Folk singer Coritha. Image: screengrab from YouTube/Pambansang Almusal, NET25
Far from her prime years in the 1970s to 1980s, folk singer Coritha is now unable to speak and bedridden in her Tagaytay home after she suffered from a stroke.
Coritha, best known for her songs “Oras Na,” “Lolo Jose,” “Gising Na, O Kuya Ko” and “Sierra Madre,” was visited by broadcaster Julius Babao, as seen on the latter’s YouTube vlog on Tuesday, July 30.
Coritha has been living with her partner Chito Santos in Tagaytay after her Quezon City home was destroyed by fire in 2018.
Recalling how their relationship started, Santos said he and Coritha have known each other way before she officially started her singing career. Santos admitted that he has admired the singer since then but that they lost communication and only reunited after several decades.
“Bago mag-pandemic, kinuha ko siya kasi nga nasunog ‘yung bahay niya. Nung hanapin ko [siya], natutulog lang sa tent, sa folding bed. Una ayaw niyang sumama sa akin [pero] bandang huli, napilitan,” Santos said.
At the time, Coritha was still healthy physically although she reportedly struggled mentally after she lost her house.
“Diabetic kasi siya e, tapos isang beses may naiwan akong dalawang guyabano tapos kinain niya. Nung madaling araw no’n, sabi niya, ‘Wiwiwi lang ako.’ Pagkaraan no’n, parang lantang gulay na lang siya [kaya] dinala ko siya sa hospital,” Santos recalled.
“‘Yun nga, nung makita ‘yung CT scan, marami na raw siyang atake na hindi lang napapansin—stroke,” he continued.
Santos added that Coritha did not undergo an operation as advised by his sibling who is a doctor. When her medical results went back to normal, Santos then decided to just take her home and provide her with an oxygen tank.
“Nag-normal naman [‘yung paghinga niya], ‘yun lang hindi na siya nakapagsalita,” he said.
“Akala ko hindi na siya tatagal. Sabi ko, ‘Iiwan mo na ako?’ Parang ayaw niya, pilit siyang lumalaban e,” Santos stated as he turned emotional.
Santos further noted that a few relatives and some friends came to visit Coritha to extend help for her everyday needs, which include a P2,000-worth of milk that only lasts for four days.
He also added that while Coritha earned a lot when she was still in the industry, she allocated most of her earnings to donate to churches and orphanages.
“Hindi kami pinababayaan ng langit. Hindi umaabot sa magutom kami kasi laging may dumadating na tulong,” he said, noting that they have a billiard table and a camping site as their source of income.
Babao, who gave the couple P50,000 as financial help, then provided Santos’ account so that those who want to help can send financial assistance.