Sweet memories of Sampaguita Days

Did you know that Pangasinan Rep. Gina de Venecia (of the province’s Fourth District, fondly called Manay Gina) appeared as guest in one of the hundreds of movies produced by the Vera-Perezes under the family-owned Sampaguita Pictures, which was headed by the clan’s patriarch Starmaker Dr. Jose R. Perez (a.k.a. Doc Perez)?

“Gina played one of the kids in rapt attention while listening to the stories of Lola Basyang in Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang,” recalled Gina’s older sister Marichu “Manay Ichu” Maceda during Manay Gina’s recent 66th birthday celebration at the Sampaguita Studio which has been converted into an events place.

Manay Ichu told friends at one table, inspired no doubt by the nostalgic emotion evoked by the place that holds sweet memories. Manay Ichu herself appeared in a Sampaguita movie, as a flower girl in Hele-Hele Bago Quiere which starred Oscar Moreno and Lilian Leonardo. But she nipped her showbiz career in the bud and served as fashion consultant for the lavish Sampaguita movies including Debutante for which Manay Ichu designed the classic gowns of Susan Roces, the lead star.

It was Lilibeth “Betchay” Perez-Nakpil who beat her two ates by playing the title role in Vicky, showing her in a pensive mood in the print ad holding a bunch of flowers. She was with an all-star cast.

Susan Roces, one of Manay Gina’s well-heeled well-wishers, said that she and Eddie Gutierrez, her perennial leading man, have shot scenes in every nook and cranny of the studio, getting married a few times at the chapel near the creek and playing hide-and-seek around the sprawling sunken garden.

“Do you see those big trees?” asked Eddie, pointing through the window at the back of the table. “We shot some scenes there for Birds of Paradise (with Cynthia Ugalde and Josephine Estrada, Misses Philippines at that time). Dolphy as the title role in Tanzan The Mighty ran around those trees with a monkey on his back.” When he was new in the business, said Eddie, “I would chase Doc Perez around every day to put me under contract. My efforts paid off.”

“And that river behind the Perezes’ residence,” added Susan, “that’s where Eddie and I shot Ang Maganda Kong Kapitbahay.” Same with 28 de Mayo, starring Amalia Fuentes, which was about the big flood that devastated San Juan and part of Quezon City in the early ‘60s. “The studio was a complete set,” including the winding staircase of the Perezes’ residence, “ang daming artistang nahulog diyan,” Susan added with a laugh. All for make-believe.

There are more sweet Sampaguita memories to be told and they need more than just one social event to tell them all.

“I can’t help going back to those sweet old days,” said Manay Ichu. “Parang kahapon lamang.”