NITONG Lunes pumatak ang tradisyunal na pasiyam para kay Amalia Fuentes.
A centuries-old practice, ang mga walong araw before this are spent on gathering family and friends para sa padasal with refreshments on the side. But the most special is the ninth day. Hindi nga lang namin alam if this is the same being practiced kapag namaalam ang isang celebrity.
Nagkakatalo lang marahil sa trappings, but the tradition is kept primarly to pray for the eternal repose of the dead.
Samantala, sa mga hindi nakakaalam, some few blocks away lang ang distansiya sa pagitan ng newly built house ng dating TV host Butch Francisco at ng sa yumaong si Amalia Fuentes in a ritzy subdivision somewhere in Quezon City.
Bale ang assistant ng nasirang veteran actress close to Butch who sought his help during the initial preparations kung saan ito ibuburol, noong mismong araw nang malagutan ito ng hininga (Oct. 5, Saturday).
Pitching his share was Alfonso, apo ni Amalia kina Albert at Liezl Martinez (SLN).
But because Alfonso is virtually new in the village (he had seen through her lola for the longest time) ay kinailangang lumapit ang sekretarya ni Amalia kay Butch who knows his way around.
The original plan was for the wake to be at Mount Carmel Church na ilang tumbling din ang distansiya from the village. Nagkataon namang may naunang nakaburol doon, so they had to settle for Arlington Chapels on Araneta Avenue.
The first night of the wake, ayon sa kuwento ni Butch, was strictly for the family. Sa mga naunang ulat, the Sampaguita star succumbed to multiple organ failure after suffering a stroke while vacationing in Seoul, Korea with friends.
The last few months were a struggle for Amalia who had to be in and out of the hospital. At least sa loob ng dalawang linggo only to be brought back.
The family saw it coming nitong huli na at the ICU, nakailang beses na rin kasi ang labas-masok nitong confinement. There was a time though when Amalia was no longer bedridden but wheelchairbound and ate all by herself.
The first set of mourners ay kinabilangan ni Divina Valencia, not necessarily Amalia’s contemporary kung babalikan natin ang kasaysayan ng mga sumikat noong dekada sisenta. Naroon din si Beverly Vergel (the late Alicia’s daughter) na pabalik na ng Canada after her three-month vacation here.
The youngest among the early visitors to have paid their last respects was Yayo Aguila. No need na hanapan pa ng konek si Yayo except that she may have been close to Amalia’s celebrity nieces na kapanabayan niya.
Even though conspicuously absent from their Balik Samahan (ito ‘yung grupong binubuo ng ilang senior actors and actresses who take time out to get regularly bonded during important occasions) pot luck gatherings, Amalia was around in spirit.
Ayon kay Butch, Amalia is survived by her other brother plus three half-siblings.
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Blind item: This famous showbiz clan is known for throwing all-Filipino dinner parties, such native viands na kailanma’y hindi natin kauumayan.
Bagama’t lagi namang invited ang isang female personality (FP) sa tuwing may mahalagang okasyon ang pamilya, the latter knows better when it comes to serving food on the buffet table.
By batch nang ginagawa ang paghahain ng mga putahe, na sisimulan sa heavy-on-the-tummy tulad ng pancit “at iba pa” to the saucy, more complex dishes.
May ugali pala raw kasi ang FP na magbalot ng mga nakahandang pagkain kahit alam niyang marami pang mga bisitang darating. Kaya mahigpit na bilin ng pamilya sa kanilang kitchen staff, ilabas lang ang mga pagkaing nanganganib mai-take home ng FP pag nakaalis na ito.
Nakapagtatakang to this day ay walang kaide-ideya ang FP na never nang umuubra ang bangis niya na katulad ng linya ng isang pinasikat na awitin ni Sharon Cuneta – “balutin mo ako ng liwanag ng iyong pagmamahal…”