Sister Act

If you look at my bookshelves whether at home or in the office, 99 percent of all biographies and biographical picture books in them are either about the Aquinos or the Kennedys. I think idolatry is in my DNA, and I believe I chose the right families to put on a pedestal, all too human they may be.

Thus, the tea hosted last week by US Ambassador Sung Kim for JFK’s daughter Caroline and  Aquino sisters Ballsy Cruz, Pinky Abellada and Viel Dee was a meeting of the children of titans. Caroline’s father was the much admired President John F. Kennedy, credited for saving the world from nuclear annihilation in 1962, and his wife Jacqueline; while the Aquinos are daughters of world-renowned democracy icons former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and former President Cory Aquino.

 The Aquino sisters (except Kris, by her own admission) are very simple women who savor their anonymity like it were a banana split. And Caroline, former ambassador to Japan, was described to me by the Aquino sisters as “walang ka ere-ere” (with no airs whatsoever) and “sobrang humble, sobrang bait” (very humble and kind). She is, after all, JFK’s only surviving child and she could be standoffish if she chose to.

According to Pinky, Ambassador Sung broke the ice by saying he wished he could take credit for the meeting of Caroline and the Aquinos, but it was Caroline who requested that the sisters be invited to the US Embassy for tea with her. Since Kris’ blood pressure was fluctuating that day, she begged off from the meeting that she was so excited about.

Caroline told the Aquinos that before flying to Manila from Los Angeles, she met with her first cousin broadcast journalist Maria Shriver, who reminded Caroline that she had once interviewed Cory Aquino.

Being a Kennedyphile, I also know that Caroline’s late uncle Sen. Robert “Bobby” Kennedy visited Manila shortly before he was gunned down before the US presidential elections in 1968. My mom Sonia told me that Bobby was mobbed by an adoring crowd at the Philippine Women’s University, so much so that he said gratefully, “I wish I could take you all back to the States with me.”

During the snap elections of 1986, Caroline’s first cousin Teddy Kennedy Jr. flew to observe the polls in Antique, a hotbed of violence then, and I am certain his observations had a bearing on the eventual withdrawal of support for the presidency of then dictator Ferdinand Marcos. After all, his father Sen. Edward Kennedy, was called, “the Lion of the Senate.”

When Cory Aquino delivered her famous and historic address to the US Congress in 1986, among those with a yellow boutonniere on the lapel of his suit was Senator Kennedy. And then she flew to Boston for a private reception hosted by Caroline Kennedy at the JFK Library and Museum (which was Cory’s “inspiration” for the Aquino Center in Tarlac, according to Pinky). Caroline gave Cory a bust of JFK.

Ballsy told me the late Senator Kennedy’s son Patrick had also met with their brother, then President Noynoy Aquino.

It would not be presumptuous of me to conclude both families admire each other and that birds of the same feather flock together.

Enjoying afternoon tea were (clockwise) Ballsy Cruz, Caroline Kennedy, Pinky Abellada, Viel Dee and Ambassador Sung Kim.

A refuge for abused girls in Negros

A new Cameleon center for girls who are victims of sexual abuse will soon rise in Negros Island.

Cameleon Philippines, a charitable organization founded by French national Laurence Ligier, runs a center for abused and impoverished girls in Passi, Iloilo. The center takes care of about 400 girls and is manned by a permanent local staff of about 33. A 20-year-old non-government organization, Cameleon is dedicated to helping survivors of sexual abuse and to providing educational support and livelihood opportunities to economically underprivileged children and their families.

Thus, Laurence saw the need for a center in Negros Occidental as well and with efforts spearheaded by women like Laurence and the ladies of the Zonta Club of Makati Ayala and Makati and Environs, the groundbreaking for the construction of a rehabilitation center at Bonbon Village, Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City took place last Jan. 10. This 8,000-square-meter property was donated by the local government of Silay City to Cameleon.

“We are thankful that finally, we have a land to build and make this project come to reality,” said Laurence.

Bishop Patricio Buzon, who was present at the groundbreaking, emphasized that love is the foundation of the shelter.

The Silay Cameleon project was sponsored by the government of Luxembourg, Coopération Humanitaire Luxembourg and the BDO Foundation.

During the groundbreaking rites in Silay, Laurence acknowledged the presence of her Zonta Club supporters Rita Dy, president of Zonta Club of Makati Ayala, and Mita Rufino, president of Zonta Club of Makati and Environs, who worked tirelessly for almost two years to help source local funding and the land for the project.

“We are happy the collaboration of our two clubs worked out beautifully,” added long-time Cameleon supporter Rita Dy, who helped tap into the generosity of the BDO Foundation for the construction of the shelter.

For his part, Mario Deriquito, BDO Foundation president, affirmed, “Our foundation is very happy to be part of this mission particularly in helping young people.”

“We, in the city of Silay, assure our full support and participation in any way we can to make this meaningful and beneficial for everyone especially for the children,” Silay City Mayor Mark Golez said.

According to Laurence, who first arrived in the Philippines as a community volunteer before establishing Cameleon, the implementation of the project will start this February and is expected to be completed by November 2018. Victims of rape and incest will be accommodated and taken care of there until their recovery and reintegration in their community. They will benefit from educational, medical, psychological and legal support provided by Cameleon.

Laurence says she named the shelter Cameleon (French for “chameleon”) because like a chameleon, an abused and traumatized girl can change colors and transform into her best self yet with nurturing, counselling and rehabilitation.

Here’s to more chameleons in Negros.

(From left) Zonta Club of Makati-Ayala president Rita Dy, Cameleon Association founder Laurence Ligier, Silay City Mayor Mark Golez, Bishop Patricio Buzon, BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito, program director Rose Espinosa, Zonta Club of Makati and Environs president Mita Rufino, Fr. Mark Anthony Ison and Tess Golez.

 (To support the new project of Cameleon in Negros, e-mail [email protected].)

(You may e-mail me at [email protected]. )