The local entertainment industry has not gotten over yet on the death of the iconic Asia's Queen of Songs, Pilita Corrales, a native of Cebu City.
It is still in mourning.
It is still grieving.
Although it seemed there was a celebration of life of the singer during the four-day wake at the Heritage Park and Crematorium in Taguig City, the sadness still prevailed.
Life goes on, anyway.
In Region 8, alone, which includes Leyte and Samar provinces, people here might not be present during the eulogies offered by showbiz denizens, mostly, movie, television and theater personalities, they, too, are have been sharing the bereavement of the Garridos and the Corraleses on the death of a national idol.
Pilita, Maria del Pilar Garrido Corrales in real life, died of a still unknown cause last April 12, 2025 although she was sickly the last few months before she breathed her last.
Her children Jackie Lou Blanco and Ramon Christopher Gutierrez, also known in local show business as simply Ramon Christopher, didn't want to belabor on the cause of their mother's demise.
According to Jackie Lou in an interview, t her mom died peacefully.
"She died in her sleep, which I'm very thankful for, because hindi na siya nahirapan (she didn't suffer anymore)," said Jackie Lou.
What made Blanco emotional was when she was asked what message she would want to say to her mom when she was still alive.
"Nasabi ko naman siguro sa kaniya lahat (I think I already told her everything,)" she replied.
"Pero (But), just to tell her how much I love her and to thank her for everything, and to tell her that I will continue to honor her by the way I work, by the way I live, by telling people how wonderful she is," Jackie Lou added.
What will she most cherish about Pilita?
"I will miss her so much. I will miss how wonderful she smelled. She smelled so good. She always smelled so good," the teary-eyed Blanco quipped.
Meanwhile, Jackie Lou, the consummate artist thanked, with tears welling in her eyes, those people who watched and appreciated her dance performance with theater, TV and film actor JC Santos for their collaborative efforts on the dance floor in The Foxtrot.
It was a special dance interpretation of the lead stars in the twin bill "The Foxtrot and Let's Do Lunch in Dedma" by the Theater Titas.
"I am dedicating this performance to my Mom," said Jackie Lou tearfully during the curtain call.
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonNews #PilitaCorrales #JackieLouBlanco