MANILA, Philippines?Shakespeare divided great men into three classes: Those who are born great, those who achieve greatness, and those who have greatness thrust upon them. On the other hand, an actress becomes a movie queen when she is rightfully recognized by her peers and fans.

Initially, there was nothing great about Gloria Borrego Galla, who was born to an American mother and an immigrant father. When she was 3 years old, her father, Pedro Galla, left Denver, Colorado with his wife and daughter to return to his hometown in Mabini, Pangasinan, where the young Gloria was raised. Mabini was a small town that couldn?t afford to have its own moviehouse, so the young girl had to travel to nearby Alaminos just to see a Filipino movie.

Seeing films like ?Inang Mahal? made her want to become an actress. In Manila, she found her way to the studio of Premiere Productions, where director Ramon Estella was shooting ?Prinsipe Don Juan,? starring Efren Reyes and Anita Linda. Gloria was cast in the role of a tavern girl, with the speaking line, ?Hihintayin kita, Prinsipe Don Juan.? But, her voice was so soft that she couldn?t be heard.

A voice called out, ?I can?t hear you, Galla!? She tried to speak louder, but it was no use. After several attempts, she was replaced by another girl. Gloria went home to Pangasinan in tears, and her father scolded her for wanting to be an actress when she could not even speak her lines loud enough!

Favorite star

Having heard of director Susana de Guzman, Gloria next tried to seek her out at LVN Pictures. Seeing her favorite star, Tessie Quintana, in person was reward enough, but a meeting with the filmmaker didn?t materialize. Instead, she found herself at the Sampaguita Pictures studio, where an uncle, Nario Rosales, introduced her to the studio?s bosses during a cast party. The rest is history.

The first thing Sampaguita?s starmaker, Doc Perez, did for Gloria was to change her surname from Galla to Romero. Before the 1950s were over, a new movie queen had emerged?Gloria Romero, who was crowned Queen of Philippine Movies on the fourth of July at Subic Bay, clad in a stunning Ramon Valera gown!

The next day, her face was plastered on the front pages of the Stars and Stripes publication, which was sent to American bases all over the world. Beside her was the smiling face of the American serviceman who won the title, ?King for a Day.?

When greatness is thrust upon you, how do you handle it? I couldn?t resist asking Gloria because I was also at Subic Bay when she was crowned ?Queen.? Her reply was simple and direct to the point: ?That was part of the game. Sampaguita took care of its stars. We didn?t really bother kung sino?ng priority nila because we were all under one studio, anyway. Of course, I was happy, but it didn?t change my life much. It remained very simple: I went to work, read scripts, studied my lines and played the roles assigned to me the best way I could. I liked the business?and I still do!?

It?s quite disarming for an actress of Gloria?s stature to look at greatness merely as a ?game.? But, this humility is what makes her truly unique. The message is clear: True beauty is not skin-deep. This is the essence of the actress? portrayals in films like ?Kurdapya,? ?Cofradia,? ?Dalagang Ilocana,? ?Miss Tilapia,? ?Musikong Bumbong,? ?Mariposa? and ?Despatsadora.?

In contrast are her more dramatic roles in ?Monghita,? ?Anak sa Panalangin,? ?Señorita,? ?Mga Anak ng Diyos,? ?Colegiala,? ?Alaalang Banal,? ?Mother Dearest,? ?Anong Ganda Mo,? ?For You Mama,? ?Hinango Kita sa Lusak? and ?The Show of Shows.?

Photograph

A retired movie actress and film producer remembers the first time she saw Gloria in person, resplendent in a Ramon Valera gown. It was during a lull in the shooting of ?Hindi Basta-Basta.? When Gloria handed back a signed photograph, the girl kept on staring at her. She was so mesmerized with the beautiful celebrity that instead of thanking her, the words that came out from her was an expression of real wonder from a teenager: ?Do you pee??

That was in 1955, when the actress has just started acting, though she already looked as regal as a queen?a newcomer on the threshold of bigger things. That year, she also received recognition as Famas Best Actress for her role as a cigar-chomping tobacco farmer in ?Dalagang Ilokana.? Her second Best Actress award would come from the Urian almost half a century later for her role as an Alzheimer?s disease-afflicted mother in ?Tanging Yaman.?

Time has not changed Gloria much. Her innate humility stems from her love for God. She has an abiding faith in humanity and unerring respect for authority. Four years ago, she received Urian?s Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented by Comedy King, Dolphy. That night, Gloria Romero looked as beautiful as ever!