Jackie Lou Blanco dedicates ‘The Foxtrot’ staging to late mom Pilita Corrales

Jackie Lou Blanco was emotional during the curtain call of her play, “The Foxtrot,” which she dedicated to her late mother, Pilita Corrales.

The teary-eyed actress held a rose close to her heart during the April 12 staging of the play’s curtain call, as seen in a clip shared on the Instagram Stories of Issa Litton.

“You are loved. You are a true professional. As you said, honor your mom by being here. We are here for you,” the post read.

Blanco then reshared Litton’s clip on her personal account, saying, “Thank you, my dear Issa and all of you for being here for me. Mom, this is for you.”

The play’s recent staging happened on the day of Corrales’ death, which was confirmed by Blanco, her half-brother Ramon Christopher, and niece Janine Gutierrez in a joint statement. The cause of the “Asia’s Queen of Songs’” death was not disclosed.

Blanco is the daughter of Corrales with Spanish businessman Gonzalo Blanco. The singer-actress tied the knot with Blanco in 1963, and separated when the “Widows’ War” star was still young.

Corrales was born Pilar Garrido Corrales in August 1939 in Cebu to a Spanish-Filipino businessman father and a Spanish emigrant mother. She attended college in Cebu, then flew to Spain where she was sent to a finishing school.

Known for her notable “back bend” during performances, Corrales is one of the most notable singers in the Philippines, and has recorded over a hundred albums in Filipino, English, and Cebuano. Among her most popular songs are “Kapantay Ay Langit,” “Usahay,” “Ang Pipit,” and “O Maliwanag Na Buwan,” among others.

But aside from the many hats she juggled as a showbiz personality, Pilita was a dear mom to her children Blanco and Ramon Christopher Gutierrez, — her son with actor Eddie Gutierrez — and adopted son named VJ, and a loving grandmother to her celebrity grandchildren including Janine Gutierrez and Arabella Davao.