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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider Birthday wish

Birthday wish

Published Feb 7, 2025 04:03 pm

MEDIUM RARE

Jullie Y. Daza

 

Imelda Romualdez Marcos, who is fond of saying “I have two presidents” and wears a pin showing a miniportrait of the two presidents, Ferdinand E. Marcos and Ferdinand R. Marcos, played hostess to celebrate the birthday of her loyal and longtime friend, Maurice Lim, last Thursday, Feb. 6.

 

The former first lady was dressed in red and carried a purse — what I’d call a bottomless bag — in matching red, like her sandals. Even Maurice, a retired banker who was once vice president of BDO, was caught by surprise when Mrs. Marcos asked everybody, all 21 of us, to form a line to receive ampao (red money envelopes) without the envelopes. Lining up obediently and cheerfully, we did as told and were pleased as punch to receive two crisp notes each. On closer examination, the notes were consecutively numbered, i.e., they had come straight out of the bank.

 

The service staff of waiters and maître d’ were not excluded from the cash lane, what fun it was watching every adult behaving like kids at someone’s birthday party. Mrs. Marcos looked just as elated, she who had given much of her energy and inspiration as first lady during the 21 years that FM was president. “I am happy to be here with all of you tonight,” she said, “it reminds me of my younger days,” when she was also and simultaneously governor of the Metro Manila Development Authority.

 

One very large lauriat table for 22 occupied an entire room of Golden Bay restaurant. Betsy Quisumbing, I presume, was in charge of planning the Chinese dinner and the guest list, which included Nenuca Blardony, Chita Rosales, Rose Lazaro, Ping Valencia, Raul Sunico, Letty Hahn, Maritess Ong.

 

Mrs. Marcos had one request. Asking her guests for pictures they might have of themselves with Ferdinand Sr. and IRM, she specified “preferably size 7 by 9 or 10, and framed.”

 

Towards the end of the dinner — birthday noodles not to be missed — and after dessert of almond jelly, I asked Mrs. Marcos to declare her birthday wish for Maurice. Straight to the point, short and sweet, she exclaimed, “Long life – and a wife!” 

 

No deadline was given, and Maurice did not blush! 

 

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Jullie Y. Daza Medium Rare
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