Newsmakers

The ladies of the House

June 4, 2002 | 12:00am

Watch ’em.

The celebrity golf tournament sponsored by the Congressional Spouses Foundation, Inc. (CSFI) to build The Haven for Streetchildren in Muntinlupa City raised an eye-popping P2.5 million, principal event organizer Margie Duavit, wife of Rep. Jack Duavit and chairman of CSFI Ways and Means Committee, announced excitedly last week.

The usually serious Speaker of the House, Joe de Venecia literally rocked the house down by letting loose on the dance floor with wife Gina, CSFI president, during the impromptu party in celebration of the success of the First Speaker’s Cup in Wack-Wack.

The winner for Group 1 was Bones Floro, who also garnered the lowest gross score of 71 in the Blind Calloway system. The other winners were Mike Echavez (Group 2), F.F. Cruz (Group 3) and Rep. Danton Bueser (Group 3).

The golf tournament was attended by the members of the House and top political and sports figures. An avid golfer, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, fresh from her trip to Malaysia and Thailand, made the ceremonial tee-off that formally opened the golf tourney.

During the award rites, the Buddy Buddies Rock Band headed by Buddy Zamora provided swinging music while the spouses and their legislator husbands gave rousing renditions of several pop songs.

The short awards program was hosted by some of the organizers Peter Favila and Thelma Dumpit Murillo.

The Speaker, obviously elated by the event’s success, gamely cracked jokes and even hosted the raffle like a real pro. The prizes included tickets for two to Hong Kong, courtesy of Philippine Airlines; cell phones from Globe Telecom; and home entertainment system from Pioneer, among others.

Manay Gina also took time to thank all their major sponsors and friends like Pagcor; Philippine Charity Sweepstakes; International Container Terminal Services; Toyota; Allied Bank; Metro Bank; RCBC; GMA 7; Philippine Bank of Commerce; PBCom Bank; Rustans; and Nike, for bringing the congressional spouses another step closer in giving a haven for the streetchildren.