ELVIRA MANAHAN
If there was one woman in society who was larger than life, it was Elvira Manahan. I remember watching her on her television talk show Two for the Road, mesmerised by her humour, elegance and that infectious, signature laugh. She was a true non-conformist that even her irreverence was admirable. Elvira Ledesma Manahan was born in Silay City, Negros Occidental to Simeon Ledesma and Conchita Bermejo. She moved to Manila to stay with her grandmother and studied at the Holy Ghost University (Holy Spirit).
At 16, she married Armando Eduque and got pregnant with him. One fateful day during World War II, there was an air raid; and the story was that Eduque ran after their dog and did not return home for days. Elvira went out to find him and found him dead on the street. Not too long after, she met Dr Tito Manahan, whom she married within a year.
At a time when people in high society looked down on showbiz personalities, Elvira had several movies tucked under her belt, not to mention a show that showcased her one-of-a-kind humour, which was also not very appropriate in those prim-and-proper days. She was known to never follow the script and blurt out the most outrageous remark. Like when she introduced the Ambassador of Chile as the Ambassador of Argentina and said, “Why? Is Chile not in Argentina?” Or when she introduced a soap brand and said, “Maja, the soap of beautiful women!” And nonchalantly followed up with, “It is?”.
Her friendship with legendary designer Ramon Valera who made her his muse captured society’s admiration and sealed her as an icon.
Her life was cut short at age 59 when Jaime Balatbat, a realtor, entered her home, killed two of her household helps and shot Elvira in the head. Philippine society was shocked by her tragic demise. Today, there is still no one who could ever replace Elvira as the society icon she once was. She was simply a cut above the rest.
In a Tatler article which came out in 2000, Marge Enriquez wrote, “Today, this writer can’t find anyone in the Philippine landscape—young or old, who is as fascinating a subject as Elvira was.” She broke all the rules.
Read More: Elvira Manahan, Society And Fashion Icon Remembered