Bonding the CWC Way

The tenure of CWC President Alice R. Briones will be long remembered for the theme she chose for the club’s recent 82nd annual tea: We ‘R’ Family. Guests filling the Manila Polo Club main lounge, among them ambassadors’ wives Marianna Hubbard and Lena Hakansson, saw the fashion parade highlighted by the ravishingly elegant black-and-white gowns of Ben Farrales, fittingly named Dean of Fashions.

The grand finale, whixh drew waves and waves of applause had great grandmothers, grandmothers and grandchildren (some of them toddlers!) walking hand-in-hand as models. What an endearing picture each family made!

Trisha Briones and Mark Ablaza were the "bride" and "groom". Models of the family parade were the Adrianos, Cadungogs, Camachos, Dees, Galanos, Lokins, Lims, Ongs, Syquias, Velosos, Bautistas and the many, many Mantecons. The family of the charming, lovable 90-year old Carmen Carceller received prolonged and thunderous applause for having the most number of offsprings who represented four generations no less. Grande Dame Imelda Cojuangco handed the Carceller family a richly deserved award.

Parish priest Fr. Nestro Manlangit, who gave the invocation, must have been touched by the family bonding so hearteningly dramatized by the fashion show as well as by the musical program wherein popular composer-balladeer Jose Mari Chan rendred a duet with daughter Liza; son Mike, singer-pianist revealed unusual talent. Liza Macuja-Elizalde and Osias Barrosa performed as pas de deux. Tessie Dichupa did the art work for the edition plates presented by Joey Sobrepeña and Corina Caparas.

Models of the "I Love Grandma" fashion gowns by Ben Farrales included Mila Lim, Annabelle Adriano, Sol Tan Gatue, Tessie Amparo, Olga Martel, Myrna Borromeo, Marilou Lovina, Alice Briones, Letty Syquia and Nori Ongsiako.

The show went smoothly thanks to choreographers Oggie Atos and Raymond Villanueva. Jun Jun Ablaza took charge of the lovely decor of white-and-red roses.

Beaming with pride for a resoundingly successful tea, CWC President Alice graciously gave due credit to Letty Syquia, chairman; Chloe Periquet, emcee, and steering committee members Tessie Ampara, Sol Tan Gatue, Pili Aquino, Chit Gohu, Nena Casimiro and Nenuca Blardony. All those at the presidential table–Meldy, Senator Loi Ejercito, Justa Tantoco, Mayor Elena Binay, National Artist for Dance Leonor Orosa Goquingco, Danny Dolor and this chronicler–told Alice: "Hearty congratulations!"