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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider 'Culture' unites

'Culture' unites

Published May 8, 2025 12:05 am  |  Updated May 7, 2025 05:05 pm

MEDIUM RARE

One day before “all roads lead to Rome” for the conclave of cardinals to choose the next pope, friends of Imelda R. Marcos from way back were invited to commemorate the 71st anniversary of her betrothal to Ferdinand E. Marcos last Tuesday, May 6.

No one at our table brought up the topic of the conclave, but most of us were eager to know what keeps Mrs. Marcos busy these days – “I have two presidents,” as she is fond of saying, one from the past, one of the present and into the future, until 2028. Her memories of Malacañang took a back seat as, between bites of dinner, the former First Lady spoke of the need to propagate and preserve culture as a means of uniting the people and showing the world what we are, who we are, what we are made of and what we make.

I asked her which was more important to her, Heart Center or Cultural Center, both projects being her brainchild, and her answer was the same as always, “It is culture that distinguishes us, as it is culture that unifies us. . . Culture takes its cue from nature” – implying that a hospital that looks after the health of the people is just as important as a building built to “sanctify the spirit.” Almost as an afterthought, she said that a country that strives to be a world power must have a strong foundation for its own civilization, i.e., culture.

As a sample of that culture, Mrs. Marcos’ guests were entertained by the incomparable Dulce singing love songs, full throated and heartfelt, in English and Tagalog. Nice to sit beside Mrs. Marcos and hear her singing along with Dulce!

Among her guests, her sister-in-law Juliet Gomez Romualdez, DILG Asec Beth de Leon, Maurice Lim, Charo Yu, Ping Valencia, Nenuca Blardony, Chita Rosales, Fe Roa Gimenez, Tessie Ong and daughter.  

Tuesday’s merienda was held, as usual, at Goldenberg Mansion, which Mrs. Marcos bought years ago to serve as a guest house “for my distinguished guests.” The building is only one of many “heritage houses” in the Malacañang compound.

She acknowledges her daughter-in-law, Liza, for turning the mansion into “a place for gathering my friends, I am touched.”

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MEDIUM RARE Jullie Y. Daza
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