Birthday Gatherings

CEBU, Philippines - Birthdays are celebrated everyday and everywhere. They are milestones that are marked in everyone's life. While the festivities are different, the events and reasons to celebrate them are the same across all cultures.

 Natal days have a special significance as they are a commemoration of a rite of passage. It is a thanksgiving day for family and dear friends. For many, a birthday is a celebration of health and happiness.

Golden gal Ana Climaco invited her classmates from St. Theresa's College, as well as   sprinkling of relatives and dear friends to a delightful Filipino merienda at her well-appointed home.

In lieu of gifts, Ana, caring person that she is, requested the invitees to bring adult diapers for her favorite charity: Missionaries of the Lamb, a home for the aged . Among the attendees were Mali Garcia, Memel Borromeo, Annette Mendezona, Len Jarque, Lisa Mill Irving, Mariles Nable and Marisol Michael.

Civic leader and well-respected educator Mila Espina hosted a Chinese lauriat dinner at the White Gold Restaurant for her many friends and associates. Members from the different organizations such as The WE Care, The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and The Zonta Club, where Mila is actively involved, joined in the lively celebration.

The highlight of the evening was the special appearance of Anna Fegi, a former scholar of the Amparito Llhuillier Foundation who has won several international awards and continues to tour the globe performing everything from pop to musical theater. She graciously sang a few Broadway songs which delighted everyone. Mila's husband Sonny also rendered a few numbers and dedicated the performance to her.

Later, guests joined in and everyone danced and sang. Glasses clinked to more good times ahead for the birthday celebrant.