Recently, the Philippine Association of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta held their Investiture Rites and Solemn Conventual Mass officiated by the Archbishop of Manila, Jaime Cardinal Sin, who was assisted by Auxiliary Bishop Socrates Villegas and Rev. Msgr. Francisco Tantoco Jr.
The awardees as Dames of Magistral Grace were philanthropists Teresita "Tereret" Tambunting Liboro; Mercedes Arrastia Tuason; Lena Vera Dualan; and as knight of Magistral Grace, William Legaspi Olalia.
The occasion was held at the Archbishop’s Palace at Villa San Miguel in Mandaluyong City. Awards of Honors such as Gold Medals Pro Merito Melitense were bestowed on religious and civic leader Doña Beatriz Zobel de Ayala. The Grand Cross Ufficiate dell’ Ordine al Merito Melitense was conferred to Don Luis Ramon Quimson, Knight of Magistral Grace Hospitaller.
Since the order is a sovereign entity, all grants and honors originate from Rome and are bestowed on authority of the prince and grand masters, signed and recommended by Cardinal Sin. The order dates back to around 1050 in the ancient Republic of Amalfi and Egypt. The birth of the Order of Malta in the Philippines dates back to the first arrival of the Spaniards in 1521.
The establishment of the Philippine Association had its beginnings when Don Paulino Miranda Sampedro, a Spanish Knight, settled in the Philippines during the pre-World War II days. He organized a delegation of the Order in the Philippines in 1948 and prominent Filipinos began to be received into the order. In 1965, Don Manuel Moran was the association’s first president.
This 900-year-old order was founded by Blessed Gerard to fight poverty and misery. To be a member of the order is not simply an honor. Membership means participating personally in charitable activities and contributing if possible to their financial support.
I was especially proud of Tereret (as many friends call her), Liboro who is a truly generous soul. She supervised the building of a Catholic Church for 1,000 people donated by her late mother Aurora and late brother Ramon Tambunting for a depressed area in Bagong Silang, Caloocan. Having a soft spot for kids, she also contributed two pavilions to the Elsie Gaches Village home for 100 poor handicapped children. With her brothers Jose and Ramon, she also donated the Tambunting Hall at the fourth floor of the National Museum.
Congratulations to you, dear Tereret, for a much-deserved conferment and award!
Joining him in the CPPI board are lawyer Henry Villarica of Villarica Pawnshop, VP for internal affairs; Jean Henri Lhuillier of Cebuana Lhuillier, VP for external affairs; lawyer Divinagracia Ongkeko of 8’8 Pawnshop, corporate secretary; lawyer Pablo Magno of A.B. Magno Pawnshop, legal counsel; Isabel Abella of Abella Pawnshop, treasurer; Lina Picache-Enriquez of C.M. Picache Pawnshop, assistant treasurer; Celso dela Merced Hernandez of Merced Hernandez Pawnshop, auditor; and Tito Lorete Alcala of Alto Pawnshop, PRO. Ricardo Lirio, managing director of supervision and examination II department of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, was the inducting officer and guest speaker.
The event’s highlight was when Luis Ablaza Jr. joined CPPI’s past presidents Philippine Ambassador to Italy Philippe Lhuillier, lawyer Jose Tambunting and Temistocles Elviña in cutting the ceremonial cake symbolizing the Chamber’s milestones since its informal "birth" in 1946.
A toast to the officers and directors of the Chamber of Pawnbrokers of the Philippines, Inc.!
Advance birthday greetings to businessman Raffy Rufino and Jayelles Holdings Phils., Inc.’s Bing del Rosario Morelos and Marivic Rufino Buenaventura, April 21; Belle Litton, April 22; Carlos Perez-Rubio, April 23; Roger Wilson, April 24; Bummer Santiago, Herminio Aquino, Teresita Araneta and Conchita Toda, April 25; Dr. Ariston Bautista, Alejandro Oppen and JG Summit Holdings’ James Go.
So, how was your week?
For comments and inquiries, please e-mail me at: jjlitton@indanet.com