For the love of children

“What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Inspired by her wish to get to know better the children of our country, the brilliant Gizela “Ging” Gonzalez Montinola wrote her first book Where the children are. The book aims to give a voice to the children, often unheard, and in doing so, allowing them to tell their stories. In this masterpiece, the author conveys the everyday life of the children while bringing today’s most pressing issues — poverty, education, housing, garbage and child labor to a very personal level, that of the children who know them most intimately, because they live them. Recently, the book was launched at the Alliance Française de Manille in Makati and attended by highly-respected names in the socio-civic, business and art circles.

Aside from being a hardworking lawyer and businesswoman, Ging is a passionate volunteer worker. She has served on various non-profit organizations including the Consuelo Madrigal Foundation, Caritas Manila, Museo Pambata and the Mother Rosa Memorial Foundation. She was a co-founder of Hands On Manila and established the Madrigal Gonzalez First Book Award. Ging is wife to visionary Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) president Gigi Montinola.

Congratulations Ging on all your successes! This book is for all our children, who show us who we truly are.

Greetings

Happy birthday to our celebrators today, Danny Dolor, Liza Nakpil, Mariliese Evaristo, Pilie Barrenechea and Henry Atayde.

Advance birthday greetings to Boracay Regency chairman Henry Chusuey, Camp John Hay chairman Bob Sobrepeña, Mercy Tuason, restaurateur Maritel Nievera of Cabalen and Italy-based Mai Mai Cojuangco-Zini, Sept. 27; Wilcon’s EVP and COO Rose Bosch Ong, Vicky Cuisia, Mari Caballero and Mina Paras, Sept. 28; Gerry Contreras, Thelma San Juan, former Sen. Leticia Shahani and former Tourism Secretary Gemma Cruz-Araneta, Sept. 30. Patsy Francisco and Alby Litton, Oct. 1; Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr., Sofitel’s Rose Libongco and maritime lawyer Jerby Rebano, Oct. 2.

So, how was your week?

(For comments or inquiries, please e-mail me at jjlitton@indanet.com)