Former Las Piñas City Representative and Villar Foundation managing director Cynthia Villar, a staunch advocate of environmental conservation and preservation, led the 6th Water Lily Festival in Las Piñas. This year’s celebration highlighted the sustainability of the water lily-based livelihood industry in the city, and became the perfect venue to introduce the citronella industry.
The colorful festival featured a Miss Water Lily pageant, excellent performances from different groups and the presentation of various products made from water lilies led by Cynthia and husband Senator Manny Villar.
Cynthia was also presented with a new hybrid of gumamela or hibiscus named after her by The University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) in recognition of her contribution to public service and environment protection.
Diwal-icious at the Mandarin
Well-known Ilonggos and food connoisseurs from Manila’s A-list society recently gathered at the very popular Paseo Uno of the elegant Mandarin Oriental, Manila for the opening of its week-long “Diwal-icous Visayas: Bounties of the Sea” culinary affair. Genial Mandarin Oriental, Manila general manager Mark Bradford and charming communications director Charisse Chuidian were proud to offer the finest seafood offerings and specialties by Iloilo’s culinary ambassador guest chef Pauline Gorriceta-Banusing, daughter of the late Mayor Felix Gorriceta Jr. of Pavia and a successful restaurateur and chef-patron belonging to the third generation of the prominent Sarabia-Gorriceta clan. Guests couldn’t get enough of the diwal, and other sumptuous seafood dishes like Roxas scallops, Antique oysters, and Centennial clams.