CASINO ESPAÑOL de Cebu celebrated its 91st anniversary with the usual grand formal ball to mark Dia de la Hispanidad on Oct. 8, the Saturday nearest to the actual dia, Oct. 12. The observance started with a mass at 6 pm officiated by Msgr. Achilles Dakay, spokesperson of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

On display was a statue of Our Lady of Pilar, a replica of the image venerated in Zaragoza (Spain), and whose feast falls on Oct. 12. The day recalls the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus.

Our Lady of Pilar is patroness of Spain, and Oct. 12 is the country’s national day. It is also celebrated in all Hispanic nations, and the Philippines is one of them.

After the mass, there were cocktails and canapes served at the foyer of the Casino Español as an elegant crowd waited for the reception line to form, and for the doors to Salon de España ballroom to be flung open. It had been beautifully decorated by Honey Jarque Loop, who had masses of white orchids dripping from the chandeliers.

On hand to greet everyone were Casino Español president Dr. Enrico Gandionco and his wife Judith; vice president Gabriel Leyson and Tina Jordana; secretary Edito Tirol and wife Merian; treasurer Jose Antonio Bernad; house chair Eduardo Gonzalez and wife Therese; sports director Paco Jarque and wife Monique; and cultural/socials director Antonio Veloso Jr.

‘Filipinas y España’

When the ballroom was filled up, there was a brief program which had all the officers on a dais. President Rico Gandionco gave a speech in eloquent Spanish about the significance of the occasion. “Mabuhay” and “Viva’ resounded during toasts to “Filipinas, España, el Casino Español de Cebu, y todos los presentes.”

A sumptuous buffet spread was served at Salon de Madrid featuring the specialties and old favorites of the Casino Español cuisine. Two carving stations were besieged for paper thin slices of jamon Serrano. Just as popular was the one serving slabs of queso Manchego. It was open bar all night, with excellent Spanish wines, red or white (delightfully chilled), flowing like rivers.

The Rockin’ Revival Band from Manila was booked to play every number in the book, including the “España Caña” pasodoble that had everyone stomping, whirling or just gliding to the lilting beat. Among the dancers were engineer and Ms Doroteo Salazar; Joe and Rita Suaco; Alberto and Maritere de Rotaeche; Cheling and Susan Sala.

Rocking the disco beat with great agility and grace were Rodrigo and Julie Gandionco, who a week later, at the same ballroom, would celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. At their table was Pina, Julie’s sister, with husband Peter van der Maat, who had come from California.

More dancing couples were Roberto and Coring Lienaw; John Domingo and Maria Tagalog; Ed Alegrado and Myrna Ngo Chua; Edgar and Cely Chiongbian; Chito and Pet Misa; Romy and Gemita Alejandro; Tony and Lorna Quisumbing; Dave and Betty Young; Jose Mari Miranda and Tita Franco; Ed and Helen Misa; Tony Boy and Susan Rodriguez; and Del and Marilou Ordoñez.

Tessie Javier and Nonoy Tirol wowed everyone with the tango “Por Una Cabeza,” played as in the movie “Scent of a Woman.” The presence of young people further livened the dancing. Ever so proud of his pretty daughters was former Casino Español president Cuco del Gallego with Meryl, Mona Lisa and Michelle, tripping the light fantastic until well past midnight.

The feast of Our Lady of Pilar on Oct. 12 was solemnly commemorated by Hermanos y Hermanas de Zamboanga Cebu Foundation. It was at the site in barrio Kalunasan where they have built a replica of Zamboanga’s Fort Pilar, depicting Nuestra Señora del Pilar’s apparition to the Apostle Saint James.

There was a procession around the area, and an ofrenda de flores. Devotees brought flowers to form a skirt around the pillar on which the statue stands. This was the idea of Edwina Johnston Veloso, who witnessed the ofrenda in Zaragoza.

Msgr. Cristobal Garcia officiated the mass at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and a fellowship program. Congratulated for this year’s successful celebration was Emma A. Ramas, president of the Cebu Hermanos y Hermanas.

She counted on the cooperation and enthusiasm of the rest of the officers, namely VP Ramon Sebastian; secretaries Jacqueline Gonzales and Ma. Ruth Rances; treasurer Donnatila Diamante; auditor Helen Yap; immediate past president Elmer Bailio; and board of directors—Jesus Buaya, Eufemia Gaviola, Pilardo Graciano, Vivian Padawan and Alfredo Quibilan.

Grand birthday bash

Over at the ballroom of the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel on Oct. 12, it was a grand bash to mark the birthday of Cebu’s beloved Gov. Gwendolyn Pilar Garcia. Months before her birth, her father had been in Spain as the lawyer of prominent Cebuana Telesfora Jaen, whose ancestral home is the present Casa Gorordo Museum.

Señorita Jaen and lawyer Pablo Garcia (later to become Cebu’s governor) visited Zaragoza and prayed at the Basilica del Pilar. He was so impressed with the powerful “presence” there that he named his daughter Gwendolyn Pilar.