Pilita Corrales was — and will always be — the greatest Filipino singer. Her achievements went beyond Philippine shores. She performed in important venues in the United States — Caesar’s Palace and the Carnegie Hall. In Australia, there is even a street named after her.

At the Tokyo Music Festival in 1973, she sang “My Daughter” and her piece placed second. Was it to Paul Williams? Nobody seems to recall that today. This Japan music event was not a contest for singers. The new compositions were the ones in competition. Pilita, however, managed to win a special award: Best performer.

Pilita was actually the first multimedia star. At 16, she had her own radio program over dzPI called La Taverna where she sang Spanish songs while accompanying herself on the guitar

She was also able to conquer the stage — at the Manila Grand Opera House where she performed thrice a day. Her colleagues there called her “mestisang bangus,” a term for half-breeds — sometimes used in a derogatory sense. But in Pilita’s case, it was always with affection

In the field of recording, she was a superstar. She was the only local singer to have recorded songs in four languages: English, Tagalog, Spanish and Cebuano. By the 1970s, she had already been dubbed as Asia’s Queen of Song. No, not Songs, but Song.

On TV, her show, An Evening With Pilita, was the first Filipino program to be taped (all shows were aired live before that). Through this program, the public became familiar with her signature singing style — done with her body bent backward. It was not for show. She used this technique to hit high notes.

Inevitably, she also joined the movies. But given her fractured Tagalog, her big screen appearances were limited to musicals and comedies: Ob-la-di, ob-la-da (with Vilma Valera), Tiririt ng Maya, Tiririt ng Ibon (with Dolphy and Eddie Gutierrez) and, much later in her career, Mirror, Mirror on the Wall (with Gloria Romero, Charito Solis, Rita Avila and Jestoni Alarcon).

She must have acted in more than a dozen movies, but her strength had always been singing — and hosting. In fact, most TV viewers remember her as the equally hilarious co-host of Bert Marcelo in the musical talent shows Ang Bagong Kampeon and Tanghalan ng Kampeon

Yes, the public knew Pilita as a woman full of life — and laughs. Very few were aware of her personal trials. Like everyone else, she had her own share of problems.

JACKIE LOU’S KIDNAPPING

In 1963, Pilita married Gonzalo Blanco, who was responsible for the reclamation of the land on which the CCP stands on. (He reportedly was not paid for the project and the case supposedly is still ongoing half a century later). The following year, they had Jackie Lou Blanco.

Pilita and Gonzalo didn’t stay married long. Although Gonzalo was allowed visiting rights, he couldn’t bear the thought of being separated from Jackie even for a day. He loved his daughter so much that he decided to bring Jackie to the US — without Pilita’s knowledge (documents were forged).

Gonzalo found the opportunity to take Jackie with him on the day Pilita was taping her ABS-CBN musical show. A house help quickly called Pilita in the studio to inform her that father and daughter were on their way to the airport.

Although ABS-CBN that time was still in Roxas Boulevard and only a short distance away from the Manila International Airport (NAIA 1 today), the plane had left by the time Pilita got there. Upon realizing that her daughter was gone, she found herself slumped on the airport floor — “naka-lupasay,” as Jackie would later describe that scene many years later.

Jackie that time was tagged as the “NBI baby.” Her mother was at its headquarters every day without fail. When the NBI hooked up with the Interpol, Gonzalo and Jackie were located — but only after five weeks.

Pilita’s legal team wanted her to have Gonzalo put behind bars. She decided against it because she understood parental love. She forgave him and even allowed Gonzalo to regularly visit Jackie.

ABORTED RAPE

The 1960s was the era of gangs. Given their twisted minds, it became a “badge of honor” for gang members to abduct and rape female celebrities. They targeted mostly actresses because these personalities would normally just shut up since they had careers to protect.

On 26 June 1967, Maggie de la Riva was abducted by four men right outside the gate of the family home along 12th St. in New Manila. She was brought to the Swanky Hotel in Pasay and was sexually abused.

Unlike previous victims, Maggie went to the police and was given justice. Three of her rapists (one died in prison) were given the chair five years later.

It can now be told that after Maggie, Pilita was supposed to be next on the list. Although she was able to escape what surely would have been a nightmare for her, the very thought that she was in the lineup gave her the chills.

FROM PARAGUAY WITH LOVE?

In the 1970s, Pilita fell in love and shared her home with Amado Sarabia, a singer from Paraguay. Locally, he was known as Amado del Paraguay.

It can be said that Amado rode on Pilita’s coattails. They started performing as a duet — even if Pilita had always been her own solo act.

They looked like a lovely couple — or so the public thought. But in the privacy of their bedroom, Pilita was a battered partner. When she had had enough, she decided to end the relationship. Amado returned to South America and died in 2008 at the age of 70.

LOSING A BELOVED HOUSE

When Pilita shot to stardom, she made sure she had a house of her own. She purchased a huge property that straddled three streets in a gated community in New Manila called Rolling Hills Village. On it, she built a concrete home with a swimming pool.

It was a lovely place that had one side facing the Ermitano River, a rivulet that eventually flowed into Manila Bay. Across the river was a meadow that was visible from her window.

The property had a catch though. It was situated at the lowest point of the subdivision. Her house was prone to flooding, especially when the river overflowed.

During “Ondoy” in 2009, her house was inundated — washing away appliances, pieces of furniture and most valuable of all: Her musical arrangements that cost thousands and thousands of pesos.

Pilita was so crushed by this flooding that she decided to sell the property at a bargain basement price to the subdivision. It is now the Rolling Hills Village clubhouse.

Out of the sale, she built a new house in Jackielou Ville, a subdivision developed by Gonzalo Blanco in Paranaque. Pilita was not happy there. It was too far — from work and from friends. But it was too late. She had already sold her beloved old home.

To make matters worse, she sold it for P22,000 per square meter — on installment terms at that. Less than a decade later, the price of property in the subdivision went up to P180,000 to P200,000 per square meter. Selling that house was one of the biggest regrets of her life.

It is unfortunate that the CCP case had dragged this long. Had it been resolved earlier, Pilita could have been the owner of CCP. Of course, that’s an absurd assumption. But there was a chance she could have been a billionaire — had she won the case.

When Gonzalo died of cancer of the tongue, Pilita was legally the widow (he never remarried). After his death, his safe was opened. There was no cash. No gold bars. It contained only his most important possessions: Pictures of his dearest daughter, Jackie.

On 10 May 2023, Pilita’s good friend, Josefina “Pempe” Rodrigo, turned 80. Pempe invited her friends, Pilita and children included, to a big bash held at the Rolling Hills clubhouse. (Pempe is a resident of the subdivision.)

Returning to what was once their home gave them mixed emotions. Pilita was not her usual jolly self during that event. She got easily startled for one. Prior to that party, Pilita was already starting to be forgetful — forgetting even the lyrics of her songs during live performances.