What Loren is to me

I can never get enough of Norma Japitana’s new column in this section called Now & Then, wherein she retrieves old pieces and ties these up to the present time.

Last week, she reprinted an August 1988 article about how Loren Legarda, then only two years into her TV comeback via ABS-CBN, threw lunch for the press at the now-closed L’Orangerie, one of the finest restaurants in Makati’s dining history.

Loren was the broadcast industry’s new sensation then (young, beautiful and intelligent) and she wanted to thank members of print media for all their support — and basically just get together with them. Among the names Norma mentioned who were present in that lunch were Ronald Constantino, Nestor Cuartero, Millet Mananquil and, of course, Ricky Lo, who had always been supportive of Loren’s career.

Well, I was also in that gathering. I had just started writing for this paper and it was even Ricky, who relayed Loren’s invitation to me. A few months earlier, he and Ronald had brought me to another lunch — at the Leviste penthouse unit — where I first met Loren.

Yes, I remember the beef dish Norma described in her article — and the sinful mango jubilee for dessert. I likewise recall that then broadcaster Manny Ayala (another one of Loren’s friends) was also present and Ricky kept needling him “about how he must be so rich — being an Ayala.” Manny is not related to the Ayalas as far as I know and Ricky was obviously just kidding. Five years after that, Manny was supposed to get married to… oops, forget I even brought that up. Okay, the US wedding was cancelled at the last minute. His would have been bride is still around, but I don’t know what became of Manny.

I still recall what happened after that lunch. I asked Loren if I could wait it out at her house — off Greenbelt — since that was where the car was picking me up (we had relatives from the US shopping at QUAD, which is where Glorietta is now and we only used one vehicle to get to Makati).

When we were in her car, however, the vehicle conked out and then husband Tony Leviste had to hail a cab for all four of us (writer Mina Paras, included).

Mina later did some errands in Makati, while I went up with Tony and Loren to their unit at the LPL building. Loren and I had a very long chat upstairs — over iced tea, which they always served — and that began what would become a deep, 22-year friendship between us. It all started right after that lunch Norma Japitana wrote about last Sept. 13 in her Now & Then corner.

I became a constant visitor to that house — with or without Loren there. It became my halfway house in Makati. I would just announce my presence at the lobby of the building and they would call her unit. If she happened to be away, it would be her Nanay Fely (her nanny since she was a little girl), who would serve me food — and iced tea, of course. They always had cakes, which was why I chose that as my halfway house. I’d freshen up in their bathroom or just wait it out there in between appointments in the area.

A year later, a common friend sowed intrigue between us. I became cold to her and she noticed that (I think even Ricky sensed my sudden aloofness to Loren). Since I’ve always been honest with my feelings, I told her about how bad I felt and when we traced the incident, it was just that — an unfounded, but malicious piece of intrigue. We pledged to each other that — from that time on — we would never allow petty things to come between us.

Nine years after that, she won in the Senate race (her first term) and she felt bad that I had not even sent her a congratulatory note from the US, where I was studying. As soon as I got back, she lost no time tracking me down to confront me — not angrily though, more of hurt. I had to explain to her that during that time, I had difficulty raising 60 cents for my bus ride to school — and that I had to walk from one city to the next to get to my destination because I was so destitute. She easily understood and all was forgiven.

That was how we kept our friendship through these decades — through sheer understanding of each other’s faults and flaws. You also have to understand that Loren and I are the type of friends who only see each other once a year — twice at the most — and yet we know that we will always be there for each other.

Our last communication was when I sent her a text message on her birthday last January. No, I wasn’t around her during the campaign period — having made a vow not to get myself involved in political endorsements. I didn’t get to explain that to her personally, but I know she will understand, as always.

Wow, a 22-year friendship. That’s long, especially in a business like ours that is full of betrayal and deception. Loren had been wrongly accused of a lot of things in politics, but I know her inside and out. Underneath that tough and seemingly ambitious façade is a golden heart, a genuine compassion for others and her desire to improve the situation of this country.

Twenty-two years from now, I’m sure we will still be friends (I’m optimistic we will live that long). I may not remember I said this, but if you open my heart decades from now, I’m sure the friendship will still be there.