An interesting story about ‘Fanman’

I’ve known “Fanman” and ABS-CBN co-worker Monchet Diokno Olives (MDO) for over two decades. He was the pioneering head of ABS-CBN International in San Francisco, where he lived for over 10 years. After a decade in the Bay Area nurturing ABS-CBN International, he returned to Manila and became SVP for Business Development. MDO has always been a colorful character who loves the finer things in life: Food, traveling, wine and fashion. He probably inherited his flair for fashion from his mom, the late Angelita Diokno Olives. MDO’s mom and her sisters owned Casa Mercedes, the oldest and perhaps the only company making hand-made fans in the Philippines. The company was actually the brainchild of MDO’s tita, Mercedes Rovira (thus the name Casa Mercedes), whose frequent trips to Madrid in the ’50s inspired her to open a fan factory in Manila. After a few years, Mercedes invited sisters Nora and Angelita to help her run the business. By the mid-‘60s, however, Monchet’s mom took over because her sisters were busy pursuing other careers.

Monchet vividly remembers in the ’60s how his mom would be on her bed, making prototype fans for VIP clients. One such client was Helena Benitez of the Bayanihan dance group, who asked his mom to make the Bayanihan fan measuring 13 inches wide (standard fans are only 6 ¾” or 8 ¾”) that was used for the Filipino cultural dance singkil. The fan became an instant hit which was sold in all colors, except black. The black fan was a designated “Monchet exclusive” that he gave only to friends as gifts. In 2013, though, SM ordered black Bayanihan fans. And because the order was too good to resist, Monchet gave in. He still gives black fans as gifts these days, but he’s added his signature and an accent rib to distinguish them from the ones sold at SM.

Another VIP client during the ’70s was the late fashion czar Pitoy Moreno. One day, Pitoy visited Monchet’s mom and challenged her to make him a petal fan to go with the design for a terno he was making for then First Lady Imelda Marcos. As it turns out, Imelda was the No. 1 fan of Casa Mercedes’ fans (pun intended). The company rose to the challenge and gave the First Lady a fan that was made of hand-embroidered piña, with ribs made from narra and her signature incorporated in the design. Today, the petal fan is still Casa Mercedes’ best-seller.

In 2012, MDO retired from corporate life. Early into his retirement, three close friends, Cedie Vargas, Evelyn Forbes and Rajo Laurel, spoke to him on separate occasions and told him that Casa Mercedes was a gold mine that was just sitting on. They convinced MDO to create new designs that catered not only to matrons (60 years and above) but also to a burgeoning market, the forty-something titas of Manila. After watching the movie Heneral Luna in 2015, Monchet was so taken by the title character’s portrayal by John Arcilla and his repeated use of the word “puñeta” that the expletive gave rise to a new line: the Icoño Series. These were basically Bayanihan fans with the words “Puñeta” or “Que Barbaridad” sprawled on the abanico in fun, graphic art. These whimsical fans became an instant hit, even receiving the Katha award given by Manila FAME. Just recently, MDO launched the “No Beso Beso” line to reflect the sign of the (pandemic) times. A set which includes a fan and a mask goes for P1,150; if you want the matching pouch, add P400.

The art of communicating with a fan or abanico may be long gone, but its practicality in the Philippines is undeniable. By all means, support our artisans by buying local, hand-made products like the fans of Casa Mercedes.