97 years of CWC

The Catholic Women’s Club of the Philippines (CWC), one of the oldest and most prestigious women’s clubs in the Philippines, recently held its annual ball, the club’s main fundraising event.

(From left) Your columnist, Sol Tan Gatue and Evelyn Ranada with Chit and Jess Bautista.

The untiring CWC president Evelyn Ranada and annual ball committee chairperson Tessie Amparo and co-chairpersons Rose Lazaro, Estela Lopez and Carmen Carag led the colorful ball. VIPs from the business and diplomatic communities were present at the event.

Pakistani Ambassador Aman Rashid and wife Shamaila.

With the theme “Emperor’s Ball,” the members and supporters of the club came dressed to the nines and enjoyed the beautiful waltz number performed by CWC members — a fitting climax to an unforgettably glamorous evening.

Egyptian Ambassador Ahmed Abdel Aziz Ezzat and wife Mervat.

Congratulations to the Catholic Women’s Club of the Philippines for 97 years of purpose and advocacy!

‘Breaking barriers, creating communities’

Jose ‘Pepe’ Rodriguez presents his book Breaking Barriers Creating Communities: An Introduction to ASEAN to Xunta de Galicia President Alber to Nuñez Feijoo in Santiago de Compostela.

Veteran Spanish journalist and writer Jose “Pepe” Rodriguez presented a copy of his latest book Breaking Barriers Creating Communities: An Introduction to ASEAN to Alberto Nuñez Feijoo, President of the Xunta de Galicia (the Autonomous Government of the Spanish Region of Galicia, northwestern Spain) during a courtesy call in Santiago de Compostela, the capital seat of government.

Feijoo expressed his interest to translate the book into the Galician language so the people of the region would know more about ASEAN, which is now one of the main drivers of economic growth in the world.

The book, written in cooperation with Filipino journalist Virgilio Galvez, is an introduction to a dynamic region, which is home to some 630 million people who have only come to know each other better in the latter part of the past century.

It presents basic information on the geographical, historical and present-day landscapes of the region and is intended to help efforts at raising awareness and understanding of Southeast Asia and ASEAN.

The book chronicles the end of Empire and the birthing of nations after World War II, as well as the founding of ASEAN, and focuses on the association’s pivotal role in shaping Southeast Asia’s present and future.

Rodriguez is a former bureau chief for Asia and the Pacific of Agencia EFE, Spain’s international news agency, and director of the Instituto Cervantes in Manila. He is also the author of Cronicas, Philippine First Ladies: Portraits, Cruceiro (1521-1898) and Front pages of Philippine History.

The book boasts an introduction by former President Fidel V. Ramos, who praises the author for “having the audacity to put out a book that surely enhances the awareness and raises the level of understanding among ‘Aseans’ in this momentous period in our shared history.”