My Manila Hilton stories

Someone said that if you are lucky to find a job that didn’t feel like a job because you are enjoying every minute spent doing it, it’s not considered work at all. Every day becomes a fun day, full of adventure, discovery and delight.

My first job paid me P250 a month. This was in 1967, the same year that I obtained a college degree. I was so excited to receive my first pay that I used up the entire amount to treat every friend of mine at the Café Coquilla, the coffee shop of the Manila Hilton Hotel, the first five-star hotel that opened in the city of Manila. The hotel was my employer.   

My father was amused to see me dancing to the beat of my own drums. “I am gainfully employed, Itay!” I cried. He laughed and winked at me, “Does this mean that you are now willing to let go of the P800 a month allowance you get from me?”

I didn’t answer.

Manila Hilton sales team in a party mode with Maggie Guevarra, Winnie Mercader, Celia SilangCruz, Imelda Paez and Rita Dy

Seriously, it felt good to be in a working environment where I was in the company of other new hires who were wet behind the ears like me. We felt safe in the knowledge that we had fabulous executives who were steering us in the right direction so that we could learn the tricks of the trade together.

And learn fast, we did, with absolute enchantment, too. From our first general manager, Colgate F. Holmes, who honed us to stay alert and keep our ears close to the ground and be aware of what was happening around the hotel. “Letty, pray, do tell me, what’s on at the Coral Ballroom tonight and next week?”

There was Marilou Mabilangan, who taught us to walk, talk and think like women of substance. “Ladies, let your voice smile even on the phone.”

There was Marla Yotoko, who gave us lessons in the rich history of our country, took us to museums and historical spots, and made us appreciate how lucky we were to be born Filipinos. “Talk and appreciate our culture and heritage with pride and confidence.”

The Manila Hilton book editorial team is composed of Marla Yotoko Chorengel, Letty Lopez, Lolita Fansler, Carmita Francisco (not shown are Fe Reyes Wanner and Rita Dy)

The other top executives were equally patient and generous with their time and talent. They  never made us feel like we were a bunch of nuisance, even if we were.  

The Manila Hilton Hotel was the scene of many firsts: Our baptism of fire, the first clients we were taught to meet, greet and develop a career relationship with, first hotel romance (followed by more romances), first sales success, first burning of candles on both ends, first bouts of insomnia, first healthy attacks of paranoia, even my first exposure to green jokes that many of us with PG-13 backgrounds never heard of before.

As far as office dynamics was concerned, it was the only milieu where no power play existed. There were no hostilities, no intrigues, no stabbing behind the back and no sinister moves or black propaganda from among the staff and rank and file.

It was a rare time that happened some 45 years ago. Since our mind seems to remember the past more than the present, we wrote down what we can recall of those wine-sweet and amazing ruby days of old. For example:

The Manila Hilton building viewed from the Luneta Chinese Gardens in 1968

In March 1968, the hotel was formally inaugurated. To celebrate this auspicious occasion, the Hilton management lined up a series of events to bring into the hotel a host of celebrities known for their talent, beauty and unique personalities. One such celebrity was the tall and Oscar-winning Hollywood actor Gregory Peck (To Kill a Mockingbird, Roman Holiday, etc.). When the actor approached the front desk to register, the lady desk clerk behind the counter, obviously a great fan of the actor, blurted, “Pregory Geck is here!”

Maurita Arce and Rita Dy were assigned as assistant managers at the front desk. One fine and blazing Valentine’s Day, a basket of flowers was brought in by a delivery boy. “Oh wow! That is mine,” exclaimed Maurita. “You’re absolutely mistaken,” countered Rita. Before the repartee was reduced to a mental boxing match, the tiny messenger peeked from behind the thick foliage and smiled, “These flowers are for Mr. Ding Altamarino of the front desk. Is he on duty?” Maurita and Rita simply died.

Public relations was in need of a Santa Claus to welcome the little children from a nearby orphanage. But the one who was hired to play Santa got stuck in traffic. Marla Yotoko, PR manager, pulled Atty. Ed Olivera of personnel to don the costume. “But he doesn’t have a belly,” I protested. “That’s easy,” Marla replied. She borrowed some cushions from housekeeping and stuffed them inside the Santa costume. No one noticed the fake stomach of our substitute Santa.

Two action heroes in local cinema had an altercation at the disco bar called “1571.” Cooler heads, however, prevailed and that averted a gunfight in the lobby, which would have been a box-office sensation. The Filipino idols were Fernando Poe Jr. and Tony Ferrer.

There are one hundred and more stories that captured the rarest of times at the Manila Hilton Hotel. They simply reaffirmed what one chanteuse sang with equal joy and nostalgia: “Here in this hotel, how many stories could it tell? Of those who worked here and have joined the cast, unsung heroes in the past?”

Our book will stir awake lovely times, good times. The memories pulsate deep in our hearts.       

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Heartbeat Manila Hilton will be launched on Friday, Nov. 25, at the Ritz Towers pool area. Part of the sales will be donated to the Shine Autism Center in Pasig City for scholarship fund to benefit special children. For orders, e-mail friendsofmanilahilton@gmail.com.