The biggest stars and industry leaders recently gathered at the Grand Ballroom of Okada Manila to celebrate the 70th birthday of Charo Santos-Concio: beloved actress, producer, host of Maalaala Mo Kaya, former CEO of ABS-CBN, wife and mother. The evening also honored Santos-Concio’s 50 years working in the Philippine entertainment industry, which she has dedicated to mentoring the countless talents, from actors, filmmakers to visionaries in the field.
For anyone privy to the world of local cinema and television, Santos is definitely one of the most recognizable and most prolific figures in the industry. She’s hosted the long-running drama anthology series Maalaala Mo Kaya since 1992. As an actress, she has starred in movies such as Mike de Leon’s Itim, Kakabakaba Ka Ba?, and Kisapmata, as well as Lino Brocka’s Kontrobersyal and Lav Diaz’s Ang Babaeng Humayo, Santos-Concio has long excelled as one of the strongest actresses of the silver screen. As a producer, she has shaped some of the country’s most memorable movies and shows — Himala, May Minamahal, Dekada ‘70, Anak, Mula sa Puso, Pangako Sa ‘Yo, Pinoy Big Brother, and many more — and set the standard on quality Filipino storytelling.
The guests of the evening were so star-studded that even the most casual fan of Filipino showbiz would have been left frozen in place at the sight of them. I sat at my table, jaw agape, as Piolo Pascual strutted across the stage in a pristine, white suit, giving the crowd a wink before boldly referring to himself as Ma’am Charo’s “favorite leading man” (and who can blame her?). Taking the mic, Pascual broke into song as he performed his rendition of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You.”
He was followed closely behind by a confident Jericho Rosales, who sang “How Deep Is Your Love” while, like Pascual, he made his way to Santos-Concio to serenade her up close. The two leading men were then joined by Dingdong Dantes, who wooed the crowd with “Till There Was You.” All three of Ma’am Charo’s beloved mentees wrapped up the medley to a roar of applause from the audience, with the veteran actress, smiling and laughing the whole time, looking every bit the leading lady they know and love.
“Ang dami kong natutunan sa kanya,” Dantes told Rolling Stone Philippines while reflecting on how Santos-Concio helped him grow as an actor. “Such a generous person: generous in imparting whatever she knows about life, about the industry, and about the craft.”
“This is medyo dyahe, but she always tells me that she loves my work,” Rosales told Rolling Stone Philippines after his performance. “One time, we were at a Star Magic or ABS-CBN party, and I got a little drunk, but I had to give a speech onstage. I was really tipsy. In my speech, I kept saying, ‘Tita, I won’t leave the stage yet, because I know you said that you’re my fan.’ Martin Nievera was telling me, ‘Dude, your speech has been going on for five minutes,’ and I was like, ‘No, but she loves me.’”
Candid Tributes for Charo
Afterwards, the performances of the evening only ramped up in spectacle. Sharon Cuneta and Martin Nievera took to the stage, singing a duet of “Both Sides Now.” Kuh Ledesma sang one of Santos-Concio’s favorite love ballads, “Hymne à L’amour.” In between segments, the screens onstage played recorded messages from actors and industry leaders who weren’t able to join the evening’s festivities, such as Coco Martin, Aga Muhlach, Freddie M. Garcia, and more, with clips of Santos-Concio’s most iconic movies, shows, and even TikToks sprinkled in between. Her closest friends, including Arlene Panganiban, Baby K. Jimenez, and Coney Reyes, also gave heartfelt messages.
Throughout all this, Ma’am Charo flitted across guest tables, making sure that both her family members and industry friends were enjoying the evening. “She has a gift of making people feel special,” Dimples Romana told Rolling Stone Philippines. “You could understand that she wouldn’t have the time to come see you… but for her, everything is always personal. As in, mas marami siyang oras kaysa 24 hours natin.”
To add some humor to the celebration, Vice Ganda walked onstage to give what was one of the highlights of the night: the roast of Ma’am Charo. “Ay, kailangan talaga gawin ito para mabuhay ang crowd?” Vice Ganda joked, noting that the event organizers had sprung her with the roast at the last minute. “E, bakit gusto niyo nag-invite ng senior citizens?”
“Ang taas ng respeto ng lahat sa inyo, ubod-ningning hanggang ngayon,” Vice Ganda told Santos-Concio halfway through her roast. “Ang dami ‘yong napatunayan, ang dami ‘yong karangalan, at ang dignidad n’yo ay napakataas. Kaya kanina, iniisip ko, sabi ko, ‘Ang dami niyong na-achieve, ang taas ng tingin ninyo sa kanya: bakit kailangang umabot na nagsasayaw ka ng chicken banana sa TikTok?”
While Vice Ganda put on her signature charm onstage, she later told Rolling Stone Philippines that her first time ever meeting Santos-Concio had been nothing short of nerve-racking. “Before we aired [Gandang Gabi, Vice!], she was the one who broke the news that I would be having my own show,” she said. “I was asked to go up to her office, but ninenerbyos ako. Before she talked to me, pinakain muna ako ng sinigang na baboy. Tapos sabi niya, “Maglunch tayo!” So first time ko ‘yon, tapos kausap ko ‘yong presidente ng ABS-CBN. Paano ka makakain ng sinigang sa harapan niya? Paano ka maglalunch? So hindi ko magalaw. Pinipilit niya akong kumain, so pinipilit ko rin kumain pero hindi ko talaga ma-appreciate na ‘yong pagkain kasi ninenerbyos ako.”
A Night to Remember
The evening’s performances slowly began to wrap up as Santos-Concio’s family members took to the stage to perform a variety of song and dance numbers for their beloved matriarch. After the family’s emotional rendition of “Through the Years,” Santos-Concio joined them onstage as they sang “Happy Birthday” to her, complete with a toast. .
“If there was ever a night to be daring — well, tonight is the night,” Santos-Concio joked with her guests as she thanked them for coming. While the MMK host was playfully referring to how her evening dress rested just above her knees, everyone gathered around her couldn’t help but reflect on how her boldness throughout her career helped shape not only the projects she chose to take on, but also the lives of every rising actor and actress she chose to mentor.
When Santos-Concio made her way off the stage, a cluster of dance instructors took her place and led the final event of the evening: a guided dance party to some of the biggest songs of the ‘70s. As her guests danced to the greatest hits of ABBA, the Bee Gees, and more, Santos-Concio herself watched on, amused and delighted in the fact that all her favorite people had come together to celebrate her life, career, and the legacy she had built.
