The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
This is a pre-All Souls’ Day homage to dearly beloved departed show people and our unforgettable encounters with the loved ones they left behind.
Aside from my social media contact points with Cherie Loanzon Dumaual, the widow of the late ABS-CBN Entertainment Bureau Chief Mario V. Dumaual, I am reunited with Mario and Cherie’s friend Grace David.
Grace and Cherie were friends and batchmates at Maryknoll, now Miriam College.
TV Patrol”’s “Star News”
The two ladies have been sharing memorable and precious experiences during college and post-graduation.
I was the first entertainment broadcast journalist of ABS-CBN, even ahead of Mario who I recommended and got to be one of the field reporters and writers of the network’s primetime news show. “TV Patrol”’s ‘Star News” portion, so we became closer from way back in 1985.
I met Grace through Menchie Mizuno, a Filipina married to a Japanese and a very good friend of David.
That’s why when Mario died in 2023, Grace was one of the very first mourners to grieve for the Dumauals.
“Siyempre, nando’n ako sa lamay (Of course, I was in the wake). Second night ako dumating (I was there) when Charo Santos-Concio paid her last respects to Mario,” recalled Grace who even managed to pose for Menchie and their other friends holding small boxes of high-end soaps made of flowers, fruits, salts, herbs and other ingredients.
According to Grace, she and Cherie are always phone pals.
Fondest memories of Mario Dumaual—highlighted
By the way, what were her fondest memories of Mario?
“Naku, no’ng nag-birthday ako sa (Oh! When I celebrated my birthday at the) Manila Pen before the pandemic. Nakaitim noon si Cherie (was in black) who came with Mario who I thought couldn’t make it because of his hectic schedule,” recollected Grace who proudly beamed.
Mario’s death came as a shock to David. “Akala namin no’n, mauuna pa si Cherie kaysa kay Mario dahil may sakit na noon si Cherie. May kidney transplant na nga siya. At dalawang beses na siyang na-COVID (We thought Cherie would go first than him. As a matter of fact, she already had a kidney transplant. And she contracted COVID-19 twice).
“At pinutol na ang isa niyang binti (And she was already amputated),” Grace informed.
“May sa pusa yata si Cherie (She seems to have a thousand lives like a cat),” Grace chuckled.
“Naka-wheelchair pa rin si Cherie (She’s still wheelchair-bound),” she informed.
Publicist of Vicor Recording
Meanwhile, Mario and our common friend Dave Rojo passed on recently leaving behind his filial loved ones and showbiz buddies.
Dave used to be the publicist of Vicor Recording Company during the height of the popularity of singers and screen idols Rico J. Puno, Sharon Cuneta, Geraldine, Kuh Ledesma, Imelda Papin, Rey Valera, Anthony Castelo and their ilk.
After his PR stint with Vic del Rosario’s music company, Dave, a UST Fine Arts graduate, had freelance writing assignments and contributions in tabloids, broadsheets, fanzines and human-interest magazines.
Pops Fernandez-Martin Nievera breakup—highlighted
Rojo was the news bearer on the scoop of the day—the Pops Fernandez-Martin Nievera breakup and other exclusive stories.
Before the EDSA Revolution in 1986, Dave, David Rojo in real life, migrated to the US to work as a graphic artist at the Los Angeles City Hall.
In the US, he ran around with fellow Filipino immigrant showbiz denizens like Cora Pastrana, former Famas prime mover and ex-wife of actor Raymond Bagatsing; the late movie writers Ed Ramos Bautista and Tony Vizmonte; actress Divina Valencia; now members of the prestigious Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) Janet Susan Rodriguez and Ruben Nepales who first worked as writers for Dave’s enterprising mag publication; critic Mike Feria; Vicor colleague Joy de Leon, among others.
Among his still living US-based chums, it was only Joy who was around during the funeral wake at St. Peter Chapels in Quezon Avenue for Dave who died of cardiac arrest due to complications.
For almost two decades, Dave, a Fil-Am, didn’t have proper medical consultations in the country. “Ayaw kong magpatingin dahil maraming makikitang sakit ang doktor (I don’t want to consult with medical professionals because they would see my illnesses),” quipped Dave when he was still alive and practically moving around.
Sarcasm at necro service
At the necrological service, this idiosyncrasy of Dave was mentioned but the most prominent unforgettable experience of several speakers with him was his sarcasm, both in written and socmed posts, many of them bordering on wittiness and absurdity.
Dave was opinionated about the political landscape of country where he would satirize the Dutertes and all their cohorts but he also censured wrongdoings of other prominent personalities and other private individuals,
Dave and this writer were close as I navigated since the early 80s with his group fellow writer-members Tony, Mike Feria, Jocelyn Dino, Nitz Miralles, to name an exclusive few.
But Rojo had owned up a Group Chat composed of Jocelyn, GMA Network’s talent coordinator Jeffrey Gamil and former ABS-CBN “Star News” reporter Roland Lerum.
One all giving trait of Rojo was his generosity and “open palm” attitude for he would treat us out for dinner, especially during my or Jo’s, Jeff’s, Roland’s, the late Ricky Calderon’s, directors Cesar Evangelista’s and Armando Reyes’, movie columnist Danny Vibas’ and entertainment writer and editor Art Tapalla’s birthday.
Sometimes, writing buddies like Tonee Coraza (lately, however, would be a regular fixture), Glen Regondola etc. would also join parties hosted by Rojo.
Yes, in one of his birthday celebrations, Mario and fellow showbiz broadcast reporters Obette Serrano and Lhar Santiago were present.
At the time Divina and former matinee idol Roger Calvin were around to lend glamour to the celebration held at Dampa in Farmers Plaza.
Dino, Jeffrey and Roland were able to pay a visit to Dave hours before he breathed his last.
Oh! I sorely miss Dave although he has a legacy of his kindness and understanding. (Boy Villasanta)