President Mayor Joseph Estrada’s 80th birthday bash at the Manila Hotel on April 19 was one memorable gathering.
For one, all 11 children of the ex-president were there. Bringing together the entire brood took some doing, and daughter Jackie, who organized the party, gets the well-deserved credit for it.
Joining Jackie were JV, Jake, Jerika, Joma, Jojo, Techie, Jacob, Jude, and Jason. The big surprise was when Jinggoy arrived, having been granted a furlough from detention in Camp Crame to be with his dad for the night.
Mayor Erap must have melted inside when his sons and daughters took the stage to serenade him with a medley of Filipino classics.
Completing the family line-up were Erap’s 16 grandchildren, including Ellie, the daughter of Jake and Andi Eigenmann.
The party was also remarkable because big names in Philippine politics were there to greet the former President on his birthday, like former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and husband Mike, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, former Vice President Jejomar Binay and daughter Senator Nancy Binay, former Ilocos Sur Governor now Narvacan councilor Chavit Singson, former Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Bongbong Marcos Jr., Senator Manny Pacquiao, Mayor Junjun Ynares and wife Andrea Bautista, and Navotas Congressman Toby Tiangco.
Showbiz celebrities also turned up, among them Bacoor Mayor Lani Mercado, Marichu “Manay Ichu” Maceda, Pilita Corrales, Lorna Tolentino and son Rap, Tirso Cruz III and wife Lynn, Annabelle Rama and Daisy Romualdez, talent manager June Rufino, Viva’s Vincent del Rosario, Boots Anson Roa, and Eddie Garcia.
Edu Manzano emceed the event, and Sarah Geronimo and Lani Misalucha performed for the Mayor.
But, the special guest of the evening was President Rodrigo Duterte, Erap’s kumpare (the mayor is the godfather of the President’s grandson, Stonefish Carpio).
When it was time for him to give a speech, Mayor Erap thanked everybody for coming to the party. He delighted everyone by acknowledging Dr. Loi Estrada as his “one and only wife.”
“I may be an ex-Mayor of San Juan, an ex-Senator, ex-Vice President, ex-President and ex-convict, but I promise her (Dr. Loi) that I will never be her ex-husband,” he said.