Luis “Sitoy” Alvarez turned 90 and his family organized a celebration with a “Godfather” theme at the family-owned Costabella Resort in Mactan. Sitoy was the picture of happiness and radiance with his ever loving Merceditas Borromeo Alvarez by his side.
They wore period outfits from the 1920s, recalling Sitoy’s birth in 1924. He was in blue with a luminous white necktie and a thick cigar for added effect. Ditas was a regular flapper girl, a frothy white boa festooned around her neck.
Most of those present complied with the theme, led by the celebrant’s children and their families. Manila-based Merche Alvarez Castro came with husband Gerry Castro, daughter Christine and husband Adrian Florcruz with their Ella Mercedes and Emilio Luis; and younger daughter Therese Castro.
Marita Alvarez Arambulo who manages Costabella was with husband photographer Raul Arambulo, daughter Ricca with her son Andoni Rafael, and younger son Miko Arambulo.
Mariles Nable and Marco Nable have five offspring —Enzo, Andrea, Monica,
Niccolo and Gabe. Youngest of the girls Marisse Alvarez Sy was with husband Francis Sy and their chidlren—Rita, Izzy and Reesha.
The youngest of the Alvarez children is Luis Martin Alvarez, there with his wife Hazel and their two children—Anton and Isabella.
Costabella, established in 1981 as one of the pioneer resorts in Mactan, is well known for its fine traditional cuisine, incorporating precious recipes from the prominent Alvarez and Borromeo families. This was an occasion to manifest its exceptional qualities.
Getting the rush was a whole roasted calf, fattened for one year at Casa Feliz, the scenic mountain farm of Marita and Raul Arambulo in Oslob, Southern Cebu.
Rating high were the Spanish dishes—boquerones, pata negra, varied croquettes, the empanada filled with chorizo, as well as morros and fabada asturiana. The desserts had been confected by Marisse Sy.
Among those present were Sitoy’s only living brother Carlos Alvarez with children Ato and Gigi Alvarez; nieces Nena Espina Garcia and Dessa Alvarez Ongking; cousins Honey Jarque Loop with brother Edu Jarque and sister Len-Len Jarque; Cisco and Marilen Jarque.
Merceditas’ family was well represented by sister Zelia Borromeo; Angeles Borromeo Gallego with daughters Annette Gallego and Maritess Gallego Lipardo who baked the birthday cake; Ramon and Zony (Borromeo) Escario with their children Janice and Chris King.
More: Flora Villacarlos Borromeo with daughter Camille Borromeo Suarez and her son Andrei Suarez; Norma Songfo Borromeo; Joy Borromeo; Julius and Nelia Neri; Dr. Ed and Aissa de la Cruz.
Seated with the celebrant were Margot and Chucho Larrañaga, Myra Gonzalez y Osmeña, Diana Estalilla Belaunzaran, Conchita Taylor, and Virginia Castro who came from Manila with her children Mimi and Yet Herrera.
When Sitoy and Ditas got married, his best man was the late Agustin Climaco, well represented by his wife Charito Velez Climaco and their daughter Ana Climaco. A dear friend from school days was Carling Climaco who came with wife Lydia and their children Kathy and Jingle Bernedo.
The celebration will continue for the whole family of Sitoy and Ditas, when all 30 of them enplane for a long vacation in Spain to spend the Christmas holidays there.
They will be in Barcelona by Dec. 18, and from there move to Bilbao and San Sebastian where they will meet Chucho and Margot Larrañaga and Diana Belaunzaran. Then they go to the Principality of Asturias, based at its capital, Oviedo.
From there it is just about an hour’s drive to the town of Teverga where Sitoy’s father was born. The house of his grandfather is still there. They visited the place some years back, and for this tip they obtained the same bus and driver.
New Canada consul
The Ambassador of Canada and Mrs. Neil Reeder hosted a reception on the occasion of the opening of the office of Mrs. Katherine Rivera, Canada’s new honorary consul in Cebu.
The office is located at the Rivera family’s RD Corporate Center in Banilad. Welcoming the guests were Katherine and her husband Roy Rivera. Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama attended, cutting the ceremonial ribbon with Ambassador Reeder and Consul Rivera.
Present were Anna and Robert Lee, he having been honorary consul of Canada in Cebu for the past 15 years; Canada’s Consul Bronson Borst who emceed the program, and Senior Trade Commissioner Michel Belanger.
Also present were Nonito Narvasa, Canada’s warden in Cebu, which means he is on call in the absence of the honorary consul; and Frederic Cyr, the Canadian-born executive chef of the Radisson Blu Hotel.
