The more, the May-ier

Summer’s final month may have been very damp with El Niño’s showers but that didn’t hamper everyone’s spirit to enjoy the season’s end with fun and frolic even without the sun. Hey, accustomed to the tricky tropical weather, all we need to do is work around the inevitable and always have a plan B. Thus amidst all the wetness, this writer was still able to immerse in a lot of shindigs, events and even a festival. The more the merrier!

Towards the end of the month, the sleepy town of Liloan became the center of merriment as it celebrated its annual festivities in honor of patron saint Señor San Fernando Rey. Highlighting the revelry was the launch of the municipality’s festival. With the vision to involve and unite the entire town to celebrate, Mayor Duke Frasco encouraged each of the 14 barangays to form a contingent to portray and perform in dance what is best of their domicile. Though it is yet-to-be-anointed (Liloan Festival was the temporary moniker), the fest pretty much made an impressive display of its potential and certainly achieved its goal of bringing together townsfolk in one beat. Cheers!

The town also presented the search for the year’s Festival Queen on the evening of the 28th. A new concept for the former Miss Liloan beauty pageant, nine lovely lasses, who were the lead dancers of each contingent, showed their beauty, wit and talent. Dancing a segment of their routine for the next day’s mardi gras and undergoing the always-grueling interview, Darmae Maningo of barangay Tayud brought home the title.

Of course without failure, the Liloan Fisheries Incorporated regaled Liloanons with their own brand of entertainment. I am proud to be member of the said organization whose longevity is defined by the many generations of its members. On its 60th year, the group’s creative genius, Cora Cañete Jumapao, took the best in every decade and created a spectacular production. The retrospective showed off the organizations whimsical and comic nature translating into unsurpassed entertainment. Whohoo!

Meanwhile, earlier this month Res-Toe-Run at the Ayala Center opened with a new concept to shoe-shopping. Satisfying your appetite for footwear, the shop offers top name brands that will certainly match your taste and craving. And speaking of soles, world-famous flip-flops Havaianas treated media friends to a taste of Brazil in an evening of cocktails and camaraderie. Power-women tandem Leanne Florendo and Aimil Sarmiento of A.L. Amizalde Marketing Inc, exclusive distributor of the brand, transported guests to Abaca Resort in Mactan to enjoy overflowing Caipirinhas and mouthwatering hors d’oeuvres specially prepared by the resort. The invigorating sound of Lupon Anduyo was on the background all evening. Obrigado!

Also making a mark this month was the Cebu Fashion Accessories Designer’s Guild (CFADG). Headed by no less than award-winning designer Mark Anton Masa, the guild formally inducted itself with the first-ever Accessory Design Competition at the Teatro Casino in Waterfront Cebu City Hotel. Providing avenue for Cebuano craftsmanship and ingenuity, the competition featured products of 10 aspiring artists that simply shout world-class. Kudos!