Cebu welcomed the visit of Madame Evelin Ilves, first lady of the Republic of Estonia, who came to spend a weeklong holiday at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa. A welcome dinner for her was held at the Cebu Provincial Capitol. The red carpet was literally laid out for her from the street to the stately portals.
Dancers in Philippine costumes lined the path as acting Cebu Gov. Agnes Almendras Magpale greeted Mme. Ilves and daughter Catherine. Also in her group were Tiit Kepp, who heads the airport management board in Talin, Estonia’s capital; and Fernando Peña, the honorary consul of Estonia, based in Manila.
Mme. Ilves is tall, very beautiful, with blonde hair and blue eyes. For her age (early 40s), she has received important honors such as knighthoods from the monarchs of Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands; as well as from Romania and Latvia.
We gathered that she is a physician by profession and that she has edited a lifestyle magazine in her country. “These are your colleagues,” Gov. Agnes Magpale said as she introduced local journalists Flor Ynclino, Chinggay Utzurrum and Cookie Newman.
In her welcome speech, Governor Magpale described Estonia as a dynamic country with a high-income economy. She admitted surfing the Internet and being highly impressed with the Baltic nation’s history and development.
Mme. Ilves is very much concerned with the welfare of women and their empowerment. “We open our hearts to you,” said the governor who has also made that her advocacy first as a provincial board member, and as vice governor of Cebu.
Cebu’s acting Vice Gov. Julian Daan joined the ladies on the dais for a presentation of handcrafted sculpture to Mme. Ilves, as a souvenir of her Cebu visit.
An elaborate program emceed by Vince Escario was presented depicting the festivals of the cities of Danao and Mandaue, and the municipality of Argao. Philippine foil dances were nimbly performed by the University of San Carlos dance troupe.
Present were Provincial Board Member Miguel Magpale, the governor’s son; Provincial Board Member Peter Calderon and his pretty wife Patsy Cinco Calderon; Department of Foreign Affairs director in Cebu Elias Balawag, and his protocol officer Angel Espiritu.
Glimpsed: Hembler Mendoza, Lapu-Lapu City’s tourism officer; Prudencio Gesta, president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Eva Gestopa Encabo who is with the province’s information office; and Evangeline de Paula who has written a book about Cebu City’s history.
Dawn Roa was in charge of the excellent Philippine menu served on long buffet tables, catered by Café Laguna. Compliments came from Tetta Baad, Nelia Navarro, Carmel Salvador, Ahmed Cuizon, Alice Queblatin and more.
Chartered city
Cebu may have been the first city in the Philippines founded by royal decree after Miguel Lopez de Legazpi came in 1565. Yet, its status as a chartered city is of relatively recent vintage—1937.
That was thanks to the late Sen. Vicente Rama, whose grandson Michael Rama is the mayor of Cebu City. Feb. 24 marked the 76th anniversary of this charter, celebrated with the usual panoply at the ballroom of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.
The celebration has through the years served as occasion to present awards. Cited this year as outstanding individuals were architect Socorro Atega and Raymundo Abao. Outstanding institutions were the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation, International Pharmaceuticals Foundation and the Rotary Club of Cebu West.
The mayor’s special awards went to SM City Cebu, Ayala Center Cebu, 888 Forum led by Ricky Poca, Jose Navarro, and Dr. Lourdes “Odette” Jereza, who led the core group to research on Cebu City’s families of distinction.
This has been a yearlong project to acknowledge contributions of more than 75 families to the governance, prosperity and the development of the arts in Cebu City. Representatives from all these families received plaques of recognition.
Quite touching were the awards for eight Cebu centenarians who aside from a citation were each given a check for P100,000. They came in wheelchairs, leaning on canes or propped at the elbows by relatives. One did go up the stage on his own.
Their names: Teofila Fernandez Aliño, Irene Famador Leyson, Nazaria Matig-a Bantilan, Maria Isip Ochia, Lucila Villarta Yncierto, Conrado Canaya Regis, Justina Umacob Arenasa and Simeon Rama Suplac.
The evening’s highlight was a fashion parade featuring the designs of Cebu Fashion Inc. members. It opened with Ruffa Gutierrez in a dramatic gown by Cary Santiago, and closed with beauty queen Carla Henry in Filipiniana by Philip Rodriguez.
Mayor Mike Rama was a proud uncle as he presented Ruffa with a bouquet and led her to the table of her parents—Annabelle Rama and Eddie Gutierrez. A crowd surged toward them, everyone wanting to have a picture.
