WE were out of town nang mabalitaan namin ang pagpanaw ng aming kaibigan at kasamahan sa trabaho, ang well-loved and respected veteran entertainment writer-columnist, PR practitioner at talent manager na si Manay Ethel Ramos (Ethelwolda A. Ramos) nung nakaraang Linggo ng 5:38 p.m., September 10, 2023. She was 87.

Wala pa kami sa showbiz ay kilalang-kilala na si Manay Ethel sa industriya bilang publicist ng mga kilalang personalidad at major film and TV outfits. Siya noon ang publicist (along with the late Ricky Lo) ng Regal Films (now Regal Entertainment) headed by Mother Lily Monteverde, Imus Productions, mula sa yumaong actor-producer at politician na si dating Sen. Ramon Revilla, Sr. hanggang sa anak nitong si Sen. Ramon `Bong’ Revilla, Jr. na siyang nagpatuloy sa sinimulan ng kanyang ama, sa mga pelikula noon ng dating action star na si Phillip Salvador, sa Golden Lions Productions ng mag-asawang Donna Villa and Carlo Caparas, Jr., at iba pang produksyon at mga sikat na personalidad sa showbiz including Fernando Poe, Jr., Susan Roces, Elizabeth Oropesa at napakarami pang iba. Nakilala rin siya bilang isang mahusay na talent manager nina Aga Muhlach at Angel Locsin.

Manay Ethel was most respected in the industry at marami ang nagmamahal sa kanya. She was dubbed as “Dean of Entertainment Writers” bilang respeto at pagkilala sa kanya as veteran entertainment writer-columnist na nirerespeto at tinitingala ng kanyang peers at mga nakababatang entertainment writers and reporters. A well-loved personality, hindi kumpleto ang isang entertainment press conference kung wala ang presence ni Manay Ethel.

Manay Ethel who was a journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, took to heart her writing profession after graduating from college. When pandemic struck the world (including the Philippines) doon siya unti-unting nag-lie low sa pagsusulat at paglabas-labas ng bahay but she was still in constant touch with her friends from the entertainment industry kaya updated pa rin siya sa mga kaganapan sa showbiz kahit nasa loob lamang ng bahay.

It was May this year nang siya’y magka-stroke at unti-unti siyang iginupo ng sakit.

We would like to say that Manay Ethel lived her life to the fullest. Instead of having her own family, siya ang tumayong ama’t ina sa kanyang mga nakababatang kapatid. A very generous sister, aunt and grandmother to her grandchildren up to the very end.

Pero kakaiba si Manay Ethel kapag nagtampo sa isang tao. Malalim. Kilala rin siya sa pagiging madasalin and she won’t skip her visit to Baclaran every Tuesday or Wednesday night and Sunday masses at iba pang espesyal na okasyon.

Mahal na mahal si Manay Ethel ng Movie King & Queen na sina Fernando Poe, Jr. and Susan Roces.

Not everybody knows na ang Ronwaldo Reyes na siyang screen name ni FPJ bilang director ay mula sa pinagsamang Ronnie and Ethelwolda ni Manay Ethel. Nung buhay pa noon ang showbiz sa Escolta, Manila kung saan naroon ang tanggapan ng iba’tibang film outfits, Manay Ethel maintained her PR office there for so many years na puntahan noon ng mga artista, celebrities, film producers, directors at kapwa entertainment writers.

Kapag dumarating ang kaarawan ni Manay Ethel tuwing August 1 ay animo may `fiesta’ sa kanyang tanggapan at sa buong Burke building kung saan naroon ang kanyang El Oro Films office na dinarayo taun-taon ng mga taga-industriya.

To us, Manay Ethel was not only the `Dean of Entertainment Writers’ but the Queen of Entertainment Writers which she truly deserved.

The industry is never the same without the presence of Manay Ethel, a dear friend to everyone in showbiz.

You will be sorely missed, Manay Ethel. Rest now in the kingdom of our Creator.