Jaime Fábregas takes it to the streets

Jaime Fábregas has done it all: working as an actor, editor, musical scorer, television anchor — name it, he’s probably done it.

He is more recently known for the character roles he’s played as Don Facundo in Batang Quiapo and Lolo Delfin in Probinsiyano. His range as an actor goes anywhere from the quintessential villain to a bungling nutty professor because of his natural comedic timing — a versatility that earned him the 2023 Urian Lifetime Achievement award.

“As with most character actors, when people meet me in the street, they just go, ‘Hey, that’s, that’s what’s his name?’ Although that has changed a bit,” he chuckles.

The ‘rat pack’

A native of Iriga, Jaime is fluent in Bicolano, Spanish, and Filipino. At age 9, he was already onstage at Naga Parochial, then further on to high school in Ateneo de Naga. 

Jaime attended De La Salle University in Manila (chemical engineering), and very quickly, became part of what one might call Peque Gallaga’s “rat pack,” which included Mitch Valdez, among others, and was later joined by Joel Torre and Ronnie Lazaro in Bacolod.

This mentorship under Peque brought about his participation in the Fabulous Gamboa Show (Channel 13, 1969). Then followed more television shows with RPN Channel 9 as co-host with June Kiethley in Changes (1970) and The Un-Cola Special (1972).

Jaime Fábregas (right) as lead in Sweet Charity. Contributed photo

After working in various aspects of television production, Jaime took over from Ariel Ureta as host and segment producer of MetroMagazine, a TV show produced by Imelda Marcos’ Metro Manila Commission (1977 to 1984). It was about this time that he was invited by Abu de la Cruz to the musical scoring of the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines production of Misteryo sa Tuwa.

The assassination of Ninoy Aquino and the ensuing political outrage, though, convinced Jaime he could no longer be part of MetroMagazine. His political awakening was further cemented with his participation in Sic O’Clock News (1980s), a political satire covering the hottest social and political issues of the time, with Marilou Diaz Abaya directing.

Malate music

What most people may not know about Jaime is that he is a musician, and a very strong vocal artist, a baritone who performed in various folk houses as a solo artist way back in the day. 

Those heady days and nights in Malate at the Last Unicorn before it became the Hobbit House, the 3rd Eye behind the Luneta Hotel, the Pensione Filipina. Boomers can very well relate. As he says so himself, he was like any other young musician plying the streets of Malate, 12-string guitar in tow.

Lea Salonga and Jaime Fábregas in Annie in 1984. Contributed photo

It wasn’t long before Jaime became the lead vocalist of a “jazz band,” which was really more of a freestyle kind of band which did not adhere to any labels or particular genres. 

Music was music, and they played their own original music and covered artists like Dylan, CSN & Y, jazz with the occasional adventures into fusion inspired by artists like Corea, Pastorius, and John McLaughlin, and the Mahavishnu Orchestra. This was the ‘70s. Heady days and nights, indeed.

Full disclosure: we used to be married. Our eldest was born in December 1972 and we all know what happened in September 1972. 

When the midnight curfew was lifted, music life continued with the ever present MetroCom cars lurking in the corner. Some people would mysteriously disappear and many would assume it was to go to rehab, but more often than not, they were heading for “the hills.” 

Some were “invited” to Camp Crame for questioning never to be seen again. The lucky ones eventually got home, beaten and tortured.

Passion and politics

A Marcos was in Malacañang at that time, and decades later, a Marcos is in Malacañang again. “The November 30 rally was,” he shakes his head, “malasado (undercooked).” 

“I was invited to talk during the rally but I didn’t realize there were two locations! Why do we have to have two separate rallies?”

Rallies have become social gatherings rather than real movements for change. This can well be very frustrating to one who stood among the many during EDSA 1, the movement that put the Philippines on the world map as the authors of People Power.

And more EDSAs followed. It’s been 40 years. The decades wear people down, opting to stick to their jobs and say, well, it is what it is. But Jaime can’t. At every opportunity, Jaime has expressed his political opinions.

“I hope BBM (President Marcos) certifies as urgent, the ICAIC bill (Independent Commission Against Infrastructure Corruption) and we can move forward with the investigations and finally put those criminals in jail. Yes, what those politicians have done with the flood control projects is criminal. The way these investigations are going is discouraging,” he says.

“BBM seems to want to correct something, and he should also certify as urgent the anti-dynasty law. And since this will affect his whole family, then, and maybe then, we might say that we cannot blame the son for the sins of the father.”

“Political dynasties have become the norm. Politics in the Philippines is a business,” Jaime adds. “The chairman appoints his successor and it just continues for generations down the line. And it goes without saying, we suffer. No roads, no bridges, no infrastructure. It takes 12 hours to travel from Manila to Naga!“

Jaime shakes his head contemplating. “The whole world is crazy. Spain, for example, have their own problems with corruption. But at least, they have a transport system that works. What about us? Nada!”

But Jaime, of course, will still be there, back in the streets when needed. – Rappler.com