The Philippine music industry is still in mourning with the passing of one of its Original Pilipino Music icon, 70’s Jukebox Queen Claire Dela Fuente. She passed away last March 30 due to cardiac arrest in Manila and it was a shocking news not only to her family and friends, but also to Palaweno Broadcaster and make-up artist Edrian Baldevieso.
The former DYPR showbiz announcer met and worked with Dela Fuente early 2007 after their first meeting at Viva Film office, to launch Dela Fuente’s new line up of artist. Baldevieso is with the team of the late Action Filmmaker Deo J. Fajardo as a talent and glam team head, since then Baldevieso became an official make-up artist of Dela Fuente in her many TV guestings and concerts.
“Hindi niya agad ako kinuhang personal make-up artist dahil siya mismo ang nag-aayos sa sarili nya, sa halip ang ginawa niya, sa akin niya pinapaayusan ang mga aspiring talent na pini-present namin sa iba’t ibang TV network company gaya ng ABS-CBN, GMA at TV5,”Baldevieso recalled.
One of their conversation is to have a solo concert in Puerto Princesa, she’s been here most of the time but never as a performer. He asked Baldevieso to make it happen since she love Palawan due to its beautiful sceneries.
“Hanggang isang araw ay inalok ko siya na mag-concert sa Palawan, tuwang-tuwa siya at tinuruan niya pa ‘ko ng dapat kong gawin para hindi daw ako mahirapan, hindi lang natuloy dahil bigla ako nagpaalam sa kanya na ako mag-abroad na, pinigilan pa niya ako dahil bakit pa raw ako aalis ng Pilipinas eh kaya ko naman daw kitain ang kita sa ibang bansa,” Baldevieso said.
Baldevieso aka Tootsie Givana has a lot of fond memories with the late singer that he himself admits that he was a fan of her during her early years in Sea Plane Uno, he called her Ate Clara and they usually hang out whenever they are free in some restaurant managed and owned by Dela Fuente, they casually talk about their showbiz crashes and how to create screen name for Dela Fuente’s new line up of artists.
“Makulit at gusto laging tumatawa ni Ate Clara, napaka-business minded palagi niya sinasabi sa akin na ‘Tootsie wag ka makuntento sa kung ano lang ang meron ka sa ngayon,’ dapat maghanap ka ng kaya mo pang gawin para meron ka fall back ‘pag mawala ang isa,” Baldevieso shared.
With the news of her passing, Baldevieso was in grief because they have many plans together, even in this pandemic they kept in touch. She even asked him to go back to Manila and stay with her to earn a living, and that will never happen now.
“No’ng nasa abroad na ako tumawag siya sa akin nasa Palawan daw siya nagbabakasyon, ni-remind pa niya sa akin ang concert na pina-plano namin, manghang-mangha siya sa ganda ng Palawan, totoo raw pala ang mga napapanood niya sa news at mga vlog na virgin forest, malinis at mababait ang mga tao,” Baldevieso added.
Dela Fuente died at the age of 63, she was dubbed as the Karen Carpenter of the Philippines and was tagged as the Asia’s Sweetest Voice, among her hit songs are “Sayang”, “Nakaw na Pag-ibig”, and “Minsan, Minsan”, she was one of the country’s Jukebox Queens in the 1970’s along with veteran singers like Imelda Papin, Eva Eugenio and Didith Reyes.