KARILAGAN GIRLS ON TITA CONCHING
She thought big, dreamt big and made things happen. It was her passion that propelled her into action and drove her to become a great achiever
T his week, on 8 December, is the 107th birth anniversary of the late founder of Karilagan Arts International, Conchita Sunico.
Tita Conching to the Karilagan models and her other proteges in the performing arts, she also served as the executive director of the Metropolitan Theater in its postwar incarnation.
The Queen Bee of high society, which was how the late Ising Madrigal Vasquez described Tita
Conching to me, she was also the Belle of the Ball starting from her reign as a Carnival Queen in 1935, although even before that, she had been active in many organizations including the Smiles Club of which she became president. From the post-war 1940s to the mid-1960s, she became famous for the theme parties she organized and hosted, earning for her another title, our very own “Hostess with the Mostest.” As I have always paraphrased the late Mary Prieto, a friend of Tita Conching’s, “When Conching gathered four or five of us, there was a party.” From the same lady: “One never refused Conching’s invitation.”
I once had the privilege of interviewing Tita Conching in the post-EDSA Revolution Metropolitan Theater. I was doing a graduate paper on the Upper Class Filipina as an Achiever for a Philippine Culture and Society course in the State University and had asked her to be one of my key informants. I was ecstatic when she agreed to receive me in her Met office.
The competition, moreover, didn’t stop her from continuing her commitment to building the lives, names and careers of artists.
It was a brief 45-minute interview but the best part followed when she showed me around the Met, which she was trying to save after the new dispensation had withdrawn government support to this venerable institution. We ended up at the theater where Vilma Santos was taping her weekly show, Vilma in Person. By the way she spoke, Tita Conching lamented the way the Met had become, with all those screaming fans turning its hallowed halls into a market place.
Still, she held her head up, even using her own resources to get the Met going, but of course, it was a struggle under a political administration that declared that the arts were not its priority.
My interview, though, led to my meeting Tita Conching’s niece, herself an outstanding cultural administrator, Chingay Diaz Lagdameo and eventually, the rest of the Karilagan girls of various generations.
Recently, I sent some of the Karilagan models questions pertaining to their memorable experiences with the grand belle, the greatest lessons they learned from her and the traits that they admired in this inimitable lady. I am sharing with you the answers of three who, thankfully, beat the deadline I gave them.
Erlynn Bernardez Campos
“Tita Conching was always happy and simply cool. She would always give me an approving look, although she didn’t smile very often. She was happy that I joined the Maid of Cotton contest as well as the Bb. Pilipinas, like she was the proud mother and mentor. She became one of my ninangs at my wedding.
“From her, I learned to always do the right thing, and to be a real lady — whether one was speaking, acting in front of others or eating. One’s actions would always speak a lot about who they are.
“Of her many admirable traits, I admired her for being a no-nonsense woman who uttered words that she meant, whether it hurt you or not. Because she was so honest, one did not doubt if she was only flattering you. In fact, one would prefer the truth rather than a flattering word and not learn anything from it.”
Monina Arnaldo
“The best experience I had was when Tita Conching hired Zeneida Amador as director for the Best of Broadway show. This consisted of excerpts from 10 Broadway musicals like Aquarius, The King and I, Camelot and South Pacific. It was such a grand production but what made it so exciting was working with topnotch artists, and with that, the chance to build new relationships and friendships. Moreover, I had the chance to be reacquainted with my first love, which is dancing.
“It was a wonderful experience being with Karilagan, and because of the way Tita Conching dealt with us, I learned discipline, cooperation, patience and camaraderie.
“I admire most Tita Conching’s passion in the pursuit of her dreams. She thought big, dreamt big and made things happen. It was her passion that propelled her into action and drove her to become a great achiever.
“Tita Conching became a model to follow specially in the retail career that I chose. It was a realization that a degree, experience or knowledge in the field of retail alone was not the main tool to achieve the short- and long-term goals that one set. It is the passion for the job that is the main driver for success.
“When competition came as more and more fashion shows were produced based on the same concept that Tita Conching introduced, that didn’t hamper her from continuing until the end. She fought a good fight but knew when to bow down.
“The competition, moreover, didn’t stop her from continuing her commitment to building the lives, names and careers of artists. She moved on to the Manila Metropolitan Theater where she performed her responsibilities with the same enthusiasm and outstanding management skills.
“From Tita Conching, I learned resilience and the ability to move on without regrets.”
Jennifer Pena
“From Tita Conching, I learned how to organize big events and social functions. She had a way of harnessing resources and people. A good track record, hands-on attention and an interesting project were important in getting the participation of target sectors. These I put into good use years later as the director of Public Relations of Hotel Intercontinental Manila. She often came to mind when I organized hotel events.
“What Tita Conching possessed were tenacity and the courage to do things differently against all odds, two traits that I admired most in her.
“My most memorable experience with Tita Conching was a private conversation a year before she passed away. She always told me that I should write about Karilagan. So we talked and I posed very personal questions which she did not seem to mind. I asked her about her rumored love affair with the last American governor general in the Philippines, Frank Murphy, her rumored lovechild, her belle of the ball years in the 30s. 40s, 50s and 60s, and Dr. Constantino Manahan, the so-called “love of her life.”
“She spoke and I listened. I was transported to another place in another time. Hours passed and just as I was leaving, she had a change of heart. She made me promise to keep our conversation private. I have kept my promise to this day today and will do so for always.”