Two Serenades

Wives of heads of missions and MM mayors proved their sporting spirit when they again sang the songs they first rendered at the Manila Hotel during the "Celebrities in Concert". This was to raise funds for the Linis-Ganda recycling program initiated by Sonya G. Mathay and Narda Camacho.

The "celebrity" singers were more than willing to do their bit, particularly because the "repeat" performance was being hosted by no less than President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo at Malacañang Palace.

Momentarily relieved from the weighty affairs of state, the hostess was at her charming best, graciously welcoming and greeting guests; some of them in Spanish, e.g., Chilean Carmen Lynam, Tomas Rodriguez Pantoja, Enrique and Marianna Hubbard. Most of the guests, in effect, were going to serenade the President after dinner.

The reader would surely wish to know what the Malacanang chef prepared for the occasion: Parma Ham on Summer Fruit with lychee, mangosteen, pomelo trio, watercress, guava-balsamico drizzle/Fresh Pappardelle, Creamed Tagaytay Tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella, sweet basil/Roast Angus Tenderloin with garlic-scented kalamansi, caperberries, minted zucchini rings, rosemary marble potatoes (a fish entree instead was available upon request), Mixed Green Salad, Palm Heart Shavings with raw carrots curls, toasted cashew, dalandan-acacia honey vinaigrette/Laguna Cheese & Mascarpone Filo Pouches with poached fresh and dried mangoes, valnhona lava/Coffee or Tea.

After dinner (note its many native touches), the President led the lusty applause following each number. Thai Ambassador Busba Bunnag sang "Dahil Sa Iyo" by heart; Saku Karunasiri, wife of the Sri Lankan ambassador, and Clara Colesanti, wife of the Italian ambassador were among the soloists. Ambassador Enrique and Marianna Hubbard sang "Un Viejo Amor". The only professional, Brazil deputy Carlos Carvalho, sang–would you believe it? a long aria! Ambassadors’ wives (see photo) rendered Broadway hits with great gusto. Commented the genteel, soon-to-leave Valentina Khmelnitski, wife of Russian Ambassador Anatoli Khmelnitski,"Narda (Camacho) can make us do anything–paint, sing and soon, we’ll be dancing!" The appreciative audience included Mayor Feliciano "Sonny" Belmonte, comelec Chairman Ben and Cora Abalos, and my dear colleague Ethel S. Timbol.

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At least three "Carusos" sang at the informal and most delightful dinner Mexican Ambassador Enrique and Marianna Hubbard tendered earlier for close friends and office staffers. One "Caruso" was baritone Hubbard himself who provided his own guitar accompaniment; the other two were Consul Juan Cerda (he also had his own guitar) and guest Francisco Cue.

Requests, flying thick and fast, were quickly accommodated: e.g., "La Historia de un Amor", "La Paloma", "Cielito Lindo" and many, many more, with the "serenade" lasting so far into the night that we couldn’t fully appreciate the objets d’art and paintings which make the Hubbard residence a unique "museum".

The fun part of the soiree included the participation of Saudi Arabian Ambassador Saleh Al-Ghamdi and Mellie Ablaza as percussionists, and of hostess Marianna who joined the singers whenever the spirit moved her. In the audience were Vince and Tinna Carlos (one of my favorite couples) and the personable Secretary Vince Perez.

I mustn’t forget the gender-consciousness of the guests, leading the host to complain: "Why are all the women huddled in one corner, and all the men, in another?" Even the family pet, the French poodle Tucita del Carmen de la Peña y Mora (she’s named after the character in the film "Los Tres Garcias") was socializing only with the ladies!