"You know," Sonia said, "I was really lucky. I met Celeste Gallardo in the first Study Group I was in and we were becoming friends before I learned she was Celeste Legaspi, a famous singer and daughter of a National Artist of the Visual Arts, Cesar Legaspi. Had I known I probably could never have been so comfortable with her, and my life here would not have been nearly as much fun!

There is this about Celeste. It is more than the gift of a rare talent that has made her a main, featured, and guest performer of numerous musical productions, and earned her numerous awards among which are the prestigious TOWNS Award (Ten Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service), and the KBP Golden Dove Award for Best Host of a Musical Variety Show (her own).

It is more than the generous sharing of her gift and the uses to which she lends it. Her persistence in promoting Filipino music is admirable, and her renditions of Filipino songs is a listening pleasure, even when one fails to understand the words.

On a trip to Banawe she was recognized, and the Chief of the fire department somewhat timidly asked if she would sing. It was lunch time and our Ifugao hosts had prepared an outdoor meal in a field at the edge of the rice terraces. Celeste looked around for a spot from where she would be able to see everyone, spied a very large rock, climbed up, and proceeded to sing from the top of the rock!

Somewhere among the photographs we took that day is one that caused MVP to bestow upon Celeste the title, "Our Favorite Rock Star". But what we remember most is how pleased Celeste was that all those who heard her were happy—that she had made them happy. How many of us were aware that day that Celeste, who has performed throughout Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States had just added Banawe to her place list?

And how many of us who saw Celeste’s stellar performance in February in the MVP production On Being Filipino, or heard her talks on Philippine theatre and Philippine visual arts for MVP knew she had held both starring and feature roles in stage, television, and movie production, and had, as a young beginner, played opposite the then famous movie actor Joseph Estrada? "He was," says she, "very nice and quite helpful to a young insecure newcomer".

Could the seasoned actor have then imagined the youngster would go on to earn, among others, three PATAS’ Sinag Awards for Excellent Performances for her own weekly TV show, and two Tinig Awards for Best Female Performer in Hotels, Restaurants, and Clubs? Her many stage roles have been as diversified as Nancy in Oliver and Maria Clara in El Filibusterismo.

On a trip to Los Banos we had lunch at a lovely restaurant overlooking Laguna de Bay. No sooner had we walked in than a record of Filipino songs in a lovely female voice began to play. So striking was the music that we stopped talking (not a usual occurrence for MVPers) to listen. When the songs ended someone inquired, "Who was the singer? She was lovely to listen to." Celeste looked up and quietly answered, "That was one of my early records. I was younger then." And someone else added, "As soon as we walked in someone recognized her and changed records." How many of us knew that Celeste had among her many hit recordings two Double Platinum and two Gold records?

In Iloilo Celeste was recognized by a fruit vendor. Any trip Celeste is on, with or without her husband Nonoy, tends to be a tasting treat. A masterful cook, she always manages to find and introduce us to the most delectable morsels, many of which would be passed by without a second thought. Interestingly, she seems to be acknowledged not so much as celebrity but as friend. Is this because it is the way of the Philippines, or because Celeste has a friendly, genuine, warm approach that invites people, not "her public" to respond openly to her?

On another of Sony’s tours—this one a riverboat trip on the Pasig River—Celeste took a long look at what the River had become. If other people in other places could clean up their waterways, why not here? It was not long before she marshaled her friends and colleagues in the entertainment and arts world, along with some MVP members, and mounted the exhibition, Riverwatch, which included photographs, a history of the Pasig River, a model of the river, and even bottles of water recently taken from it. The exhibition, displayed in various malls, opened with a celebrity fest only Celeste could have put together. The project was adopted by the Clean and Green Foundation, incorporated into its programs, and the Pasig River is slowly benefiting.

There is this, too, about Celeste. In addition to a passion for promoting original Filipino music, she is committed to the production of worthwhile entertainment, a combination which led her to become one of the co-founders of Musicat, Musical Theater Philippines. Dedicated to the creation and production of original Filipino musicals Musicat has, under Celeste’s guiding hand, enticed school children into its orbit. Good wholesome entertainment for children and young people seemed to be lacking and Musicat happily filled – and continues to fill – the void.

So public school students could be included, Celeste devised a system of Angels with corporations and some individuals funding their attendance. Such productions have proven to be a valuable forum whereby Filipino students learn about their traditions, history, culture, and values in a livelier setting than the classroom.

Proving as adept at producing as she is at performing one of Celeste’s most recent endeavors, Saranggola Ni Pepe, a magical journey into the power of the imagination, enjoyed by adults and children alike, involved virtually the entire Gallardo family. Nonoy wrote the musical score, daughter Waya wrote the script and directed the play, daughter Lala designed the sets and costumes, and Celeste was the producer. Once asked just what it is a producer does, Celeste replied—"Why producers obtain the funding, we find the money."

During our recent trip to China we found ourselves guests at a 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration of a local couple in Beijing. We have no idea how or why the invitation was extended but there we were, guests at this lavish luncheon, and, we were told, the only non-family members present. The entertainment and the event were being televised. Someone learned we had a famous Filipina entertainer in our midst and she was politely asked if she would contribute to the entertainment—sing for our lunches, if you please. Celeste, always gracious, agreed and Sonia was asked to introduce her. So there we were on Chinese television—Sonia’s introduction in American English understood by virtually no one, and Celeste’s Filipino love song enjoyed by everyone. Music does after all speak an international language and it can have no better ambassador than Celeste (Legaspi) Gallardo.

In China, too, the local guides are expected to sing to their tour groups and the tourists are expected to respond in kind. When our guide who had been with us the entire trip sang us a farewell song before departure we were expected to return the favor. Dead silence. Then a small voice came from somewhere near the back of the coach, "Maybe Celeste would consent to sing for all of us…" Celeste did indeed "sing for all of us" thereby earning our undying gratitude and causing Carol Clendon to award her the title, Our (MVP’s) Resident Diva.

With all her commitments, activities, and time pressures including being President of both Musicat and Philstage and on the boards of Organisasyon Ng Pilipinong Mang-Aawit (OPM) and TOWNS, we in MVP love sharing the non-musical part of Celeste’s world with her.

—Editorial Staff