WHEN PHILANTHROPIST Rose Marie “Baby” Arenas sets her mind to helping Catholic religious organizations, her driving force and dedication always result in a job completed, dahlings.

This was proven again when Archbishop Socrates Villegas of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan officiated at the holy Mass to celebrate the laying of the cornerstone for the first monastery and shrine for the religious of the archdiocese to be built on the super sprawling environment-friendly Arenas farm in Malasiqui, Pangasinan, palanggas.

“This colossal project is a dream come true and an answered prayer for me and my daughter, Rep. Rachel Arenas of the Third District of Pangasinan,” said Baby, who is founder and chair of the Father Pio Lend A Hand Foundation.

This popular mother-and-daughter tandem developed and donated a special area in their mango farm for the monastery and shrine, “in service to the Church and the people. This tradition of doing community service that benefits the Church and the well-being of the people is something I live by, and which I have passed on to my daughter,” Baby told us.

The celebration was marked with the laying of a cornerstone and burying of a time capsule, followed by an excellent lunch prepared by the Arenas famille for the invitees. The sprawling home of Baby features lush gardens and a sea of mango trees, and yummy, to-die-for fruits and plants, turning the farm into a blanket of rich green—it was picture-perfect, dahlings.

The people of Pangasinan are fortunate to have a public servant like Rep. Rachel Arenas and a concerned constituent in the person of our palangga Baby Arenas.

Manila elite gathering

I was truly touched when our town’s dedicated charity workers and benefactors from the social scene got together for afternoon tea for my belated birthday celebration, held at the elegant, magnificently decorated home of businessman Abe Licaros and his wife, fashion plate Nini Ramos, dahlings.

The eye-catching house welcomed the fashionable and glam invitees, looking cool in their summer outfits, headed by Dr. Elenita Sombillo Binay, no less, and the hostesses, all women of substance and stature, such as Nini Licaros, Consuls Mely Ablaza, Agnes Huibonhoa, and Fortune Ledesma, May Neri, Chit Salud, Helen Ong, Gov. Baby Bayani Ortiz, Mabel Abaño, and Baby de Jesus, plus 70 other invitees.

Also there were philanthropists Imelda Cojuangco and Baby Arenas, socialite Mely Concepcion Hechanova, Fe Rodriguez, Yolly Ayson, Mimi Valerio, Baby Cruz, Naty Pappas, Nini Valdez, and doctor and former senator Loi Ejercito.

This high-tea Pinoy-style happening, a merienda cena, was catered by no less than Millie Reyes of the Plaza, one of my favorite caterers, palanggas.

The charmante guests greeted moi with “CHEERS!” and raised their wine glasses for “another year of good health and happiness.” They added: “The love that moves the sun and other stars… has moved us all to share and celebrate with Maurice, another year of the jetsetter lifestyle, party fever, and the relentless good life.”

Amen, dahlings!

Bow & Wow’s Black-Collar Ball

It’s time we become responsible and loving pet owners, dahlings. The country’s first all-natural pet food store, Bow & Wow, and Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) held a unique fundraising event, would you believe—a Bow & Wow Black-Collar Ball dinner, at The Gallery in Greenbelt 5, Makati, palanggas.

Hosted by gorgeous Patricia Bermudez-Hizon, the event was highlighted by the presentation of dogs that were once in very pitiful condition, and found by sympathetic individuals who turned them over to PAWS. The invitees learned of the need to raise P150,000 a month to keep PAWS’ animal shelter running and provide a safe harbor for animals.

A super yummy buffet by Cibo was served for the two-legged invitees, while the four-legged pets had their Bow & Wow bowls from the pet buffet.

Après, PAWS program director Anna Cabrera presented PAWS’ current activities—the people behind the organization and the moving stories of cases of dogs that had been rescued, plus a show of Seb Chua’s mind-boggling sculptures, dahlings.

Highlight was, as always, Bow & Wow’s raffle. Prizes were travel bags and backpacks; toothbrush sets, and toys for pets, plus plus. Supporting Bow & Wow’s Black-Collar Ball were Cibo and Cibo di M of Margarita Fores, Wine Story, Ayala Malls-Greenbelt, Fiori di M, Swell Sweets, DogTV, the Philippine Star Pet Life Section, and others.

The Bow & Wow Black-Collar Ball (www.bowandwow.com.ph) was an awesome, fun and worthwhile event for all of us animal-loving crowd. Bow & Wow is at 5/L, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong, and G/F, Greenbelt 5, Makati.

Quick fixes at Alterations Plus

And lastly, après my stay in Hong Kong for Holy Week, moi arrived three pounds over my usual weight, after all those lunches and dinners I attended (but that’s another story), palanggas. Seeing my waistline a bit larger than usual, moi rushed over to one of the best places to have your clothes fixed and looking right—Alteration Plus, at its outlet in San Antonio Arcade in Forbes Park.

It has a professional team that will take care of your alteration needs efficiently. It has special machines for all kinds of alterations; they spell the difference. Yes, Alterations Plus is at www.alterations-plus.ph—simply the best for me.

Check out Alterations Plus at its 16 outlets around town.