Manila Newspaper Article

Julio Iglesias gives his love to the Filipino people!
By CRISPINA MARTINEZ-BELEN
February 3, 2010, 6:56pm

In a telephone conversation Tuesday morning (Feb. 2), Julio Iglesias told me to give his love to the Filipino people and congratulated the Manila Bulletin on its 110th anniversary. “Please give my love to all of you there, Crispina, you know that I love you all, that my soul is half Filipino and I couldn’t wait to come over and meet with you again. My best regards to the people of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao…”

Julio called from Buenos Aires, Argentina and he said he was having dinner but couldn’t wait to savor once more the Filipino delicacies he loves so much like pancit, lumpia, adobo, kare-kare, the coconut crabs and the rest. He has been to the Philippines many times in the past (like about 15 times) and had about nine concerts in Manila but he said he couldn’t get enough of the Philippine experience. He is excited to get into the midst of traffic once more, he said, and to go to the markets and be with the Filipino people he loves so much.

He will have a concert at the Araneta Coliseum in March and he will be staying in the Philippines for seven days. He will of course stay with his good friends, the Aranetas, but Julio and his wife Miranda and their children Victoria, Miguel, Guillermo, Rodrigo and Cristina, will also go around the islands, including Boracay. (Every Christmas time, Julio never misses to send his Filipino friends a Christmas card with his children’s photos.)

Julio will be on a concert tour that will also bring him to Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Jakarta, Singapore and the US among other countries.

In his forthcoming Araneta Coliseum concert, Julio will of course sing his old classic signature songs, the songs that endeared him to music lovers all over the world. But will also sing a few new songs, he said. A Tagalog song will also be in his repertoire.

Julio said he loves Filipino songs, he knows how musically-gifted Filipinos are especially Lea Salonga and Sharon Cuneta with whom he has done duets with in the past. “So I will be singing a Tagalog song but I just don’t know yet what it will be…”

Julio’s son with first wife, Filipino Isabel Preysler, Enrique has made it too as an international singer and I asked Julio if there is a possibility they would be performing together in a concert in the future. Julio said it would be possible “but right now Enrique is living a very independent life, doing shows and recording stints on his own, but yes maybe someday, in due time, we will be sharing the stage together.” He said he talked to Enrique a week ago, and that Enrique is now in California for a series of performances.

Before we said goodbye, Julio said he expects to have fun with his numerous friends in Manila when he comes over in March as it has been many years (7 or 9?) since he was here the last time.

(Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/241799/julio-iglesias-gives-his-love-filipino-people )