrance. It isn’t every day that a Charo presence commands an attention that’s less hype and set on privacy tones; however, a family gathering thrives on exclusivity.

"25th? Has it been that long? Then I am next. Mine is next year." Charo echoed out her sentiment, instantly taking both of us back to that beautiful November morning in 1982 at the Pebble Lodge of Monterey, as we swapped quick high fives. The next scene presently moved us to the sunlit patio where there’s an open bar and a spread of yummy hot and cold hors d’ oeuvres that included salmon, meatballs, a variety of summer fruits in season – peaches, strawberries, nectarines, mixed nuts, crisp veggies with matching dips, etc. Someone teased that a shot of tequila could make one rap glibly. More guests were coming in, writing well-wishes in an album as names were ushered to table assignments. I found mine at No. 4 to the left of Charo’s seat.

Evergreen by Barbra Streisand was starting to play …Love, soft as an easy chair, Love fresh as the morning air.. Ah, that song… sweet memories… Charo’s eyes grew misty as if reviewing a collage of past scenes on a life-sized plasma. She seemed to have found and heard her own voice addressing her own self, "Dear Charo, maalaala mo kaya?" This time it’s her story. Her own script. It’s her family. Her very own kapamilya: eldest is Susan (now Mrs. Mike Carrigan of Cerritos), followed by Charo, Malou (as we all know is the successful managing director of ABS-CBN, whose latest is Sukob that reached the P200-M mark at the box-office), Joey (a devoted US postal staff, married to the erstwhile Helen Romero of Carson), Mae (in Manila who could not be physically present but with them in spirit as she could not leave her children behind) and their youngest Millet (better half is one-time teen idol Edgar "Bobot" Mortiz whose name is now synonymous to a string of tv hits that he line produces along with the assistance of sons Frasco and Badji).

As Joey and Helen renewed their vows, the sisters were mere observers especially Charo enjoying anonymity in a hundred or so crowd that eventually would start to look at her twice, thrice later. "Treat others as you would like others to treat you," Helen spoke of her husband’s famous golden rule that’s among the reasons of their 25 blissful years together.

"That’s what Dad taught us," Charo added. "And the value of forgiveness. We do not bear grudges or harbor any resentments. Every time there is pain, we are reminded of an event in our lives that solidified more our union as family." Their dad, Dr. Winifredo Santos, before he became the head of the Oriental Mindoro Hospital, received a death threat from another doctor who was obsessed of the same topnotch position. One day, when her Dad was performing surgery, the envious doctor came without warning and right there in the OR, he thrust knife blows that her Dad was able to parry, thank God Dr. Santos was a towering six footer. Her dad came home with blood on his shirt because of some inflicted wounds. They were all in a shock. Their dad chose not to file a legal suit – all because that offending doctor has nine children and her Dad didn’t want to deny those nine kids of their future. "I can only offer forgiveness," his Dad had said.

"We were not rich," Charo recalled. "My Dad’s being a doctor was more of a calling. Some patients extended gratitude by bringing live chickens, eggs and vegetables. We had good food every Saturday, nilagang karne, but tuyo was present mostly during the weekdays. If at times a whole chicken was served, it was divided equally among us. The meaty portion was shared by rotation. Ate for example will get the leg now, but the next one who will have it might be me or Millet. That’s when we learned the value of sharing, lesson No. 2."

Their mom, Nora Santos, an AB Journalism graduate of UST (whose close friend and classmate was Loida Virina of Gulong ng Palad), taught English and Literature – and "from Mom, we learned social graces and other values – honesty, good conduct, to be polite and respectful of others."

Our conversation was halted by the vocal rendition of The Way You Look Tonight by Edgar and son Frasco. Some day, when I’m awfully low, When the world is cold, I will feel a glow just thinking of you, And the way you look tonight. "O, hindi ba, ang bayaw ko na yan, Frank Sinatra. A friend of FPJ. They were close, may pinagsamahan. Pag may gathering si Ronnie, he would ask Bobot to attend and nag-du-duet sila ng Frank Sinatra songs. Bobot and Millet could not forget FPJ’s kindness and generosity." The jazzy beat was contagious and Charo’s high heels started to tap, this was live entertainment up close at lunch time.

When the special video presentation prepared by Millet unfurled, Joey and Helen were surprised. It featured a greeting from their idol, a ninong to their wedding in 1981, Jawo (Bobby Jaworski), who was the couple’s favorite basketball hero – Joey and Helen’s courtship started during the popular Toyota games. Then Charo’s eyes remained glued to the screen, now it’s showing her two sons, Francis and Martin, "My prized treasures!" and her hubby Cesar, "My rock, my pillar of strength!"

When it was Joey’s turn to speak, Charo’s heart melted, "Parang si Daddy. Remember, it was Joey who started me in the limelight. Rikki Jimenez (the couturier) on his trip to Mindoro, spotted Joey and followed him on his way home – and met me. Right then and there, Rikki offered me to model for him. My God, I was 13! I didn’t know how to walk on the ramp, and when I first guested on Seeing Stars with JQ, I felt awkward." But into a graceful swan Charo turned out to be and the rest is history – oft-times documented as a perfect specimen of female-pulchritude-and-brain combo. Cum laude na, beauty pa.

What song would Charo best describe their family now? "Our parents loved music, their theme song was Besame Mucho. Besame mucho como si fuera esta noche la ultima vez. But the song that all of us their siblings cannot forget is the vocal number that we last did together for Mom’s birthday that we celebrated in Manila in 2001. After a few days then, Mom died… unexpectedly. The song is Through the Years by Kenny Rogers. Mom and Dad always reminded us, no matter what, we must always stay together." Through the years, through all the good and bad, I knew how much we had, I’ve always been so glad, To be with you... Through the years, It’s better every day, you’ve kissed my tears away, As long as it’s okay, I’ll stay with you, Through the years.

Was this the same song that Charo was going to perform sana for the anniversary? "No more na lang, honestly, I would rather be behind the cameras. Back stage lang, happier ako as dakilang extra."

She didn’t say no when she was besieged for autograph and photo sessions by the digitally equipped admirers most of whom were relatives she didn’t see for a while. When the band started playing good ole disco, she stood up and pulled a cousin to the dance floor as she got lost in gay abandon, motioning us to follow suit. Staying alive, staying alive, ah ah ah ah, staying alive.