A birthday celebration for a cause
This year’s grand celebration was by civic-minded personalities Flora and Sheree Chua who hosted their biennial birthday celebration, “Flora & Fauna: Luzviminda,” at the in-demand Grand Hyatt for the benefit of the House of Hope Foundation, a charitable institution for children who suffer from cancer in Mindanao.
The event got off to a roll with a gastronomic journey centered on comfort food from different parts of the archipelago such as lechon baka, kwek-kwek, poqui-poqui and bam-I, which were served with pre-show cocktails. Once the doors swung open, the show started with a serenade from the Mandaluyong Children’s Choir featuring folk songs and classic OPM hits.
Special dishes highlighting the delicacy of the islands accompanied each segment of the program. The first act, “Luzon,” ushered in indigenous dancers taking the audience of a journey of creation from Philippine Myths and Legends accompanied by Idol Philippines’ Lucas Garcia, followed by a fashion show inspired by Northern fabrics by Albert Andrada and Paul Cabral.
“Visayas” featured Bisdak icon Pilita Corrales and an aerial dance signifying the courtship ritual with creations by brilliant Jun Jun Ablaza and Jun Escario onstage. The grand finale, “Mindanao,” summoned the vocal cords of Lumad woman and warrior artist Bayang Barrios and Joey Ayala and show-stopping gowns made from authentic T’nalak fabrics by Alfonso “Boy“ Guino-o and Asia’s prince of beads, Amir Sali. Wow!
The second part of the program awarded the Gawad Kasilak to pillars of Philippine Arts like Patis Tesoro and Alfonso “Boy” Guino-o for Fashion, Sheron Dayoc for Film, Dr. Jaime Laya for Cultural Administration and Margie Moran Floreindo for Arts and Culture.
Happy, happy New Year to all of you, my palanggas and followers of The STAR!
