FRIENDS GIVE MY MOM A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY
by Kris Aquino, Philippine Daily Inquirer, January 29, 2001

SO many friends made my mom’s 68th birthday very special. She unabashedly declared that "It’s the best birthday I’ve ever had!"

We had our very own version of the "Best of Manila" in the garden that adjoins the homes of my two sisters (Ballsy Cruz and Pinky Abellada).

On the night of Jan. 24, during a dinner at Villa San Miguel hosted by Cardinal Sin for the members of Couples for Christ and the Edsa Shrine community, I managed to put together a birthday concert unlike any other. (Special thanks to my cousin Pin Cojuangco Guingona and her husband Jojo, who, together with their partners Jaime and Gina Godinez, provided the superb sound system.) ....

A very pleasant surprise for my mom came in Sharon Cuneta’s rendition of "Ikaw." I took a chance and invited Sharon and Kiko. I was prepared for the possibility, because of my last-minute invitation, that Sharon would be unable to make it.

Sharon has always been my mom’s favorite actress and I knew it would be a mega-thrill for her to have Sharon sing at her birthday. Sharon was so cute because she admitted that she just had the minus-one cassette of her songs bought that very afternoon because she didn’t have the original arrangements of her songs on mini-disc.

Shawie’s speechwriter

There was a singular treat for everybody when Sharon and Martin did a duet of "Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin." The loudest applause came from Sharon’s devoted husband, "senatoriable" Kiko Pangilinan who struck all my aunts and sisters as being more handsome in person. They were all charmed by his sense of humor and sweetness towards Sharon, and impressed with his height (I think Kiko is nearly six feet) and slim build.

Teddy Boy Locsin, who is the admitted "crush" of Shawie, gave her a vote of confidence when he said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce a woman who is the living refutation of the statement that showbiz personalities have no right to be in politics. A woman I truly admire."

If Sharon ever decides to run for Pasay City mayor in fulfillment of her late father’s wishes, she can be sure of having the most eloquent speeches courtesy of the best speechwriter the country has ever produced.