INA adopts an ‘ama’

When great strength is needed to overcome adversity, one is urged to be "man" enough to face the pain. But sometimes – or rather, most of the time – even men need to draw their strength from others. From women, especially.

Celebrity moms Gina de Venecia and Ali Sotto have reached out to balladeer-politician Darius Razon, to help him deal with his grief over the recent death of his son Denver from a car accident.

What compounded Darius’ grief is that he has now lost both his children. Five years ago, his daughter perished in a fire.

Like him, Gina and Ali have experienced the loss of a child. KC de Venecia also perished in a fire, while Miko Sotto died after accidentally falling from the balcony of a high-rise condominium building.

"Darius, you are not alone," said Mrs. de Venecia, when she welcomed him as the first honorary member of INA Foundation during its first general assembly recently. "We are one with you in prayer – that you may have the strength to overcome this most painful and unspeakable ordeal."

It seemed not too long ago, when a group of 15 mothers met for the first time at what was once a hub to movie stars, the Valencia Gardens at the former Sampaguita Studios.

The group’s flagship project is the INA Healing Center, a two-story building that will be opened end of this year at the DSWD main compound in Batasan Hills.

"It will be a place of therapy, where orphaned mothers will be with fellow mothers who can understand and empathize with their pain, and social workers who will help them in processing their grief," says Mrs. de Venecia, INA Foundation president.

The initial fund for its construction came from her husband, Speaker Joe de Venecia.

"Our main goal is to be able to provide for the presence of grief counselors up to the barangay level," she adds. "With the assistance of the DSWD and the local government units, the members of INA will help in training the Barangay health workers, nationwide, to serve as grief counselors in time of natural disasters and calamities."

Her counselor, foremost psychologist Dr. Honey Carandang, has graciously agreed to design a counseling program that will serve as a guide for the members of the foundation in its outreach programs.

Gina also announced that she has formally launched the local chapters of INA Foundation in her home district – the Fourth District of Pangasinan.

"This is in line with our effort to reach out to grieving mothers in the countryside. After establishing the INA Healing Center in Batasan Hills, our next goal is to create a national network of healing centers through the INA Regional Centers. We dream of organizing local chapters of INA in each municipality," she reveals.

She also said that she has also coordinated with the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development Bank of the Philippines and the Department of Trade and Industry to extend their lending programs to finance the livelihood projects of orphaned mothers, whose grief is compounded by grinding poverty.

The INA Foundation has chosen the butterfly as its symbol. "It reminds us so much of the fleeting but colorful lives of our children," Gina explains.

Interestingly, the members of the INA Foundation are also undergoing a metamorphosis of their own just like the multi-hued butterflies, as they transform their pains into little miracles of survival.

(The INA Foundation may be reached at 816-4498 or 844-3060. Look for Grace or Love.)

Tea Angel

Angel Aquino glides into the sunlit room sans a towering pompadour or movie-star makeup, yet all eyes are on her. She is "easy on the eyes," as one bystander puts it. Her coloring is something most foreigners would kill for, morena with a warm caramel glow, fresh from a recent holiday on the beach. She looks "perfect."

Shuttling from appointments at this hour, she is dressed for comfort in a ruffled skirt and pale tank top. She apologizes profusely for being a mere half hour late. "Uh uh," she says, "I don’t like to keep people waiting."

Before the call of the fashion world and showbiz lured her into its lair, this shy lass from the City of Pines dreamed of becoming a newscaster or a flight attendant. While enrolled as a Journalism student at Baguio University, Angel was spotted by a talent scout who encouraged her to give commercials a try. "I never thought of myself as pretty. I would be hurt when my friends and relatives would tell me how nice my hair was or something. I thought they were mocking me." Many commercials and movie roles later, Angel sports a quiet confidence but none of the arrogance or airs that punctuate showbiz personalities these days.

A certified tea drinker, Angel recently signed up with Twinings Tea and now appears in the company’s print ads and billboards all over the city. "I’ve been drinking Twinings tea for so long now." She adds, "My favorite is their peppermint tea. It’s so soothing and relaxing."

Although she is averse to going to the gym, she tries to stick to a balanced diet and has turned vegetarian. "When I was filming Mumbaki and then Goodbye America, most of the foreign actors were finicky with food and so we had separate buffet tables. But the caterer still tried to have more vegetable dishes so as to please a greater number of people. After the shoot, it seemed natural for me to not eat meat." She has promised herself though to make Bikram yoga a part of her lifestyle (no matter how hectic!). Bikram yoga is a yoga class conducted in a heated room. The belief is that the heat helps the muscles be more supple, thus allowing the body more flexibility.

Despite her harried lifestyle and a million and one commitments, Angel Aquino manages to end the day with story time with her kids and finally... a good book. That’s her cup of tea.

‘Mr. Sev’ at 80

Severo C. Alcantara, more familiarly known as SCA or "Mr. Sev" in the advertising industry and the former chairman of Dentsu, Young and Rubicam- Alcantara, will reach a very important milestone on July 20 – his 80th birthday.

To celebrate this milestone and to pay tribute to Alcantara, former employees of DYR-Alcantara, which started as Grant Advertising and climbed to the top advertising agency list during Alcantara’s presidency, will hold a grand reunion to honor their former chairman.

The birthday celebration of Alcantara and the grand reunion of former employees – from 1948 to 2004 of Dentsu, Young and Rubicam-Alcantara (now Y & R Philippines) will be held on Sunday, July 16, 5 p.m. at the Britanny Bay Central Park in Sucat, Parañaque.

(For additional information or to confirm attendance, interested parties may call any of the following: Sol Platon: 889-8095; 884-8060; Lily Pasimio: 826-0953; Baby Alcantara: 801-0443; Grace Chong: 801-4504; 801-3167 or Yolly Reyes-Manalad: 884-8060 to 65.)

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