There are many ways to look at Asia's Sentimental Songstress Imelda Papin.
On the socio-political standpoint, Imelda is never a turncoat.
Every move she publicly takes seems to gravitate around her alliances in politics particularly when she ran for public office, win or lose, in Bicol and in Bulacan Province.
Ever since she associated herself with the Marcoses, she never turned her back on them.
Even if she is jeered or mocked as an avid Marcos supporter, she keeps her cool or so it seems.
There are colleagues in the biz who have already set them apart but she knows where she stands.
Imelda, the chanteuse, is an open book on her loyalist's predilection even to a fault.
She's an extension, indeed, of the Marcos magic.
That is why in her latest outing as a producer and star--however her exposure is just on the latter part of the movie "Loyalista the Untold Story of Imelda Papin," from her Queenstar Film Productions, she is eternally breathing and wearing red--the color of a Marcos loyalist.
Her storytelling translated and helmed in reels by Gabby Ramos is linear that makes the whole narrative one-dimensional, carefully avoiding the clashes onscreen with yellowtards or anyone anathema to her hero.
Claudine Barretto plays overzealously, fanatically Imelda Papin reeking of Marcos idolatry as well.
ER Ejercito tackles Ferdinand E. Marcos with pastiche while Gary Estrada breathes life to Mel's hubby Bong Carreon and Alice Dixson portrays Imelda R. Marcos, both actors lend their best efforts to deliver them.
One thing I admire in La Papin, on the personal level, is her fastidiousness.
As a celebrity photo and video subject, she is very particular about the way she would appear on cam during pictorials, interviews and other visuals.
I remember when I had to do an interview with her for the erstwhile public affairs show, "Action 9" in the defunct Radio Philippines Network (RPN) Channel 9 hosted by Angelique Lazo, Ramon Tulfo, Rey Langit and the late Dong Puno.
Imelda had just arrived from Hawaii after years of spending life with the Marcoses in exile.
Being one of her general factotums in the early 80s, we (fellow movie scribes Lhar Santiago, Obette Serrano, Roland Lerum, also collectively known as Shoulder Bag Beauties because we were given identical shoulder bags by the late talent manager Dr. Rey de la Cruz, discoverer, handler of such actresses as Leila Hermosa, Rio Locsin, Myrna Castillo, Sarsi Emmanuelle, Pepsi Paloma, Myra Manibog, among others) did all sort of things for Papin--as publicists, retinue in her concerts and other public appearances in many parts of the country, troubleshooters, etc. we had developed a certain bond with each other.
During my on-cam interview as a star reporter for Angelique's show biz news portion (she also had Lazo Files, a segment on hard news and current events), Mel--Imelda's pet name--was calling the shots of where to conduct the interview and what facial angle would the camera thrust on her but not the questions we had to ask as she knew how to handle them whether about controversial or ticklish issues.
Entertainment writer and former PRO (Public Relations Officer) in the late 70s and early 80s of Vicor Music Corporation Dave Rojo would tell stories about how La Papin would instruct him to take care of her publicity even if he was the one looking after Kuh Ledesma whom she considered her rival at the time. Dave was handling Blackgold Records, a sister company of Vicor where Kuh was signed up while Mel was under Vicor.
"Naalala ko, sabay silang nag-concert ni Kuh sa Araneta Coliseum. Pagkatapos ng palabas, may nag-abot ng bulaklak kay Kuh. Walang nag-abot kay Mel. Akala niya, galing sa Vicor ang mga bulaklak. Ang totoo, galing sa office ni Kuh 'yon (I remember they had a back-to-back concert. After the show, Kuh got a bouquet of flowers and Mel had none. She thought it came from Vicor. The truth was it came from Kuh's office)," recalled Rojo chuckling during an unexpected meeting with La Papin at the recent art exhibit at UP of visual artist and actor Drenreb Belleza.
According to Dave, Mel didn't confront him at the time.
As a matter of fact, in their latest encounter after more than thirty years, Papin was very sweet with Rojo.
All bygones’ bygones.
Mel has her own way of assertion if not diplomacy without being offensive even until now.
She would make herself up although she had an assigned artist as she knew what to blush on, facial care or hair spray that would suit her, an attitude she still maintains.
She knew and still knows how to drive her own career.
The late movie writer Junne Quintana might be her discoverer and manager but she also had separate plans for herself.
She never runs out of strategies to sustain her career and popularity.
Examples of these are self-producing concerts, recordings, TV shows, films and other media ventures.
Shorts: Internationally acclaimed director Brillante Ma. Mendoza has been a hodophile these days after doing local visual projects particularly with Vivamax. He is giving masterclasses and sitting as jury in world film events like Spotlight Film Festival in the US, International Film Festival India in Goa where he lectured on filmmaking at Kala Academy and where his new film "Moro" was screened. Brillante also graced film affairs in Japan and Kazakhstan...Movie, TV and stage actor Roeder Camanag is very happy his contemporary in National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab's 14K group, Michelle Nikki Junia is now President of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). Roeder himself has been making headway not only as a thespian but also as show director and producer as well. He's on top of Artists Playground, a multimedia production company where is staging "Cinderella," the musical, next year at a Robinsons theater.
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