A day after her brother, President Bongbong Marcos, feted their mother, former first lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, at Malacañang Palace on her actual birthday last July 2, Senator Imee Marcos — the most casual and gregarious of the late strongman Ferdinand Sr.’s brood — took her turn to celebrate their Mama at the family’s San Juan mansion.
The former first lady and birthday celebrant Imelda Marcos (seated left most) with (clockwise from extreme left), daughter Sen. Imee Marcos and the ‘Maid in Malcañang’ cast, Ruffa Gutierrez, Cesar Montano, Diego Loyzaga, Beverly Salviejo, Ella Cruz and Cristine Reyes. FACEBOOK PHOTO/IMEEMARCOS
A late afternoon affair, the jam-packed garden party was more laid-back as expected, even as the 95-year-old celebrant still donned her signature long traditional terno. Looking resplendent in royal blue, she was all the more the standout she always is, especially amid a sea of red — the color of choice for the majority of revelers who arrived in a nod to the Marcoses’ longtime political shade.
Reminiscent of a provincial fiesta with guests happily pouring in and out of the old house on Mariano Marcos St., — everyone partaking of a bountiful Filipino buffet, complete with a lechon and dirty ice cream station — what was far from casual was the prominent guest list Sen. Imee convened.
A young Imelda Marcos flashes on the trio of screens framing the garden party in San Juan.
Besides a good spattering of government officials — the most notable among them, the Villars, comprised of former Senate President Manny Villar, incumbent Sen. Cynthia, and daughter, Rep. Camille — the glittering cast of “Maid in Malacañang” arrived in full force.
Led by outspoken and controversial director Darryl Yap, the actors who portrayed the Marcos family members in the 2022 blockbuster Viva Films partnership with Sen. Imee included Cesar Montano (who portrayed Ferdinand Sr.), Ruffa Gutierrez (the former first lady), Cristine Reyes (Imee), Diego Loyzaga (Bongbong), and Ella Cruz (Irene).
Actor Cesar Montano (left photo) portrays former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in the Darryl Yap-written and directed (right) Marcos family movie franchise.
To recall, “Maid in Malacañang” is a depiction of the Marcoses’ dramatic final hours in the palace amid the 1986 People Power Revolution. A more Imee-centered sequel was released in 2023 titled “Murder or Martyr,” where she recounts the events that unfolded between her father and his staunchest critic, former Sen. Ninoy Aquino, all the way to the latter’s assassination and Marcos Sr.’s death while exiled in Hawaii.
Interestingly, it was the “Maid in Malacañang” Marcos family that surrounded the birthday girl and Sen. Imee during the cake and candle-blowing ceremony, which, as The Manila Times Entertainment later realized, served as the perfect takeoff point for Direk Darryl’s big announcement.
“We’re soon coming up with a ‘Maid in Malacañang’ series,” he excitedly revealed. “But that’s all I’m willing to divulge right now,” Direk Darryl added with a laugh.
Meanwhile, in a quick chat with The Manila Times Entertainment, Cesar Montano confirmed he had known about the series for some time.
“I’m really excited about it, but I haven’t seen the script,” he admitted. “I’m sure we’ll have more to talk about once we get it.”
In the meantime, Sen. Imee, with the help of Direk Darryl, directed everyone’s attention to a trio of screens framing the sprawling garden, as a voiceover introduced two video tributes for the former first lady.
The first showed snippets of Madam Imelda’s most quotable interviews through the years, while the second powerfully compiled the senior Mrs. Marcos’ most groundbreaking projects for the Philippines, among them the Cultural Center of the Philippines and medical institutions like the Heart, Kidney, and Lung Centers in Quezon City.
With both videos offering a treasure trove of material for more true-to-life projects between Sen. Imee and Direk Darryl, guests who arrived at the party to marvel at Mrs. Marcos’ vitality despite the age of 95, left the star-studded event wondering if the unbelievably storied life of the legendary Rose of Tacloban, who would become the most famed and controversial first lady in Philippine history, would inspire much of the soon-to-be-serialized version of the ever-dramatic and bombastic “Maid in Malacañang” franchise.
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