Queen Sofia’s visit

La muy simpatica Reina Sofia de Borbon of Spain recently breezed into town for a brief three-day unofficial visit, dahlings.

While in Cosmo Manille, the Queen visited the sites of several projects funded by the Spanish government, naturellement. Among the ones she’s most concerned about is a building in Pasig City which will be renovated to shelter our city’s street children. After all, dahlings, the Queen has a soft spot for kids.

The day after she arrived, Queen Sofia visited the Makabata School in Barangay Sta. Lucia in Pasig accompanied by Spanish Ambassador Ignacio Sagaz. There her group watched a musical and dance program prepared by the street children. They also listened with keen interest to what Makabata School for Street Children founder Maruxa Pita had to say about the success of helping the kids.

Among the places the Queen visited was the historic walled city of Intramuros with hardworking DOT Secretary Richard Gordon as her personal guide, palanggas. She was so impressed by what Secretary Gordon has done for Intramuros she promised "more support and tourism and cultural projects" for our beautiful (but taken for granted) Intramuros. She also visited Greenhills’ popular tiangge where she bought pearls.

On her last night, a formal dinner was hosted for the Queen at Fort San Antonio’s breezy and lush garden. The venue was the Bangko Sentral behind the Metropolitan Museum. Cocktails were first held inside the museum where the 130 ultra-elegant chosen invitees sipped red or white wine and champagne and nibbled on yummy hors d’oeuvres superbly prepared by the Princess of Italian Cuisine, Margarita Araneta-Fores, no less, dahlings.

Queen Sofia toured the next wing where she was amazed by the fantastic collection of art objects (the exhibition, Tubod: The Arts of Bohol is on-going here). She was accompanied by the Met’s dedicated personas, vivaciously adorable Bea Zobel Jr., and tres charmant Southern gent, Metropolitan Museum’s mega director Ino Manalo.

When the Queen’s tour was over, we were whisked into another part of the museum where we were introduced one by one to Her Majesty at the reception line. There, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and First Gentleman Mike Arroyo received us. Apres, we proceeded to the dining area for the elegant sit-down dinner. Margarita F.’s table setting and those gorgeous flower arrangements by the one-and-only Toni Parsons were mind-boggling, dahlings, truly fit for royalty!

The excellently and meticulously prepared dinner consisted of Negros cross-crab, palmito and truffle salad; water spinach-Laguna cheese raviolo; pan-grilled Lapu-Lapu fillet; Muscovado-glazed plantain Milhojas twirls.

You would have loved the women in their simple yet elegant gowns, dahlings. Standouts were blonde beauty Vicky Hagedorn Soriano in a fire engine red chiffon gown; ladies in black, eye-catcher Gina Tambunting Roxas, head turner Menchu Menchaca Soriano, and tall, muy elegant Pamen Roxas Elizalde.

Then there was Vicky Quirino Delgado in an all embroidered ecru terno. La simpaticissima Lizzie Zobel wore a black terno; Nene Quimson chose a Filipiñiana outfit by Pitoy Moreno; and naturellement, statuesque eye-catcher Bea Zobel Jr. played the matching game with a flowered-print modern Maria Clara top and a flowing black skirt. But the one who caught everyone’s rich eyes was the stunningly gorgeous blonde Spanish lady from Madrid connected with the ADB’s Yolanda Fernandez here in Manille. Men and women curiously asked each other who she was.

Others from the chi-chi set included Marivic Rufino-Buenaventura and her favorite banker, Rafael Buenaventura; Philippine Ambassador to Spain, our palangga, Lani Bernardo and the perfect diplomat’s wife Conchitina Sevilla-B. in a Vicky Zubiri creation; a fashionably slimmer Mercy Tuason; and the super irresistible simpatica wife of the Spanish Ambassador, a true Southern lady from Bacolod, Aurora Lapuz Castillanos, no less.

Jetting in from Cebu were John Aboitiz and his wow-looking wife, vibrant Chary A. looking smashing in her black, black outfit; Kit and Fernando Zobel, whom moi chatted with and made sure he stayed up way past his bedtime. Fernando’s dashing brother Jaime Augusto Zobel could have gone on and on.

Dashing in late-ish was endlessly energetic gent, Secretary Dick Gordon who is doing a great job with Intramuros; fun Baby Serrano Araneta; long auburn-haired miss with the four B’s and Joe de Venecia’s secret weapon, Gina Perez de-V.; low-profile brothers two, Andy and Ed Soriano; Mr. Charmer, Secretary Bert Romulo and his loveliest of ladies, Lovely R.; plus a hundred or so like them too nice to mention, palanggas.

That busy, busy beauty and brains belonging to Malacañang pack, the President’s so capable Social Secretary Bettina Aboitiz endlessly took care of things from behind the scenes.

The Philippine Madrigal Singers enchanted guests with their songs, dahlings. Ballet Philippines collaborated with the fantastic Quezon City performing Arts Development and Dancers, Inc. in a well-applauded fabi performance that had us all spellbound, including the Queen.

In her brief speech, the Queen (who moi thought has a perfect command of English), thanked the President and all those who made her visit a very interesting and pleasant one. The next morning at 9, it was time to bid adieu to Queen Sofia who gave us the thrill of having royalty in our midst, even if only for a while.

Queen Sofia de Borbon and her chic delegation were billeted at the world-class Peninsula Manila, dahlings, during their stay in the Philippines.

Manille was the first stop for the Queen in her working tour around Asia. She was here primarily for the ground-breaking ceremony of the Jose Rizal National Eye Referral Center and to turn over a check of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacion-AECI) for the project. She also spent a day with representatives of various Spanish non-government organizations carrying out AECI projects in the Philippines.

The Queen delighted all those she came in contact with, palanggas. She was also warmly received by the staff and drew endless applause from hotel guests as she walked in.

Peninsula Manila’s well-respected GM David Batchelor and resident manager Hans Hordijk welcomed the Queen.

All in all, it was a delightful brief visit for the Queen.

The exciting new polo season

The east polo field of the posh Manila Polo Club, dahlings, became a picture of mid-afternoon grandeur when it officially opened the 2003 Polo Season and Past Presidents’ Cup. Cosmo Manille’s capital A-listers and foreign dignitaries gathered for the exciting event.

Manila Polo Club president, that popular Ambassador, Mr. Charmer himself, Jesus Tambunting and the board of directors formally commenced the season’s cup before the club’s past presidents.

Sitting proudly on the front row, palanggas, were Policarpio Ascalon; el simpatico Vicente Ayllon; Ramon Batungbacal; good-looking Federico Borromeo Jr.; Juan Carlos del Rosario; man of all seasons Antonio Garcia; respected business magnate Rafael Hechanova; Antonio Meer; Fausto Preysler Jr.; Antonio Rufino; Carlos Rufino; Herminigildo Zayco; and naturellement, Don Enrique Zobel.

The low-goal match was played before the opening ceremonies, dahlings. The main game was definitely a filling appetizer. The Whites saw the father and son Freddie and Sonny Borromeo, Vince Bitong and Tonio Veloso winning over the Blacks composed of Edwin Arce; Jay de Jesus; Dino Santos and Ace Suzuki.

The high-goal match between the Reds and Whites, which had everyone on the edge of their seats, was breathtaking. With every swing of the players’ mallets, the horse-y set could hardly get their eyes off the ball. It was a tight match. Mark Field of the Whites brought in the last goal for the third chukker which tied the score 5-5. The last three chukkers went by so swiftly with Reds winning, 9-8. Jose Constantino; Iñigo Zobel; Mark Field; and Santi Elizalde played for the White team. The Reds were composed of Anthony Filamor; superb young player Anthony Garcia; Lance Sheperd; and Jun Juban who suffered a fall injury during the first chukker.

The most valuable player, dahlings, was Lance Sheperd, a guest polo player from Australia. Bobby Aguirre’s "Argentina" was the best polo pony.

President Jesus Tambunting, assisted by first vice president Roman Azanza Jr., drank from the perpetual cup and shared it with the players and victors.

CWC art auction

An original sketch of internationally renowned artist Anita Magsaysay-Ho will be auctioned to the highest lucky bidder, dahlings, at the merienda party to be hosted by civic-oriented Catholic Women’s Club (CWC), headed by president Alice Briones at the sprawling Forbes residence of Bea Zobel de Ayala this Friday, March 28. The event will raise funds through the sale of 100 signed limited edition prints of Anita’s The Portrait of the Family.

Anita, best known for her paintings of Filipinos in endearing poses – planting and harvesting rice, fishing, weaving baskets and gathering fruits – is donating this particular work to CWC to benefit Elsie Gaches Village and other CWC beneficiaries. She has chosen the famille as her subject, inspired by the recently concluded Fourth World Meeting of the Families held in Manille last January.

The CWC special projects committee is composed of Bea Zobel de Ayala, chairperson; Imelda Cojuangco, co-chairperson; Alice Briones, CWC president; Letty Syquia, first vice president; Nenuca Blardony, third vice president; and Tessie Luz, member.

For this must-go-to affair, do call Violy Taliping in CWC office at tel. no. 843-2869. Who knows? Aside from helping a worthy cause, palanggas, you just might go home with a piece of art.

When a Queen visits our town, you can always be sure of a red carpet welcome with our renowned Filipino hospitality.

Do drive safely and have a great weekend, dahlings. See you!