The Parish of Guadalupe in Cebu City held its traditional flower festival led by the parish pastor, Msgr. Jose Montecillo. The event was coordinated by the Catholic Volunteers for Charity Movement (CVCM) whose president is Trinidad Modina.
Highlight was Tanya Valencia putting a crown of flowers on the head of the Virgin Mary’s statue. She is the granddaughter of CVCM founder Coring Cermeño de Valencia.
Members present included Patricia Macabenta, Dr. Nancy Bayani, Vic and Cheryl Quilaton, Lourdes Rodriguez, Ester Acero, Nancy Manalang, Myrna Cuizon, Aster Patalinghug, Cookie Valencia, Christine Climaco, Gerry Climaco, Don Climaco and JJ Climaco.
They distributed rosaries to the 1,000 children from the parish who attended the event and took part in the CVCM feeding program.
‘Casino’s Got Talent’
Casino Español de Cebu presented its annual “Casino’s Got Talent” with great success at the club’s ballroom, Salon de España. Theme was “Casino Swings and Rocks to the ’50s and ’60s.”
Guests who had signed up came early to get a good table, with general manager May Ocaba welcoming all at the foyer. Casino Español de Cebu president Eduardo Gonzalez and his wife Therese were among the first to arrive. Ditto Bunny Pages, the evening’s jovial program host.
The buffet started serving at 7 p.m. with quite an array, from salads and cheese platters to a varied menu that included noodles and a carving station with roast pork and a scrumptious liver sauce.
By 8 p.m. Bunny poised himself onstage and asked Ed Gonzalez to give words of welcome. “Buenas noches,” said Ed and went on to acknowledge Honey Jarque Loop for her efforts in organizing the event as she does every year.
Honey was asked to say something, whereupon she thanked the tremendous cooperation of the performers and the interest generated among the Casino Español members. It was a full house!
She added that as in previous years, the show was not a competition. “Its purpose is to entertain, and for everyone who comes to have a nice time,” she remarked.
First on the program was a production number to the blare of Chubby Checker’s 1961 hit “Let’s twist again, like we did last summer…” Twisters all, and in colorful costumes:
Therese Gonzalez, Grace Lozada, Lisette Garcia, Ana Climaco, Mali Garcia, Susan Sala, Mayen Tan, Maria Domingo, Rose Hennessy, Toots Torres and Honey Loop herself. They all formed a conga line at the end, to the applause of everyone.
Tony Quisumbing sang as his wife Lorna danced hula style, “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You,” from the 1961 Elvis Presley film “Blue Hawaii,” Lorna promised, “Next time, I’ll sing, too.”
John Domingo missed the third line of “Besame Mucho,” but he started it out once more while everyone sang along, “Como si fuera esta noche la ultima vez…” Bunny told us the song was composed in 1940 in Mexico by 14-year-old Consuelo Velasquez.
Tina Jordana and her daughter Miren Sofia were in full costume, dark glasses and all, to sing Aretha Franklin’s “Natural Woman” and “Respect.” They had backup singers.
Del Ordoñez, in his tenor voice, evoked an earlier era, with “Love is a Many Splendored Thing,” from the 1955 movie of that title, and “Because You’re Mine,” sung by Mario Lanza in the 1952 MGM film.
Aurora Fernandez at 88 mounted the stage with granddaughters Amanda and Christine Gabucan to dance to the tune of “The Candy Man,” made famous by Christina Aguilera.
Tessie Javier made her entrance from the ballroom’s door down a parquet lane all the way to the stage dancing the rock ‘n’ roll with her partner, Giovanni.
Next was Leigh Michelle Ramos in an elegant blue gown to sing Helen Reddy’s “Can’t Say Goodbye to You.” This was her third time in “Casino Got Talent.”
Fred Astaire sang it in the 1936 film “Swing Time” and through the decades it has gone through varied interpretations. This night it was Tony Lozada with his version of “The Way You Look Tonight.”
Herbert Buot brought the house down with Dean Martin’s “You’re Nobody ’Til Somebody Loves You” and Perry Como’s “And I Love You So.”
Dressed like Elvis Presley, Steve Lava was accompanied on electric guitars by his sons Steven and BJ, as he sang “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” followed by “Be Bop A Lula” and “Blue Suede Shoes.”
Bringing us back once more to 1961 was Rorie Fernandez singing that classic Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer masterpiece “Moon River” from Audrey Hepburn’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” And to think that a producer at Paramount thought of cutting “that lousy song from the soundtrack.”
Kathy Kiener and Cheling Sala sang a duet—“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”
The grand finale had Casino Español de Cebu employees dancing and singing a series of Elvis Presley hits. In the cast were the guys in white suits—Louie Fernandez, Winston Pasague, Victor Mirafuentes, Johnny Labiste and Lyndon Rocamora; and the gals in balloon skirts—Prexy Tubiano, Clyde Tubal, Liezel Bell, Ruffa Palacio and Raphel Batasin-in.
At the end of the night there were trophies for the ladies and bottles of wine for the gents. As they did in 2012 and last year, those who came have asked, “Do we have to wait for another year?”
