Premio Zobel’s grand 81st anniversary bash

Premio Zobel, dahlings, which just happens to be the country’s oldest literary prize, celebrated its 81st Anniversary at the Sky Top of Makati’s first grand lady, the InterContinental Hotel.

The latest awardee is that lady who brought style and class to many a Cosmo Manille old-wealth famille. She’s none other than Doña Lina Obieta De Sevilla, directress and founder of the Fundacion De La Lengua Hispanica En Filipinas which aims to re-integrate Spanish in domestic studies.

The late Don Enrique Zobel de Ayala, dahlings, a patron of the arts and a member of the Academia Filipina, was a correspondent of the real Academia Española de la Lengua. He instituted the Premio Zobel in July 25, 1920 to maintain and preserve the Spanish language in the Philippines.

The Premio Zobel is now sustained by the founder’s grandchildren, vivacious world traveler and lady of substance, la simpatissima "blonde Igorota" ( since she was born in Baguio and lived several years at the Pine City) Georgina Mac-Crohon Padilla y Zobel and Don Alejandro Padilla y Zobel. The two not only wish to continue the family tradition of preserving the Spanish language in the Philippines, but also want to honor the memory of their parents, Doña Gloria Zobel de Padilla and Don Ricardo Padilla y Satrustegui who were both members of the Academia Filipina.

The event’s master of ceremonies, palanggas, was the academico Don Guillermo Gomez Rivera. Multi-awarded persona and columnist Rosalinda Orosa read the laudo. The prize was awarded to the Galardonada, Doña Lina Obieta de Sevilla by the tres eligible y muy simpatico Gonzalo MacCrohon y Padilla, the great-grandson of the late Don Enrique Zobel de Ayala.

The awardee’s speech was read by her daughter, Doña Conchitina Sevilla Bernardo. The guest speaker, palanggas, was the eminent, brilliant writer Carmen Guerrero Nakpil.

At the end, the Premio’s super dedicated Georgina Padilla y Zobel presented the book, 80 Años De Premio Zobel. The book is a fantastic project of the former Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines, the popular, well-loved Delfin Colome. It was written by the 1998 Premio Zobel winner, that smart lady with an I.Q. to envy, Lourdes Brillantes. Her book is a reference book about Philippine Literature of Official Organizations and edited by the Embassy of Spain, the Instituto Cervantes, Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional, and Fundacion Santiago.

The ceremony, dahlings, was attended by high-profile government personas; members of the chic diplomatic corps led by the new Ambassador of Spain in the Philippines, tall, dashing caballero, Tomas Rodriguez Pantoja; members of the Academia Filipina; intellectuals and economic pillars; and hot namedroppables of Cosmo Manille’s alta sociedad.

Scholars and official organizations will find the book, dahlings, a valuable reference about the last 80 years of Philippine literature in this country.

A toast to People Power II Letran Alumni

Those dedicated gentlemen of the Letran Alumni Association (LAA) and the Letran Alumni Foundation, Inc. (LAFI), dahlings, paid tribute to Letran alumni who were instrumental in the success of last February’s People Power II.

The celebration was held a new moon ago at one of the original private clubs in town, the Casino Español in TM Kalaw, Manille.

The hotshot honorees included man of the hour, Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson; popular Pastor "Boy" Saycon; lawyer Leonard de Vera; Capt. Baron Cervantes; old- wealth, respected gentleman Jose Luis Yulo; Rep. Sergio Apostol; workasonic Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon; and Msgr. Socrates Villegas.

"Gov. Singson is being recognized for his pivotal part in the Impeachment Trial and in his courage for placing the country’s interest over his personal safety. This placed him in the same category of other alumni who, in the past, played similar crucial roles in building the nation and preserving democracy."

Rev. Fr. Pompeyo de Mesa, O.P. delivered the invocation, palanggas, while Jose Maria Aligada, president of the Letran Alumni Association, gave the welcome remarks. Dedicated gentleman Lt. Col. Julian Malonzo introduced the honorees who then recalled their roles during the EDSA 2.

Apres the dinner and speeches, Capt. Ben Hur Gomez, Colegio de San Juan de Letran and Letran Alumni Foundation trustee, delivered the closing remarks.

Jesus Mendoza, president of the Letran Alumni Foundation, was the affair’s articulate and fun emcee. Running priest Fr. Roberto Reyes graced the event. Though not a Letran alumnus, his father, Carlos Reyes was a Letran professor.

Others present, palanggas, included senior alumni namedroppables: Ricardo Lao, H.S. ’38; magnum businessman, el simpatico Vicente Ayllon; B/G Manuel Yan Jr.; handsome actor Eddie Gutierrez with his wife, Southern beauty Annabelle Rama; Dr. Jesus Perez; mega successful business entrepreneur Jackie Rodriguez; the Tupaz brothers two, Vlad and Voltaire; Fely Fajardo who came on his wheelchair; Ombudswoman Marlyn Torres Galves; Cesar Apolinario; taipan William Uy; Carlos Muñoz; Jose Henson; popular Jose "Rubio" Gutierrez; Delfin Justiniano; our pal Antonio Esteban; Jose Bernardo Jr.; military men Col. Leo Hipe and Col. Dante Dinsay; Cesar Celis; Jose Ma. Rocha; Noli Musa; Gervacio Murillo; Lito Mendoza; Eugene Sy; Domingo Patajo; Benny San Juan; Lourdes Oben Co; Magtanggol Co; Councilor Eufemio Lagumbay; Antonio Martinez; Manuel Suarez; Bong Garcia; Sonny Castillo; Tony del Mundo; Ed David; Carlos Reyes; Victor Hugo (yes, palanggas, no relation to France’s Victor Hugo!); Lulu Santos; Edita Cortez; Wainright Rivera; Manuel Legazpi; Jerry Tan; Chito Vinas; Greg Sabile; Ramon Tabuena; Ebing Tan; Atoy Salita; Judge Alex Quiroz; Shanker Chandumal; A. Luarca; Noel Ajero; LAFI trustee Freddie Ortiz; Justo Ortiz; Charlie Yu; LAA directors Gerry Lazaro, Mario Aligada, Ed Flores and Gilbert de Ocampo; and Justice Anacleto Badoy Jr. of the Sandigang Bayan who ordered the detention of former President Joseph Estrada (Justice Badoy was a Letran faculty member years ago) plus so many more of Letran’s younger batches of rah! rah! movers and shakers alumni, palanggas.

Needless to say, this was one get-together where everyone talked politics, palanggas.

Be sketched by Bencab

For all you art lovers, palanggas, here’s another chance to have a sketched portrait of yourself or your loved ones done by no less than world-class artist Bencab and seven other artists from his Baguio team.

Each portrait costs a giveaway price of P30,000. Proceeds of the sketching session will give much-needed aid to Josine Elizalde’s New Beginnings rehabilitation center.

The sketching sessions will be held this Saturday and Sunday (June 23 and 24) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Those interested may call Josine Elizalde at tel. nos. 8179689 or 8182055.

Do hurry, palanggas! This is your chance to have your very own Bencab portrait and help a worthy cause, too.

Well, that’s our town, dahlings. Be happy. See you.