A Mass was held at the wake of Ethel Ramos. Photo courtesy of GR Rodis
MANILA -- Ethel Ramos, who was dubbed "Dean of Entertainment Writers," was cremated Thursday and all those who loved her and were close to her attended her last rites.
The night before, celebrities paid their respects by recalling memorable and fond moments they shared with the pillar of showbiz.
Mark Bautista, Ice Seguerra and Jamie Rivera performed for the guests who stayed on after the early evening Mass.
Ramos was very close to action king Fernando Poe, Jr. and his wife Susan Roces. It was said the Ramos took Poe’s secrets to the grave and told no one about it.
Poe loved Ramos so much that he combined their names – Ronnie (Ronald Allan) and Ethelwolda – to create his monicker, Ronwaldo Reyes, as a director in many of his films.
Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos got close to Ramos, who became the publicist of her film, Gil Portes’ “Miss X” (1980), which was shot in Amsterdam.
Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado was grateful that it was Ramos who paved the way for Mercado and her husband, Senator Bong Revilla, Jr., to meet more than three decades ago. That led to their altar date and their family.
It was also Ramos who gave Mercado’s showbiz name and changed her “very holy” real name, Jesusa Victoria.
Annabelle Rama was a long-time friend of Ramos whom she met back in 1969, a year after Rama came to Manila from her native Cebu.
“May nagsabi sa akin, ang ganda-ganda mo, ipakilala kita kay Ethel [Ramos], isang magaling na manager baka mahawakan ka niya,” Rama recalled.
“Ang sabi ko naman kay Ethel, hindi ako pwedeng mag-artista dahil Bisayang-Bisaya ako. Hindi ako marunong mag-Tagalog.
“Isa lang gusto kong hilingin sa ‘yo. Kaibigan mo ba si Eddie Gutierrez? Isa lang ang pinunta ko sa Manila, siya.”
Ramos then asked Rama, “Gusto mo gawin kitang cover ng magazine para mapansin ka ni Eddie Gutierrez.” To which the latter retorted, “Ano gagawin ko?”
“Hindi naman hubad pero kita lahat,” Ramos said. “Ang sabi ko, ‘Pwede. Baka sumikat pa ako.’ Siyempre maganda ang katawan ko, cover ako ng Graphic Magazine for New Year 1969.
“Hindi naman pwede kay Ethel ang walang takip dahil madasalin siya at madasalin din ako. So may takip pa rin ako. So naging close na kami ni Ethel.”
Rama later met Elizabeth Oropesa who became the leading lady of Gutierrez. Oropesa even had a kissing scene with the actor.
“Nagalit ako kay Ethel at hindi ko siya kina-usap ng matagal. Pero ng tumawag siya sa akin at kinamusta niya ako, nag-usap na kami ulit. Dinala niya ako sa El Oro, kay Oropesa ‘yun. Tumatambay ako araw-araw sa El Oro. Enjoy ako sa mga chismis doon.”
It was the latter who made Rama’s dream come true for Rama to meet the man of her dreams, Eddie Gutierrez.
“Dinala niya ako sa Sampaguita at doon ko na-meet si Eddie. Lahat ng wig sinusuot ko para hindi ako makilala ng tao. Sabi sa akin ni Ethel, bawal akong mag-display kasi Sampagutita artist si Eddie.”
When Rama found out she was pregnant, Gutierrez flew to the US to avoid her. “Bumalik ako sa Manila at nanganak ako sa Makati Med. Wala si Eddie, nasa States.
“Pero nu’ng nalaman niya na babae ang anak namin, bumalik siya at dinadalaw niya si Ruffa lang. Nung pumunta si Eddie ulit sa States, sumunod na ako kasama ko si Ruffa. Nine years ako doon at 13 years old na si Ruffa ng bumalik kami sa Pilipinas.
“Kami ni Ethel, talagang best friends kami. Sabi sa sa akin paulit-ulit, ‘Kung hindi dahil sa akin, walang Eddie Gutierrez sa buhay mo.’ Utang na loob ko talaga kay Ethel ‘yun. Hindi ko makakalimutan.
“Binigay niya si Ruffa sa Golden Lions, kay Donna Villa at kinuha ko siya publicist ni Ruffa sa bawat movie. Sila ni Ricky Lo, si Alfie Lorenzo at Chit Ramos sa tabloid.”
Talent manager Girlie Rodis also acknowledged that Ramos helped her even in her professional problems. Once, she was slapped a big fine as a talent manager, Ramos voluntarily helped her out financially.
When she was locked down in the US during the pandemic, Rodis made it a point to call up Ramos, especially on the latter’s birthday, all the way from the East Coast.
Multi-awarded actor Aga Muhlach has stayed with Ramos as his talent manager for more than three decades.
“In 1984, I did ‘Bagets’ and that was followed by ‘Hot Shots’ then ‘Campus Beat.’ Napakaganda ng pasok ko sa showbiz when I was 14, 15, 16. And then, nagrebelde ako. Bilang binata na nakaramdam ng kasikatan, akala ko walang katapusan ang buhay noon," he said.
“I was doing movies left and right. Mother Lily was helping me out. Si Tita Ethel ang nagha-handle ng press cons. I hate attending press cons. Sometimes, dumadating ako patapos na. Most of the times, hindi ako dumadating.”
He was entrusted by his father, Cheng Muhlach, to Ramos. “I was 19 at that time and pinatawag ng tatay ko si Tita Ethel,” he recalled. “Sabi ng tatay ko, ‘Aga, eto [Ethel] ang kailangan mo.’ ‘Pag bata ka naiinis ka ‘pag pinapakialaman ang buhay ko.
“I asked Tita Ethel if we could meet the following day sa Bistro Lorenzo at 1 p.m. She told me, ‘If you are late one minute, forget it.’ So our meeting pushed through and we talked until evening.
“After all those stories, she asked me, ‘Are you ready for the big time?’ Who doesn’t want to be big time? Of course.’ Then she asked me again, ‘Do you know what it takes to be in that league?’ Whatever it is, I’m ready for it. It started just like that.”
Muhlach realized how big and powerful Ramos was. “Whatever it was, Tita Ethel covered me and shielded me from what was happening. Tita Ethel and I had this relationship that no one would ever know.
“What we talked about, lahat ng sakit dinaanan ko kay Tita Ethel. Ang hirap how she really molded me kasi matigas ang ulo ko talaga. But I had aspirations and big dreams and she saw that in me.
“It was really hard for me, but I saw results. I was seeing results every time, every year. We saved and saved. She was telling me, ‘Aga, one day you’re going to get old and when you have no money, you cannot say ‘no’ to work.
“So until now, I remember that. Sa lahat ng tulong that she did for me, I am forever grateful. Wherever I am, whatever I have. My wife, my kids, are all because of Tita Ethel. That’s true.
“I worked. I did, but she was really my wings. She did it for me. She was so selfless. All she thought was about me. Paano ko sisikat, paano ko titino, paano ko yayaman. At paano makahanap ng napaka-husay at napakabait na asawa.”
“I worked but kung walang guidance ni Tita Ethel, wala na rin ako. That’s why I owe it to her. It will be hard for you to understand what we had together in those 30-plus years.
“I gave her the respect that she deserved and she did the same for me. So maraming-maraming salamat, Tita Ethel.”