By Ellen Tordesillas
THE family and friends of entertainment icon Armida Siquion-Reyna and her son, movie director Carlos Siguion-Reyna, gathered last Sunday to celebrate the famous mother-and-son’s “taking kindly the counsel of the years.”
Armida and Carlitos share a birthday, Nov. 4. “Saves on birthday parties,” a writer-guest quipped. She turned 82, he 55.
The celebration, held at White Space Exhibition Hall in Pasong Tamo, Makati was sedate but no less heartwarming. The company was dazzling, as usual, combining the worlds of showbiz and politics.
Aside from Carlitos, his wife Bibeth and daughter Sara, there was his sister Monique Villonco and her daughter Cris.
Armida’s brother, Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile, came with wife Cristina.
Former President Joseph Estrada, who appointed Armida chairperson of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), came with wife Loi, daughter Jackie and son-in-law, Beaver Lopez.
Also in attendance was Vice President Jejomar Binay whose monthly musical collaboration with Armida for Makati residents is being carried on by son Makati Major Jun-jun Binay.
Senatorial candidate Grace Poe-Llamanzares, another former MTRCB chairperson, came with movie icon mom Susan Roces.
Sen. Tito Sotto, author of the controversial libel provision in the Cybercrime law, came with actress-wife Helen Gamboa.
Sotto became the subject of ribbing by writer-guests who said they had a ready caption in mind for a picture to be taken with the controversial senator: “The bully and the bullied.” But the senator left before they got the “photo op.”
As always in an Armida-Carlitos birthday celebration, there was good music.
