A night of beauty and charity
MANILA, Philippines - The Filipino spirit is weather-proof. We’ve seen the nation join hands in combating various hurdles that pose threats to mankind and to the environment as well. Cancer, being one of the many great challenges to our society today, has received much attention in the local and even international community towards prevention and cure. Thankfully, a group of compassionate individuals consolidated their expertise to put up the Philippine Cancer Society Inc. (PCSI). Set up as a private, non-stock, non-profit corporation registered under the Securities and Exchange Commission in 1956, PCSI was founded by a group of laymen and medical doctors, aiming to help Filipinos cope with cancer through prevention and diminish death caused by the debilitating disease.
PCSI, led by chairman doctor Roberto Paterno, continues to help cancer patients through several awareness and assistance programs as well as resource-generating activities, one of which is the annual Best Dressed Women of the Philippines Ball, now in its ninth year. Through a gathering of the country’s admired personalities who possess beauty and compassion for their fellow countrymen, the event continues to inspire the nation to help in fighting the Big C.
This year’s gathering of beauties and sympathetic hearts is led by honorary chairman Imelda Cojuangco and event chairman, Angola Consul Helen Ong, who have both shown excellence in their fields while defying limits for the welfare of PCSI’s beneficiaries. PCSI makes the fight against cancer more effective and accessible to its beneficiaries, including the innovative Patient Navigation Program (PNaP) that provides individualized assistance to marginalized Filipinos to give them timely, affordable and quality medical treatment. This year, the Best Dressed Women of the Philippines Ball were presented on Sept. 26, at the Makati Shangri-La ballroom for an evening of style and charity with EastWest Bank as a major sponsor.
This year’s awardees are Bernadette Montinola Aboitiz, Tootsy Echauz Angara, Ana Amigo-Antonio, Grace Barbers Baja, Sheree Jane Bangayan Chua, Elizabeth Siy Co, Joteen De Jesus-Jimenez, Kathleen Lior Liechtenstein, Aziza N. Mondoñedo, Pinky Puno and Agile Zamora while Best Dressed Style Icons are Ching Cruz and Carolyn Tan. These ladies were chosen not only for their fashion sense but also because of their charitable contribution to the welfare of the society.
The awardees also took part in a photo exhibit titled “A Toast to Life” that featured their portraits captured by the Camera Club of the Philippines recently at the Fashion Walk of Greenbelt 5. Cocktails were provided by French Baker. Media partners for the event were The Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Manila Bulletin and Lifestyle Asia.
