By Telly G. Ocampo
Susan versus Amalia
The death of Susan Roces brought me back to “Somewhere in Time” – a movie I would not get tired of watching featuring Christopher Reeves and Jeanne Seymour. But that is another story.
Let us go back to Susan Roces. I cried a river not because of grief purely for her but my tears were expressions of a combination of joy and grief.
Susan Roces was a lady in the true sense of the word. Since her younger days and up to now, there was never a taint of scandal involving her. She was under the care of Doc Perez of Sampaguita Pictures like Gloria Romero, Chuvy Cachola, Amalia Fuentes, Barbara Perez. Those were the beautiful faces in cinema. There was also Loreta Marquez who later on became a nun. Doc Perez treated and trained them as his own. No fakery in those days then.
As a teenager, I imitated her hairstyle – the page boy. The cut of her dress, the lipstick that was pink – all these I aped in my teenage days. Pink is the color for sweet 16. And we wanted to be sweet then like her. Susan Roces was teamed with Josemarie Gonzales, the father of Cristina “Kringkring” Gonzales Romualdez who became later in life as mayor of Tacloban after Edsa. But that was just a screen team. She married at a very marriageable age so to speak. Both of them, already secured in their place in the movie world, became the king and queen of Philippine cinema.
It was only in her death that I learned at she is the descendant of La Estrella Del Norte – the store famous for diamond jewelries and silverware. My Oyong Ando and Oyang Tiva had jewelry stores in Tagbilaran and Davao. His suki for the jewelries was a certain Mr. Picache in downtown Quiapo. And for the pricey ones, Oyong and Oyang went to La Estrella Del Norte, especially for Oyong’s gifts to my Oyang Tiva. La Estrella Del Norte was also famous for their silverware: Kadto bitawng mga kutchara nga pure silver ang set unya ibutang sa usa ka wooden box. This was complete with table knives and soup laddle. It was then a dream for La Buena Familia in those days to have the set. I’m happy to have one of those sets with me. How I acquired it is another story.
Anyway, I have cried the most when Sen. Grace Poe was interviewed by Jessica Soho. Grace is the daughter who has become her masterpiece. Though she is a foundling, there is no trace of any insecurity in her. She has accepted that fact in her life. I could remember that all sorts of paninira was thrown to her to the extent of questioning her citizenship when she ran for president. She even authored the foundling law.
Somewhere, sometime, the presidency might be Grace Poe’s destiny. If you have listened to Susan Roces’ speech after the death of FPJ, you can see that this will happen sooner than I think. Grace Poe will have her come back.
The title of Susan versus Amalia is something to laugh at now. But during our time maglalis mi sa akong amiga kon siya Amalia kay ako Susanian gyud to the deepest core of my being.