More unforgettable passengers of flight attendants

Several readers of last week’s column had one single clear message: Please feature more flight attendants on passengers they will never ever forget.

I know the feeling. When I was growing up in Cebu, I was always spellbound by tales of a daughter of a close family friend who joined the airlines and was a real globetrotter, meeting personalities and celebrities – people you only read about or watch on television and films.

I immediately got together with friends who had wings and likewise met friends of friends for more stories written-in-the-skies.

So here they are. Kindly fasten your seatbelt and enjoy your flight.

Helen Price Nierras Camua’s association with PAL began in 1961 and she soon represented the airline at the annual Air Hostess Quest in Australia. She was a member of the exclusive cabin crew of purser, flight stewards and stewardesses for all the presidential flights of former President Ferdinand Marcos and wife Imelda from 1964 to 1971. At one time Helen had three siblings with her at PAL, including brother Douglas Nierras who is now a well-known choreographer-director and a three-time Aliw awardee. Married to Brigadier General Demetrio Camua Jr., whose last assignment was Deputy Commander at Clark Air Base, the couple had a full working social calendar where they entertained government officials such as the United States of America Vice President Dan Quayle and Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, movie actress Shirley Jones and singer Billy Joel. Today, the mother of four and grandmother of one is an active member of the retired officers wives and widows association.

"I gladly attended to three First Ladies of the land. Inday Lilang Garcia was amiable, sweet, well-groomed and eternally smiling. Well-mannered and extremely pleasant, she was a joy to talk to. Eva Macaraeg Macapagal was on an official flight to Cambodia. She had the composure of an aristocrat. She emerged as a person who is learned and expected everybody to be on their toes – always on the alert. A real perfectionist. Imelda Romualdez Marcos was tall, elegant and beautiful in her own right. She was composed, compassionate, charismatic, understanding and generous. Regal with an air of royalty."

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Elizabeth Palles Romualdez was on a routine flight from Manila to Davao when six university-activist students hijacked the PAL aircraft and forced it to fly to Canton in communist China in 1971. "The Chinese authorities were polite and courteous," Beth claims. "They asked us about our needs and come to think of it, they even offered us tea and Chinese food." Moving on with her life, she spent 10 years in Los Angeles, California where she took up cooking, baking and catering classes. She likewise enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America. She traveled extensively to Italy, Spain, Portugal, Indonesia and Thailand to further improve her skills. Married to Jose "Pepot" Romualdez with whom she has four children, the grandmother of two established the first gourmet cooking school Bon Appetit for Rustan’s and set up the food outlets of Tagaytay Highlands Golf and Country Club. She is currently a food consultant to several restaurants and clubs.

"My memories of unforgettable passengers on board includes someone who was singing Moon River on a flight to Davao. I honestly thought I knew the voice but somehow could not quite place it. He smiled and introduced himself as Robert Goulet! He sang a concert for me on the entire flight. The second encounter involved another gentleman. I knew him the minute I saw him! His cleft chin and his charisma left me breathless. It was Kirk Douglas traveling by PAL from San Francisco."

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Monica Barrica De Villa was chosen as Miss PAL Domestic for 1965-1966 and as such, the airline’s official representative to its extensive nationwide publicity and promotions program. In 1968, she earned her wings as an international stewardess. However, she flew to each of PAL’s international destinations only once "just for the feel of it and per agreement" with then Captain Renato de Villa. The officer and the gentleman who later became the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Secretary of Defense, and till lately the Executive Secretary of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was in such a rush to marry the beauty queen. Resignation as a flight attendant followed soon. Today they are the proud parents of four children and doting grandparents to four adorable grandchildren.

"One could not have met a more interesting couple than Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos during their early days in public office. He was brilliant with a good sense of humor. She was regal yet very approachable. He was a born leader. She was naturally a charmer. What a combination! What a couple!"

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Mandy Navasero flew with Philippine Airlines in the early Sixties. An admitted absolute provinciana, she claims, "It was the very first time I put on makeup and only because I had to adhere to airline regulations on good grooming." After a stint at Bank of America where she handled public relations and advertising, she enrolled at Brooks Institute of Photographic Arts and Sciences in Santa Barbara, California where she graduated with a BA degree in Professional Photography major in Advertising and Illustration. At present, she operates a photography and graphics design studio. As a photographer, Mandy has been invited to cover events in Asia, America and the Caribbean. She is busy raising four children.

"I was so proud that I was the first in my batch at PAL to serve on a chartered flight. However, on that memorable hop to Calapan, Mindoro were the remains of a 14-year-old boy who died of leukemia. His coffin, all covered with flowers, occupied the space beside the stewardesses’ seats. Even without actually knowing him, he touched my heart. I will never ever forget him. God bless his soul."

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Zenaida Jones retired this year as an international flight purser after flying continuously with Philippine Airlines for 37, I repeat, 37 years. Some concerned friends had fears that the always-on-the-go Nena must be undergoing some withdrawal problems of sorts. "Though I agree they were wonderful years, I wholeheartedly believe that there is life after PAL," she declares. "I do fully appreciate my family and friends who through all the years have unselfishly adjusted our get-togethers for all seasons and reasons to my complicated flight schedules. Now it’s the other way around and I am not complaining. Oh, I enjoy retirement.

"Here’s my list: Former President Fidel V. Ramos, a hard-working President even on board the aircraft. Gloria Diaz, when she flew in from America immediately after winning the coveted Miss Universe crown – a first for the Philippines. She was a beauty in spite of her being tired and exhausted due to her hectic schedule. Jean Claude Van Damme – a good looking hunk of a man who is very physically fit and electrifying."

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Felipe Gutierrez Jr. and his immediate family love Philippine Airlines. He not only shared with the airlines the best years of his life prior to retiring – some 28 years, first as a domestic route steward and finally as international flight purser – but his son and daughter have followed in their dad’s footsteps – without realizing that perhaps they may have started a family tradition. Today, Jungats, as he is known to all relatives and close friends, frequent golf courses where he looks forward to his second hole-in-one.

"I was totally overwhelmed when I met Mother Teresa. Though almost speechless, I whispered it was truly an honor to have her on my flight from Tokyo to Manila. Seconds later, I could not help but gently kiss her hand. She smiled faintly and gave me her blessings. She was quiet most of the trip. She looked so serene and so meek. She is my idea of a saint.

"Another person that comes to mind is American President Richard Nixon. He was then a young politician on a special mission to Vietnam. Even then, I found him to be serious and intense, a man with a cause."

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Cecilia Samson Miciano started with PAL in 1960 and retired from flying five years later, when she got married to a member of the cabin crew, Antonio Diago Miciano. At present, she is a trainor at the Philippine Airlines Learning Center, introducing future stewards and stewardesses to the exciting world of wines and spirits. "My forte is the preparation of cocktails," she claims. Mother of three sons, two of which are church pastors in Seattle, Washington and San Francisco, California, Cecilia is active in church and community affairs.

"At the top of my list would be Pat Boone, a clean-cut type of a guy who was friendly and accommodating, simpatico and soft spoken. There was a passenger from San Francisco, a tall enchanter, a macho man, extremely good looking and endlessly a gentleman. His name – George Montgomery, the actor. Lest I forget Thalia of Marimar fame. She was extremely attractive, engagingly sexy and seductively a vamp."

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Romeo Bhagwani retired from PAL in 1997 after initially serving as flight steward and then purser for a total of 33 years. Among the many experiences that never fail to make him smile is when he recalls and retells the beautiful story of how he assisted in the actual delivery on board of a baby of an Overseas Filipino Worker temporarily risiding in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Today, the businessman-trader exports a much-desired variety of seafood from Dipolog.

"On a flight from San Francisco to Manila I had Robert McNamara, a top level Cabinet member of the JFK administration. He looked very scholarly and rather distinguished. He had the unmistakable aura of power.

"How can anyone ever forget meeting Ursula Andres, the star of Dr. No, the very first of the James Bond film series. She was attractive. I must say she was well-proportioned and yet well-endowned. I must confess she was utterly desirable."

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Susie Hechanova Vinluan believes that "being a member of the flight crew of a commercial airline is never boring because you get to meet interesting personalities among other exciting experiences." And this is exactly what she did for five years from 1964 to 1969. Married to now retired Philippine Air Force Major General Roland Vinluan, the presidential pilot of past President Joseph Estrada, they have two grown-up daughters. Susie enjoys gardening.

"A special flight I fondly remember was in 1968 – chartered by the Lopez family. Their guests were members of European Royalty which included then Prince Juan Carlos Borbon of Spain and the exiled King Simon of Bulgaria and his wife Queen Margarita. They were such a beautiful couple, friendly and never demanding. As a matter of fact, all our passengers on this particular flight were simply great!"

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Carmen Rodriguez Dreyfus loves PAL. When she had to submit her resignation letter as a flight attendant one month before her forthcoming wedding day as a requirement in those days where all female cabin crew members had to remain single, she simultaneously applied as a training instructor. She got the job, hands down. She later did administration work for the pursers and the love affair with PAL continued for almost half a century. Since her final retirement in 2001, she dedicates more time and effort in assisting some favorite charity and civic organizations, meets up with old friends more regularly and takes longer holidays in the capital cities and interesting towns of Europe.

"As part of the Presidential crew for the state visit of President and Mrs. Carlos P. Garcia to Taiwan as official guests of Generalisimo Chiang Kai Shek, my lasting impression of the former First Couple was their hard-to-find simplicity and genuine warmth and how they sincerely acknowledged every single little service offered and accomplished on board. Also uncanny and rather rare (if my memory serves me right!) was that none of the members of the Cabinet traveling in the entourage requested or ordered for an alcoholic beverage. That certainly was a very sober group!"

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The Association of Former Flight Attendants of the Philippine Airlines wishes to invite all crew members – both cockpit and cabin – since 1946 up to the present – retired or active – to the Grand Global Homecoming, a dinner-dance affair at the Grand Ballroom of the Manila Hotel on Jan. 5, 2002. For particulars please contact Linda Lorenzo at 512-74-75, Greta Lauron at 807-15-53 and Cristina Altura at 842-41-42.