ASEAN ladies feel the Filipino warmth
Honeylet Avanceña (third from right) joins hands the ASEAN way during a lunch she hosted for Ching Ho, Naraporn Chan-O-Cha, Lee Jong- Min, Iriana Joko Widodo and Datin Sri Rosnah Binti Mansor
It was an intimate lunch that First Lady Honeylet Avanceña hosted for the spouses of the ASEAN leaders at the Manila Hotel’s historic Champagne Room for Ching Ho (Singapore), Naraporn Chan-O-Cha (Thailand), Lee Jong- Min (Korea), Iriana Joko Widodo (Indonesia) and Datin Sri Rosnah Binti Mansor (Malaysia). The group had just attended the opening ceremonies at the Cultural Center of the Philippines with their husbands and respective delegations, so it was time to have a quiet moment to bond and relax. As she welcomed her female counterparts, Honeylet explained, “We are presenting the best of Philippine cuisine, talent and artistry that showcases our country. We Filipinos are known for our hospitality and I invite you to feel the warmth and soul of my country. As you leave, I hope that you take with you fond memories of your stay.”
Wearing a light pink jusi shift dress with a matching jacket by Laguna-based Andrew Badiola, she was warmly applauded by the small group of ladies who were served a delicious but light four-course menu that started with a succulent pitik lobster-pomelo cocktail, followed by a healthy malunggay soup sprinkled with tinapa flakes, a perfectly cooked grouper fillet in panko crust with organic red rice and a sweet ending of a trio of native desserts.
While enjoying our lunch, musical artists Floyd Tena, Andreo Lukas, Regine Imperial and Karla Diño entertained with popular ballads and bouncy tunes that made us tap our toes as we conversed. We learned that the ASEAN leaders flew in their private jets and landed in Clark for security reasons and were brought to Metro Manila where they were lodged in various top hotels. Since the 10 member countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Cambodia) each take a turn in hosting the event annually, Singapore will be next year’s host.
Designer Randy Ortiz presented a beautiful Filipiniana collection composed mainly of jusi and piña fabric that featured elegant ternos, cocktail ensembles, contemporary Barong Tagalogs and modern-styled Kimonas that were inspired by the ASEAN spirit of unity and communication. Jewelmer’s golden pearls were worn to complement each outfit.
A diplomat’s wife later mentioned that she had never seen so many lovely and tall Filipinas since the models included beauty queens Gwen Ruais, Marie Ann Umali, Yvette Santiago and Justine Gabionza. Two good-looking male models, Sam Ajdani and Trishan Cuaso, completed the fashion lineup.
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For comments and ideas, email jacinto.fa@gmail.com. Photos by FRANNIE JACINTO
