Why Carlyn stays here

Carlyn Manning, one of the sincerest American friends we have, has stayed in this country for 60 years, and proudly proclaims the fact. Currently, she is president of the Manila Symphony Society which recently sponsored a concert featuring the fiery and dynamic visiting conductor Helen Quach and violin virtuoso Alfonso “Coke” Bolipata.

Through 60 years, the highlights in Carlyn’s life and career bear repeating. Some of these follow.

In 1948, Carlyn and her husband Jack Manning — who was to head Mantrade — arrived in Manila from Chicago, 12,000 miles away, on board a PanAm clipper, and were greeted by 50 of the top American community leaders.

In 1949, Carlyn helped set up the Philippine United Service Organization (USO) with Marie Wilkins, professional USO executive. Carlyn and Jack would become pioneer residents in Forbes Park, their house having been the first built in that prestigious village (April 1949).

In 1951, Carlyn danced the lead roles in Die Fledermaus, as choreographed by Trudl Dubsky Zipper, and in a French program at the Manila Hotel Fiesta Pavilion.

In 1954, as wife of the American Chamber of Commerce president, she met world personalities Helen Hayes, John D. Rockefeller II (her dinner partner), astronaut John Glenn, President Richard Nixon, President Lyndon Johnson, Indira Gandhi, and screen stars Charlton Heston, Jeff Chandler, Tyrone Power, among others.

She hosted a dinner during which she introduced Jeff Chandler to Fely Go, wife of eminent newspaper publisher Go Puan Seng, parents of the late Betty Go Belmonte and Gracie Glory Go.

Deeply involved in the arts, Carlyn studied flamenco in Manila and Madrid, and performed in a 1957 concert with Ruben Nieto, then the Philippines’ foremost Spanish dancer. The year prior, Carlyn served as president of the St. Luke’s Women’s Board, and started Christmas bazaars with Elizabeth Nielson, wife of Larry Nielson of Nielson Tower.

In 1960, Carlyn earned a certificate from the Dance Masters of America, NY chapter, then opened a school of dance whose initial enrollment of 32 students in 1960 grew to 159 in 1974.

In 1964, Carlyn served as chairman of the American Girl Scouts in the Philippines and presented its members in a concert at Malacañang for First Lady Eve Macapagal who later awarded her fund-raising for Rotary Anns.

In 1966, after taking lessons from Col. Jacobo Zobel and Albert Capotosto, Carlyn learned to ride and even won a ribbon in the Polo Club Gymkhana.

In 1967, she introduced “Concert at the Park” (Luneta), with Oscar C. Yatco conducting the Manila Symphony Orchestra.

In 1970, the Mannings introduced the first German Rottweilers to the Philippines. One of the dogs became a movie star earning P5,000 a week.

In 1971 Carlyn learned to fly a Beechcraft Musketeer, flying General Charles A. Lindbergh in a Piper Club after only eight hours of soloing.

In 1974, Carlyn entered the travel industry, and is in it to this day. As head of the FAR Travel Agency, she represented the Philippines as governor of Asia for the American Society of Travel Agents in international meetings.

As travel agent, Carlyn has visited such exotic sites as Lhasa, Tibet, Bariloche, Leh in Ladakh, Samarkand, Uzbekistan and many more fascinating places.

She has driven a vintage car, a 1952 Alvis — one of only three in the world, owned by Albert Capotosto. The only other two belong to Queen Elizabeth and the Shah of Iran.

For all the foregoing distinctions, Carlyn is proudest of her three children Johnny, Carlyn Fern and Heather. Far from being a balikbayan, Carlyn is a permanent resident who will stay in our country, which she dearly loves, “forever”. There is no other place she could have achieved so much except Manila.