The irrepressible, indefatigable & sometimes, incorrigible Manay Ichu

MANILA, Philippines — Maria Azucena Vera-Perez Maceda‚ “ang nag-iisang Manay Ichu ng industriya ng pelikulang Pilipino,” was literally “to the manor born” — a three-hectare expanse of precious Quezon City real estate later to house the iconic Vera-Perez Mansion and the Sampaguita Pictures Compound.  Born on Dec. 23, 1942, the blue-blooded scion of one of filmdom’s original Big Four literally has movies running in her veins. At age 75, while challenged by growing health problems that now frequently confine her to her wheelchair, Manay Ichu still eats, drinks and sleeps pelikula… with unbridled passion.  

One can hardly blame Manay Ichu. Prodded by her Sampaguita roots, she has helped found, institute, pioneer in, enhance and sustain major film-related agencies and programs that mark the industry’s landscape: the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation (Mowelfund, founded by Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada in 1974), the Metro Manila Film Festival, the Film Academy of the Philippines, the Philippine Motion Pictures Producers Association, the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines and the Film Development Council of the Philippines. She has spent more than half of her life lobbying in Congress, approaching Local Government Unit (LGU) leaders and even appealing to Malacañang to institutionalize and support said agencies. Been there, done that… albeit unbeknownst to today’s burgeoning industry leaders.

Manay Ichu is irrepressible where film industry affairs are concerned. Ask her about the plight of the lowly movie worker who is underpaid and underprivileged and she can deliver a mouthful, but always matched by concrete action and programs such as those she upholds as chairman of the 44-year-old Mowelfund. As an erstwhile member of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) executive committee, Manay remains vocal about why the partnership between Metro Manila and the MMFF should remain sacrosanct, since the net of amusement taxes that the MMFF shares with its mandated beneficiaries can only be sourced with the assistance of the Metro Manila LGUs. Manay, likewise, has strong sentiments for the application of the anti-trust law in the industry; we shall give her the floor for that when timely.

Maria Azucena Vera-Perez Maceda (center), who is fondly called Manay Ichu by showbiz folks, is flanked by Mowelfund founder Mayor Joseph Estrada and Susan Roces. Manay Ichu will be honored by Mowelfund on its 44th anniversary tonight for a lifetime of service to the film industry.

Manay Ichu’s irrepressible passion for the industry that she and her family are grateful to, explains her indefatigable stance and boundless energy, even as a septuagenarian with heart complications, hypertension and other health issues and discomforts that beset her. She continues with her advocacies for film industry causes like workers’ health and wellness benefits, film education opportunities, intellectual property rights, fair labor practices, pro bono. “Payback time,” she upholds.

She is first to visit when an industry constituent, whether a big gun or belonging to the “alipores” (small fry or the hoi polloi) gets sick. Quietly, she not only draws support from her pocket but also contacts friends to raise funds. At wakes, Manay is a permanent fixture; a front liner in condoling with family and personally helping with coordination and flower arrangements, at which she is an expert. When one goes to a wake and praises the beautiful, personalized floral amenities, you know “gawa iyan ni Manay.” With equal zeal, she did for Noel San Miguel, Mowelfund’s legman of 40 years, what she did for film giants Bella Flores, German Moreno, Emmanuel Borlaza and recently, Maryo J. delos Reyes.

Manay diligently oversees the continuing education of industry constituents. Last December, she initiated the first-ever seminar workshop on film booking and distribution to brief and assist both new and veteran producers in “getting their films to the big screen.” For the first time, officers of the National Cinema Association of the Philippines (representing theater owners and management) took to the floor and faced industry stakeholders to talk about a component least known about but most crucial to producers and their finished products.

Manay tirelessly either presides or actively participates at meetings and conferences despite her present health concerns. Once her granddaughter remarked: “Tutu (term of endearment for Lola), for somebody who has no job, you are terribly busy.”

Her unrelenting commitment and devotion to her duties and advocacies make her “incorrigible“ in the eyes of her family and concerned colleagues. “Hindi mapigilan si Mommy,” her children helplessly confide. Her siblings totally agree but as the matriarch of the Sampaguita family, she prevails. At family caucuses, she is constantly advised to just resign from her many commitments or at the very least, slow down. “Pero matigas ang ulo ni Mommy. Tahimik na lang kami when she insists on doing stuff dictated by a strong sense of duty, even when the hospital beckons.”

The first time she had an emergency some three years back, she was helping coordinate the press launch and producers’ meeting for the Metro Manila Film Festival 2015 as an EXECOM member. Before the event ended, she felt the pangs of the heart attack, but with nary a complaint, she quietly slipped out and brought herself the hospital emergency room. She has had several related procedures since then. For her family, to confine her upon doctor’s orders is like pulling teeth. She will either bargain for a postponement or for a shorter hospital stay. And such confinements are generally kept private to avoid worry and work disruption within the institution she serves.

Classic cases of “Manayisms”: Prior to a Mowelfund board meeting two years ago, she called to request that we focus on the really salient concerns of the foundation to avoid overextending the meeting. When I asked why, she intimated that her children were watching her hawk-eyed because she needed to be confined immediately for some procedure. But she bargained with them, to the doctor’s despair, to postpone her confinement until immediately after the meeting. After her procedure, she was calling regularly to follow up on the enforcement of resolutions passed.

Last December, after all her obligations to Mowelfund and the MMFF were fulfilled, despite the vehement objections of her family, Manay treated her grandchildren to an R&R in Japan. By way of putting her foot down, with finality, she commanded: “Huwag niyo kong pigilan. Last month pa, naka empake na ako.”

Last month, her children were insisting on yet another hospitalization. To their despair, she blurted out, with firm and final resolve: “Ayoko nang magpaospital. Pag pinilit ninyo, lalabas ako sa ospital na isa nang bangkay.” I quickly quipped: “Manay, ang lakas ng hugot mo, ha. Parang linya sa teleserye iyan. Baka matabunan mo si Susan Roces sa Ang Probinsiyano!”

To her family’s dismay, three days after, nurse in tow, she was in Cebu with her former classmates, teaching marginalized women how to make flowers for their livelihood.

Manay Ichu will be honored tonight on the occasion of Mowelfund’s 44th anniversary for a lifetime of service to the film industry’s underprivileged and underserved movie workers through health, welfare and subsidized education programs, the latter under the Mowelfund Film institute. For some 500 beneficiaries and their dependents, there will be a thanksgiving Mass, free medical services, a general assembly to which the board will render its annual report, fellowship with merienda hosted by McDonald’s, a children’s gathering hosted by Eat, Bulaga’s Ryzza Mae Dizon and Bae-by Baste, and giveaways through the kindness of the foundation’s benefactors. Manay leads such benefactors. Mowelfund founder, Mayor Erap, has been invited to bestow her award.

The irrepressible, indefatigable and incorrigible Manay Ichu is fittingly acclaimed in her award as “servant-leader, star and slave.” When we obligate her to maintain her health and wellness for the film industry she continues to serve, she replies tongue-in-cheek, with a naughty wink: “No worries. Hindi pa ako mamamatay. Marami pa akong dapat gawin. At saka, huwag kalimutan, masamang damo yata ako.”