Meeting Freddie Aguilar was one of the most memorable moments of my life. I worked in the music industry during the 1970s, and I had the chance to be close to many famous artists, including Freddie.
It all started after the First Metropop Song Festival, where Freddie’s song "Anak" was a finalist. At that time, I was working with Vicor Music Corporation as Radio Relations Manager, helping promote Freddie’s recordings. One day, I received a call from Mike Enriquez, who was the station manager of DWBL, the top pop radio station at the time that only played the hit songs of the month. He was upset be cause he wanted a copy of Freddie’s "Anak" to play on his station. I explained that the song wasn’t a hit yet, so I hadn’t sent it. But Mike insisted it was already a hit since he was one of the judges at the Metropop, so I quickly sent him a copy. That day, I realized how important radio stations were in making a song popular.
During that period, I felt like I was living the life of a star. Freddie invited me to join him in a concert in Bataan. At first, I hesitated because I was worried about my car, but Freddie surprised me by arranging a black limousine with a chauffeur. We rode comfortably, like real rock stars.
Freddie didn’t have his own car then, so he often rode in my vehicle. I remember how drivers in other cars would slow down and try to get a closer look at Freddie. He was easy to recognize because of his long hair and wide-brimmed hat. It was funny and a little dangerous, but I was glad nothing bad happened.
One funny and stressful experience was when I got arrested for entering a one-way street the wrong way. Freddie was late for an event, so he told me to go into the street that way. A traffic police officer stopped us and took my license, bringing me to his outpost along EDSA. Freddie, sensing I might be in trouble, got out of the car and offered his license instead, saying he was the one who ordered me to go that way. The police officer noticed that Freddie’s presence was causing a traffic jam because many buses recognized him. Frustrated, the officer gave me back my license and let us go, probably eager to get Freddie out of there.
Another unforgettable moment was when Freddie was invited to a Thanksgiving party at Malacañang Palace after an election. Since he didn’t have a car, I brought him there. The party was hosted by President Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady Imelda Marcos. After the event, we received Christmas bags filled with sweets. When we were about to head home, Freddie wanted to swap bags because he thought mine had more goodies. I told him they were the same, but when he opened his bag, he was surprised to find ten thousand pesos—the equivalent of a lot of money back then—in his bag! I only had chocolates. What might have occurred if I had consented to exchange our bags? Naturally, I will return the money since I was aware it was Freddie's talent fee.
Finally, during a radio tour across the Philippines, Freddie and I stayed in a hotel in Quezon province. One night, there was a surprise. Two women showed up at our door, claiming they were sent by a radio station manager to sleep with us! We politely told them we were too tired and sent them away. That’s the wild side of stardom!
Freddie Aguilar was not just a talented singer; he was also a kind, funny, and unforgettable person. I feel lucky to have shared these moments with him.
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