Julio Iglesias. Aahh, I have to tell you about this wonderful man. I first met Julio in 1992. He was in Manila and guested on "The Sharon Cuneta Show". He sang a couple of his songs, and graciously allowed me to interview him. Never mind that my arm w as broken and in a cast. Julio Iglesias on my humble show? Geez -- I would've found a way to get out of bed if any my bones were broken! He was nice and kind, and I thought that would be the last of it.

Then he came back to Manila a couple of years later, just before I got married. For some reason, he wanted me to do an interview with him for TSCS again, this time at the Araneta family compound in Cubao (the Aranetas have been his friends for many years now). I think he wanted me to be the first to interview him on this visit, before granting interviews to others. That evening, he was more relaxed and even sweeter than the last time. Off camera. I told him that I was getting married and that I would probably have to stop doing my show after ten years. He promised to come back and guest on my show before I said "goodbye" to my loyal audience. I was happy, but of course, I didn't want to count on that promise too much to save myself from disappointment in case he couldn't keep it. After all, he WAS Julio Iglesias. If I thought my schedule was thought, I couldn't imagine what his was like!

And then one day in 1997, out of the blue, and totally unexpectedly I got a call from Eloisa Matias, my friend and then Executive Producer of TSCS. Julio faxed the Philippine licensee to his records and said he was flying in on his private jet -- to guest on my show. The (Manila) Ninoy Aquino International Airport was closed the evening he was to arrive, so he had to land in Subic and ride a car to Manila. He arrived on (was it Saturday night?) Sunday morning guested on my show Sunday evening, had dinner with us at the Araneta home that night, and flew out of Manila the next day. Since then, he and I have kept up a friendship.

At the Araneta after dinner from TSCS, I remember that Thalia ("Marimar"), beautiful Thalia arrived. She had just come from her second concert at the Araneta Coliseum nearby, and all of a sudden there were so many people! I very quietly went to one corner with my husband and some friends, thinking of course to let Thalia enjoy some well-deserved undivided attention. And then she and Julio got to talking, and Julio looked for me, waved for me to go where they were, and introduced me to Thalia. After some time, it was time for my husband and I to leave. Now, this I will never forget -- I waved a quiet "bye" to Julio when he caught my eye, and hoped to slip out unnoticed by anyone else. Well, Julio excused himself (graciously, of course), left Thalia's group, and walked me and Kiko out the front door and waited for us to get into our car! We spent a few minutes exchanging stories and promises to get together again someday.

I am deeply honored to be able to call this man my "friend." Not of the "closest" kind, of course, since we hardly ever see each other. We call each other "Sweetie". He calls me - not often - but when he is in Manila (the last time was around last year when he stopped by Manila secretly on his way to Shanghai, China. He had heard that I'd lost two babies, and was so sweet and concerned). He has invited me and my husband to his home in Miami (where he says I will surely get pregnant!), and even sent me a birth announcement when his son was born. When I call him once in a blue moon and he's not available, and rib him about it when I see him, he tells me he's always "all over the moon" (the man does hundreds of shows a year all over the world. Unbelievable but true!)! He is funny, sweet, kind, and truly loves the Philippines and the Filipinos (his first wife. Enrique and Julio, Jr.'s mother, was a Filipina). And I do love him and treasure all the things he has gone out of his way to do for me. there are his sons Enrique and Julio Jr. -- and they are gorgeous and talented. But Julio is Julio. Of course, they get everything from him. For such a big star, Julio is down-to-earth and simple. And I am writing this to let everyone know just how wonderful he is.