Darling Philippines staged free at the Rizal Park.

 This article came about courtesy of the late Dennis Adobas whom I dedicated a video blog titled Dennis Adobas - MARAMING SALAMAT PO! R.I.P.. He was my Casting Director and Publicist in the musical I launched as a showcase about Imelda Marcos.

The article was posted by PhilStar Entertainment Global dated March 15, 2014 with the link here titled Darling Philippines staged free at the Rizal Park. The Philippine Star March 15, 2014 | 12:00am

Photo below was the first poster I created for my musical, the drawing of Imelda featured in the posted is a sketch drawing I made back in 1988.

In the song Maharlika - Isang bansa, isang diwa that is posted in my YouTube channel, I wrote this quoted statement below as another appreciation of Dennis Adobas help to my cause.

"This song is also dedicated to the late Dennis Adobas who encouraged me to keep going on and supported all of my work. He believed in me through and through and never judged my work - he just encouraged me so long as Mr. Dennis Adobas encouragingly said "if your intention is pure and coming from your heart"."

The details in the article by Philippine Star have changed since it's publication so allow me to correct it here. I am reposting and in open close quotation are the original post which I will make corrections only in some details that have changed since its first printing.

"MANILA, Philippines - She was called the Steel Butterfly and Iron Butterfly, but former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, widow of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, is being identified as Darling Philippines in an opera/rock musical that will be held on May 16 at the Rizal Park."

In the above statement, my musical was to be staged in that date and venue provided however due to changes and some challenging circumstances the staging actually happened on October 4, 2014 in a venue at 500 Shaw Zentrum, Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City.

"Francis Tanseco (photo), 44, the producer, director, and writer-composer-librettist, wants to depict Imelda's rise and fall and rise again to power in the musical."

"He first titled it Imeldarella, and several other names about the woman.  But Tanseco's notion as Darling Philippines would encourage her theory on her right or wrong during Marcos and herself during their regime and martial law for about 14 years."

When I went to see Imelda Marcos to pitch and ask her permission to stage my musical which is about her life story, we had few meetings and she finally agreed as long as I change the title to "A Mother's Soul" as she wants to be portrayed as a mother in her public persona as in a mother to the nation.

I agreed to this changes because at the time I still look at her as a heroine but boy oh boy, how things changed. As the saying goes, never meet your hero because you might get disappointed and I was not only disappointed, I was disgusted however this is for another revelation for next time.

Luckily for me, because I created my musical in a non-partisan way portraying both the good and the bad, I did not have to change much in the narrative of my musical except to add a new song titled "A Mother's Soul" and change the musical play's title to "A Mother's Soul". 

The rest of my libretto haven't really changed much as is as original as when I see Imelda as a heroine and also as a UNREPENTANT, UNGRATEFUL IMELDA who is convicted and should be serving a prison sentence.

Now back to the news article.

"Tanseco conducted a survey among his friends as to what title fits his work and finally Darling Philippines proved to be the most apt."

"It is public knowledge that she has always been a lover of beautiful things, Tanseco said, who is a nurse to concentrate on the project. I know that Madam Imelda still believes in the art as a tool for improving the national economy and changing its political landscape he added."

"She has grieved when the many edifices built here during their era were not taken care of continued Tanseco, like the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Philippine Heart Center for Asia, Folk Arts Theater, Film Center, among others"

"Tanseco is a graduate of Concordia College as a nurse and moved to London in 2000. Apart from nursing, he has also become a painter and has done several arts exhibits there and also in the Philippines."

"But still in college in 1991, he adapted and directed Himala, from a screenplay of Ricky Lee and starring Nora Aunor, the stage play by Concordia College. In 1993, he played as Pepe or Jose Rizal in a musical called Tanging Ikaw, also produced by Concordia and by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. He also played St. Vincent De Paul in a musical directed by the late Fr. James Reuter."

"Tanseco also wrote the music and lyrics with a friend, Marites Anino, for a musical by Nora Aunor which they gave her sometime in the 90s titled Awit ng Buhay Ko."

"Nora did not respond, but she is still my favorite singer and actress, he said. I also made a lot of paintings about her in London."

"In 1997, Tanseco played Jose Rizal in Bulwagang Gantimpala summer workshop under the late Tony Espejo. But what he considers his most ambitious project is Darling Philippines."

"He claimed that this is the only musical on Imelda that is written by a Filipino who does not condemn, parodize or judge. He will also hold here a free workshop for musically gifted young Pinoys who hopefully might become performers for the musical. Consequently, the musical might be launched in London and the US."

"The production in Manila will be under the Association of Merkaba Arts Philippines, Inc, or AMAPI in cooperation with the Golden Gay Rainbow Association, Inc. and the Pinoy International Bloggers Association, Inc."

In the above statement about the cooperation with the Golden Gay Rainbow Association, Inc - it is Boy Villasanta who partnered with my production to get involved and to become patronage.

"Darling Philippines is part of the National Park's Development Committee program Weekends at Six, which is free to the public."

You can listen to the song Darling Philippines in this link.